The building has a capacity of one hundred and ten beds. The institution may be said to differ from other psychopathic hospitals in being an establishment essentially of the temporary care type, not designed primarily either for the reception or for the care and custody of obviously committable cases, but rather for the observation and treatment of incipient mental disorders as well as psychopathic conditions not properly coming within the scope of the state hospitals. It has been as a rule the policy of the court to commit directly to other institutions for the insane all cases showing clearly the necessity of an extended hospital residence. The fact that only forty per cent of the temporary care cases have been committed shows that a preliminary period of observation before these cases are definitely disposed of is unquestionably warranted. The legal status of cases admitted may be described as follows:—1. Temporary care (not to exceed ten days); 2. Boston Police cases (Persons suffering from delirium, mania, mental confusion, delusions or hallucinations, or who come under the care or protection of the police); 3. Observation cases (for a period of thirty-five days, pending commitment); 4. Cases pending examination and hearing; 5. Emergency commitments (not more than five days); 6. Voluntary admissions; 7. Cases held under complaint or indictment. An analysis of the work done by the Psychopathic Department from 1912 to 1920 shows a total of 14,922 admissions to the wards,—an average of 1,865 per year. Of these, 59.77 per cent were temporary care (10 day) cases, 18.56 per cent "Boston Police" cases, 1.38 per cent observation cases (thirty-five days), .50 per cent emergency cases, .61 per cent committed "pending examination and hearing," 1.02 per cent under complaint or indictment and 16.96 per cent were voluntary cases. The entire temporary care group, including all of the above classes except the voluntary and criminal cases, constituted 81.34 per cent of the admissions. It is interesting to note that the principal psychoses represented by the cases coming into the hands of the Boston Police are dementia praecox, alcoholic psychoses and mental deficiency. The number of emergency cases is very small, as is the number committed by courts for observation. The number of voluntary admissions, an average of 316 per year, constituting 16.96 per cent of the total, is very significant as showing the response to be expected from the public to an opportunity for hospital treatment without the formality of any legal procedure. Of the 14,922 cases admitted between 1912 and 1920, 38.45 per cent were subsequently committed as insane and 3,797, or 25.44 per cent, were returned to the community as not requiring further hospital care or treatment.