It is hardly worth while at this time to emphasize the fact that the necessity of providing adequate facilities for the care and treatment of mental diseases, a problem which received little consideration of any kind for many years, gradually led to the elaboration of an extensive system of state hospitals. These are to be found now in every part of the country. They have long since passed through the purely custodial stage and have developed into highly specialized modern hospitals of most advanced type. Their function is to provide proper treatment for persons who cannot for financial or other reasons be cared for in the private hospitals which are to be found in almost all localities. These institutions, originating in Virginia in 1773, now represent one of the most important activities conducted by any state government. The extent of the field which they cover is illustrated by the fact that Kansas, Kentucky, Nebraska, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, West Virginia and Wisconsin each maintain three state hospitals for mental diseases; Iowa, Maryland, Missouri and Virginia each have four institutions of this type, Minnesota five, California, Indiana and Michigan six, Pennsylvania seven, Ohio and Illinois nine, Massachusetts twelve and New York fifteen. In addition to this eight other states have two hospitals each and seventeen find one such institution sufficient for their needs. It is worthy of note that every state without any exception has now recognized the necessity of making provision for the care and treatment of mental diseases. CHAPTER III LEGISLATION AND METHODS OF ADMINISTRATION