One of the reasons set forth by sundry petitioners in 1751 for a "small Provincial Hospital" in Philadelphia, which at that time had made provision for the care of indigent cases only, was "THAT with the Numbers of People, the Number of Lunaticks or Persons distempered in Mind and deprived of their rational Faculties, hath greatly increased in this Province. That some of them going at large are a Terror to their Neighbours, who are daily apprehensive of the Violences they may commit; And others are continually wasting their Substance, to the great Injury of themselves and Families, ill disposed Persons wickedly taking Advantage of their unhappy Condition, and drawing them into unreasonable Bargains, etc. That few or none of them are so sensible of their Condition, as to submit voluntarily to the Treatment their respective Cases require, and therefore continue in the same deplorable State during their Lives; whereas it has been found, by the Experience of many Years, that above two Thirds of the Mad People received into Bethlehem Hospital, and there treated properly, have been perfectly cured."[10] This resulted eventually in the opening of the Pennsylvania Hospital in 1752. This institution is a general hospital supported by private funds and has always received mental cases. A separate department for mental diseases was established in West Philadelphia in 1841. Before this was done considerable difficulty was experienced on account of the annoyance of the patients by curious-minded citizens of the neighborhood. This developed into such a nuisance in 1760 that it was suggested "That a suitable Pallisade Fence, either of Iron or Wood, the Iron being preferred, shall be erected in Order to prevent the Disturbance which is given to the Lunatics confined in the Cells by the great Number of People who frequently resort and converse with them."[11] It was also deemed advisable to employ "Two Constables or other proper Persons, to attend at such times as are necessary to prevent this Inconvenience until ye Fence is erected." The public was notified later "that such persons who come out of curiosity to visit the house should pay a sum of money, a Groat at least, for admittance."[12] The Pennsylvania Hospital has played a very important part in the history of the care and treatment of mental diseases in this country. In 1919 it had over three hundred patients.