Of the large number receiving treatment as "out patients," many receive treatment for weeks in succession, and these we cannot conveniently classify in the preceding statistics.

Again and again have the hospital accommodations proved inadequate for those desiring and requiring hospital treatment, and on such occasions have we been obliged to use the Long Island infirmary for the overflow.

The work required in properly caring for such a large number of patients has necessitated a larger amount of care than ever before, and we are glad to state that the nurses and those associated with them in caring for the sick have faithfully performed the service required, and we desire. at this opportunity to extend our thanks for their appreciative interest.

On December 26, no less than 296 patients were being treated in the various hospital-wards, this number being by far the largest in the history of the institution.

During the year 6,312 patients presented themselves for examination or treatment at "sick call" in both institutions.

By a new system, introduced this year, every inmate upon admission is examined as to mental and physical condition, and a daily report of the same made to the Superintendent, thus enabling the latter to assign to each a duty corresponding to his fitness for the same.

Of the 1,273 inmates admitted this year on permit and from leave, nearly four-fifths presented themselves for treat

ment.

It is to be deplored that a person admitted to this institution for the sole purpose of obtaining treatment (and after having been refused admission to any of the various hospitals in the city proper) should, upon his convalescence and discharge from here, be branded as having been an inmate of a "Home for Paupers."

Could not some distinction be made to discriminate between that worthy class who seek admission for medical or surgical treatment, and that class who come here because they cannot or will not work outside?

There is an erroneous impression with those outside the institution that the majority of cases treated here are chronic and incurable; but a glance at the accompanying statistics will convince the most sceptical that such is not the case.

This year we are glad to be able to announce the near approach to completion of the new hospital.

It is the intention to treat all hospital patients, both male and female, in the new building, which, when completed, will contain beds for the accommodation of some 125 each, male and female patients.

The new building is so constructed that an excellent opportunity will be afforded for classifying patients and for isolating the refractory, demented, and dying.

When completed, the hospital will be separate and distinct from the institution proper-a model hospital.

In addition to a central distributing-kitchen to be located in the central ring, and in which will be prepared the various house diets required in the wards, provision has been made for a diet kitchen in each of the wards, to be used in preparing the various "special" diets.

In point of fact, the new hospital will, when completed, be as modern as intelligence and skill can make it.

We have been singularly fortunate this year in our freedom from contagious disease.

Measles appeared in the nursery at Rainsford early in March, but these cases were promptly isolated, and the three patients, with their mothers, "quarantined" until all danger of contagion had passed.

None of the cases of typhoid fever treated on Long Island during the year were contracted on the island, as far as our investigation showed.

We have had twenty-six births during the year, one of twins, and one by induced labor, the latter in a case of deformed pelvis, and in which we were successful in delivering a living child.

We have had two "still-borns," and no deaths have occurred in child-birth.

About the middle of December the "grippe" visited us, and within a week over one hundred inmates and many of the matrons and officers suffered more or less severely; but we are glad to state all recovered after a varying period of

treatment.

During the year, additional bathing-facilities and rooms for isolating patients have been provided on Long Island.

I would recommend the appointment of a consulting board of physicians and surgeons, to whom application might be made as occasion required. I would also suggest the propriety of appointing an apothecary at Long Island, whose sole duty shall be the compounding of medicines.

The work in this department has assumed such proportions that the greater part of the steward's time is now engaged in preparing the various medicines as prescribed by the physicians, and this time properly belongs to the care of the patients.

Again, I would recommend the appointment of several female nurses, whose compensation might be necessarily small on account of the instruction which they would receive