send a copy thereof to the Board of Managers of the Buffalo State Hospital and to the members of the bereaved family.

TRANSFER OF SUPERINTENDENTS

Dr. Paul G. Taddiken, superintendent of the St. Lawrence State Hospital, was transferred to the position of superintendent of the Buffalo State Hospital on January 25, 1919. Following the transfer of Dr. Hutchings to the Utica State Hospital, Dr. Taddiken was retransferred to the superintendency of the St. Lawrence State Hospital on April 1, 1919.

Dr. Richard H. Hutchings was transferred from the position of superintendent of the St. Lawrence State Hospital to that of superintendent of the Utica State Hospital on April 1, 1919.

Dr. Hutchings served in the Division of Neurology and Psychiatry of the army medical service from July, 1917, to February, 1919. During his absence Dr. Taddiken served as superintendent of the St. Lawrence State Hospital.

APPOINTMENT OF DR. VAN DE MARK AS MEDICAL INSPECTOR Dr. John L. Van De Mark was transferred by the Commission from the position of medical examiner of the Bureau of Deportation to that of medical inspector on May 1, 1919. He had been acting medical inspector since November, 1917.

Dr. Van De Mark is a native of Seneca county, N. Y., having been born in Junius, March 10, 1879.

After receiving preliminary training in the schools of his native village, he attended the Waterloo High School and was graduated therefrom in 1898. Two years later he entered the medical department of the University of Buffalo and after having a four years' medical course, received the degree of M. D. in 1904. Following graduation he became an interne in the Erie County Hospital in Buffalo. In February, 1906, Dr. Van De Mark entered the State service at the St. Lawrence State Hospital. After serving in this institution continuously for over five years, he resigned to take up private practice. During the following year he took a three months' post-graduate course at the New York Post-Graduate Medical School. On August 1, 1912, he re-entered the State service at the Central Islip State Hospital. On May 1,

1913, he was transferred from the Central Islip State Hospital to the Bureau of Deportation where he served as second deputy until October, 1914, when he was made first deputy medical examiner. On September 1, 1916, he was promoted to the position of medical examiner of the Bureau after qualifying in a civil service promotion examination. While connected with the Bureau, Dr. Van De Mark assisted the medical inspector on numerous occasions and in November, 1917, he was appointed acting medical inspector. He continued in this capacity until May 1, 1919, when he was given a permanent appointment by the State Hospital Commission.

Dr. Van De Mark is a member of several learned societies among which are the New York County Medical Society, the New York State Medical Society, the American Medical Association and the American Medico-Psychological Association.

PROMOTION OF DR. SPENCER L. DAWES AS MEDICAL EXAMINER, BUREAU OF DEPORTATION

Dr. Spencer L. Dawes, deputy medical examiner of the Bureau of Deportation, was promoted to the position of medical examiner on May 1, 1919. He had served as deputy medical examiner since October, 1917.

Dr. Dawes was born in Saugerties, N. Y., March 17, 1864.

His pre-medical education was obtained at the Shortlidge Media (Pennsylvania) Academy from which he was graduated in 1881. He attended the Bellevue Medical College and received his medical degree from that institution in 1887. Following graduation he took up the practice of medicine at Saugerties, N. Y., and remained there until 1898 when he removed to Albany. He practiced medicine in the latter city until October 1, 1916, when he was appointed deputy medical examiner in the Bureau of Deportation. From November, 1917, to May, 1919, he was acting medical examiner of the Bureau, and on May 1, 1919, was promoted to the position of medical examiner.

In March, 1912, Dr. Dawes was appointed by Governor Dix, Special Commissioner on the Alien Insane to examine and investigate the State hospitals and Bureau of Deportation regarding the alien insane in the State hospitals and to report with recommendations. While acting in this capacity Dr. Dawes made a thorough

study of the question and issued a report that attracted wide attention.

Subsequently on Governor Glynn's recommendation the Legislature appointed a Committee on Federal Legislation, consisting of Senators Brown and Blauvelt and Dr. Dawes, the latter acting as secretary and executive officer and as such appeared at Washington before the Senate Immigration Committee and President Wilson to urge changes in the Immigration Bill. As a result of the activities of this Commission, the amendments to the Immigration Act recommended by Dr. Dawes in his report, with one exception, were adopted by Congress and became a part of the new Immigration Law.

DEATH OF DR. SIDNEY C. VERMILYEA

Doctor Sidney C. Vermilyca, assistant physician of the Hudson River State Hospital and first lieutenant of the U. S. Medical Corps, A. E. F., died in Mobile Hospital No. 9, November 2, 1918, from wounds received in an engagement near Audenarde, Belgium, October 30, 1918.

Dr. Vermilyea was born at Dresden, New York, March 1, 1887. He graduated from the Penn Yan Academy in 1905 and taught school for two years following his graduation.

He received his medical education at Syracuse University, graduating with the degree of Doctor of Medicine in 1912.

Following his graduation he served as interne at the House of the Good Shepherd Hospital from 1912 to 1913 when he entered private practice at Savannah, New York, where he remained three years. He entered the State hospital service March 19, 1917.

Dr. Vermilyea was a very efficient medical officer and his early death is greatly deplored. So far as known, Dr. Vermilyea was the only member of the State hospital medical staff's who lost his life in military service during the World War.

PATIENTS UNDER TREATMENT IN THE STATE HOSPITALS

At the beginning of the fiscal year there were 37,352 insane patients in the civil State hospitals, 1,420 in the hospitals for the criminal insane, and 925 in the private licensed institutions; a total of 39,697.

The admissions for the year, including transfers, numbered 8,674 in the civil hospitals, 173 in the hospitals for the criminal insane, and 436 in the private institutions; a total of 9,283. There were 6,791 first admissions to the civil hospitals, 141 to the hospitals for the criminal insane, and 348 to the private licensed institutions; a total of 7,280.

The readmissions for the year numbered 1,883 in the civil hospitals, 32 in the hospitals for the criminal insane, and 88 in the private institutions; a total of 2,003.

The total number of patients under treatment during the year, excluding transfers, was 46,086 in the civil hospitals, 1,584 in the hospitals for the criminal insane, and 1,311 in the private institutions, making a total of 48,981. Excluding transfers, 3,967 patients were discharged from the civil hospitals, 82 from the hospitals for the criminal insane, and 320 from the private institutions; a total of 4,369. There were 4,512 deaths in the civil hospitals, 80 in the hospitals for the criminal insane, and 75 in the private institutions; a total of 4,667.

At the close of the fiscal year, June 30, 1919, there were remaining on the books 37,607 patients in the civil State hospitals, 1,422 patients in the hospitals for the criminal insane, and 916 patients in the private institutions; a grand total of 39,945. The increase of patients in the civil hospitals was 255, in the hospitals for the criminal insane 2; and the decrease in the private institutions was 9. In all the institutions together there was a net increase during the fiscal year of 248 patients.

The average daily patient population in the civil hospitals was 37,485, an increase of 462 over that of the preceding fiscal year. Of the 37,607 patients remaining on the books of the civil hospitals June 30, 1919, 33,721, or 89.7 per cent, were entirely supported by the State; 3,653, or 9.7 per cent, were paying partial cost of maintenance, while 233, or 0.6 per cent, were admitted under the special provisions of section 89 of the Insanity Law.

The average daily number of patients on parole during the year was 2,120, an increase of 139 over the average of the previous

fiscal year.

RESULTS OF TREATMENT

The cases discharged from the civil State hospitals, exclusive of transfers, numbered 3,967. Of these 1,560 were discharged as recovered; 862 as much improved; 997 as improved; 498 as unimproved; and 50 as not insane. The total discharged benefited by treatment was 3,419.

The recovery rate based on first admissions was 23.0 per cent; on all admissions, 18.0 per cent; on total under treatment, 3.4 per cent. The rate of patients benefited by treatment based on first admissions was 50.3 per cent; based on all admissions, 39.4 per cent; and based on total under treatment, 7.4 per cent.

There were 1,149 patients discharged by transfer. The larger part of these transfers was due to the overcrowding of the metropolitan hospitals. Manhattan State Hospital transferred 615 patients; Central Islip, 353; Kings Park, 43; and Brooklyn, 49. Most of these patients were sent to upstate hospitals.

THE PART PLAYED BY THE STATE HOSPITALS IN THE WAR

The State hospitals played an important part in the winning of the World War. All of the hospital physicians that could be spared entered the army service. Most of these were assigned to the newly created division of neurology and psychiatry, which was given the work first of making mental examinations of the newly enlisted troops at the various army camps, and later of caring for the soldiers who became disabled on account of mental disease.

Of the 61 physicians who entered the military service from the State hospitals, 2 were discharged with the rank of lieutenant colonel, 9 with the rank of major, 17 with the rank of captain and 30 with the rank of first lieutenant. A list of these medical officers with a brief statement of their services is given below:

ARMY SERVICE OF STATE HOSPITAL PHYSICIANS

BAGLEY, Dr. CARLETON T., assistant physician, Binghamton State Hospital, first lieutenant, M. C., July 31, 1917; served in New York Field Hospital, Brooklyn; 108th Ambulance Company and other organizations in 27th Division; went with Division to France and took part in the St. Mihiel and Meuse-Argonne offensive; discharged April 2, 1919.