New Jersey has provision for something not dissimilar to the "Wisconsin plan." The counties are authorized to erect hospitals for the insane. These are subsidized, the state paying $2 per week for each indigent patient treated. As the counties must pay not to exceed "3 per week for the indigents sent to the state hospital, it seems that inducement is given for the development of local care.[1] Missouri has authorized all counties having a population of more than a hundred thousand (the city of St. Louis) to establish asylums for the insane and to withdraw their patients from the state hospitals, the state paying the counties so doing $1 per week for each indigent patient treated.[2] And, lastly, Kansas has adopted the policy of paying the counties for caring for those insane who, because of insufficient room, cannot gain admission to the public hospital.[3]
The last point of which we wish to speak is the lunacy commissions of a number of states, and the supervision and regulation of private asylums and retreats for the insane.
In Massachusetts the law relating to the commitment and discharge of the insane applies as well to the private as to the public hospitals, and no one may be admitted except upon the certificate of two physicians. All private asylums must be licensed by the governor and his council, and are subject to visitation by them. The State Board of Lunacy and Charity may visit and inspect both public and private hospitals and discharge patients at its will.[4] Similarly, in Connecticut all private asylums must be licensed by the governor. All superintendents of asylums must have had three years' experience in the treatment of the insane. A license may be revoked for failure to comply with the conditions upon which it was granted.[5]
The Commission of Lunacy of New York visits all institutions caring for the insane, whether public or private, at least twice each year ; all cases received at the hospitals must be reported to it within ten days and all cases discharged within three days ; all "examiners in lunacy" must be registered with it; and all private asylums must be licensed by it. License may be
