Page:American Journal of Sociology Volume 4.djvu/82

This page needs to be proofread.

66 THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF SOCIOLOGY

mitted to the hospitals along with the insane. In Vermont they may be committed like the insane to the hospital or to private institutions for the cure of drunkenness.' Massachusetts has established a state institution for the treatment of such cases, the laws relating to the commitment and support of the insane applying.' Pennsylvania authorizes the counties to establish hospitals in connection with the workhouses, and to commit all inebriates for a course of treatment of from six months to two years, the indigents to be committed at the expense of the county .3 In Michigan and Wisconsin they are to be committed to some private asylum, if indigent at public expense.* The com- mitment in the former state is to be for not longer than thirty days ; the cost of treatment in the latter, not greater than Si 30. In Louisiana the judge of the district court may, upon the appli- cation of the relatives of an indigent drunkard, who has lost the power of " reasonable self-control," commit him at the expense of the parish to some institution for treatment, provided, how- ever, that the institution will agree to cure the inebriate at a cost not to exceed Sioo.s Minnesota has provided for the commit- ment of drunkards to a special department of the state hospital for the insane.* She also authorizes the county judge to commit drunkards to some institution to take the "gold cure, " the cost of treatment not to exceed Si 00.' And, lastly, California has authorized certain counties holding lands reserved for that pur- pose to erect hospitals for the inebriate.*

VI. CONSUMPTIVES AND TUBERCULAR PATIENTS.

Massachusetts, always leading in providing for the care of the indigent and for the treatment of the defective, has estab- lished a state hospital for consumptives and tubercular patients. The laws (except as to commitment) relating to the insane apply here also.'

Good management of state institutions is necessary for effi-

'4557-4558. s Act of July 12, 1894. "Act of April 25, 1895.

» Act of June 5, 1889. ' Act of April 22, 1895.

'Act of June 26, 1896. 'Act of March 27, 1895.

<Act of June 2, 1893 ; Act of April 19, 1895. » Act of June 5, 1895.