The Lancaster news. (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, May 12, 1909, Page 3, Image 3
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Asylum Investigation.
Examination of Officials of
Institution ?Some Unpleasant
Disclosures--But Bad
Conditions Appear to be
Due to Lack of Sufficient
Funds and Accommodations.
Columbia gpecial in Charlotte
Observer, May 8: A little row
occurred in the asylum investi
tiou meeting today between
members of the committee oyer
who should fiOItdll *t 111**
ations, this beiug precipitated
by Dr. Stwver, who had just re.
turned from a trip to similar institutions
North. Dr. Sawyer
objected to Mr. Harrison conducting
the examinations, contending
that the previous understanding
was that the questions
were to bo asked by the lawyer
members, Messrs. Carey and
Bates. After some discussion a
motion from Mr. Hardin prevailed
to turn the examination ovor
to Messrs. Carey and Bates. Mr.
Harrison disclaimed any inten
lion of being discourteous, and
others explained that Mr. Harri
son had got to asking questions
from being specially interested
in this branch of the investigation.
Supervisor Mi'vhell resumed
the stand this morning, but his
evidence revealed nothing new
ot importance, except perhaps
the fact that his pay amounted
to $55 a month. He has been
tilling prescriptions tor the institution
tor twenty years. Lie
equipped himself in pharmacy
by a correspondence course.
DAKOKR FROM PIRK ORKAT.
Dr. James L. Thompson, of
the official family ?>t the State
Hospital for the Insane management,
was on the stand at the
legislative investigation yesterday,
and he disclosed some situations
and conditions which
are appalling. Among other things
he said in answer to questions by
members of the committee that
there were no lire drills, no instructions
with regard to tire
except that the watchman was
told to turn in the city alarm in
case of tire. "In cage of tire",
6aid lie, "a panic would ensue
and patients would burn like
rats". He said the wards were
provided with fire hose, but they
bad not been used in a long
time.
v ? He said I he institution received
almost every known form ol
( I disease in addition to insanity,
^ nd in some instances patients
died between the station and the
aeylum outer gate*. When pa..
tients come in a weak condition
y* it is the custom to examine them
> / and give them aid at once, but
sometimes this w&- not accomjj
plished as promptly a? it ought
\ to be Thore ie no system of
7jr -charting the patients, and weighii
ing has been abandoned. In
f'j tact, there is no real modern
f treatment of patients. Fresh air.
\ dieting and restrain: and amueef
meut were all that were used.
'( A history book wa?kept in which
} y the records of patieutt were kept.
Fortwo yearabasebaU has been in
use and this was encouraged ail
it was possible to encourage. The
women patients were taken to
the games twice a week. There
was no organized lorm of amuse V
THE LAfrCAS
men', except eat els and dancing, | A
I except tl?a' 'he patients wore
|tat<en on w.iks frequently with
agenda is.
NITHSKS 1'Onltl.Y I'AID.
Dr Th'tmpso 1 wen* oyr the'
I system ot employing and hand'
iimr nur-seq. 'Plus revealed that
ntusesare sopoorly paid that they
| soon find oth?r jobs and ato lost.
The result was that nuise? were
'discharged reluc'antly, as it was
difficult to get others in their
places. Two nurses in charge;
! of a patient, who, by the cireleseness
of "e ot them, was allowed
to mit suicide by cutting
his '' ? with a ra/ >r, had
never b'en discharged. Another
he reported as beating a patient
without cauje was retained lor
six months.
\)r. Thompson had not heard
ot patients being buried two in a
grave, out lie understood that!
the institution'" plat at the ceme-1
ferv wis overcrowded and that'
an ett ?rt was made to bury be-1
tween the present graves. 11 e (
understood that some bones were)
due up
Wi'ne-s s-dd he had charge of:
do7 fpatient- in his ward. AI
year ago ?i? e regents walked'
through the place on an inspection
tour, but did uo' look close- b
ly at the b d and inspect other
condition". He said the imtitu
tion was doing all it could with
the means at hand, but he could
not call conli'ions good. 1 lie
per capita allowed is only $109,
whereas when ho went there in
ISbl it $130 to $150, and
should be at least $140 lie
said the lack o! cleanliness was
due to the lack of discipline and
general lack ot system. The
superintendent did not make regular
visits to his ward aud he
made no regular reports to him.
Witness said patients often
came to the institution from the
jsds tilled with vermin. There
were some hugs on the beds. !
They could not beregulaily sun ,
ned. About a year ago colored!
women tooh all ihe beds out and!
tboroDgblv tcrubbed them, but!
he had never heard of this being
done before or since.
At the afternoon Hussion the|
testimony of l)r. K. D. Sanders, ;
as <o the conditions in tlie white
female depart ment wa-j decidedly
interesting. Nlis9 Sanders ;s a
first honor graduate o! the Charleston
Medical 0 dlege and has
been with the institution over
two years. That she has given,
close study to (he conditions and \
has her department in excellent
condition wan shown in her testi
monv. Here it appears the arrangements
are much better than
on the while male ward and with
a larger number of nurses and
the pa ients classified the treatment
cau be more easily attended
and there are opportunities to
improve conditions. There in no
trace ot vermin although it has
to be constantly fought.
To Amber rut? It with whiten
log iDoUtfticri with HKier Hint lastly
with n little ollre oil luirt on nml waII
polished off with n pleoo of Annuel.
A Difficult Past.
At a Ktw York hotel an out of town
' mm had 1 ? Tt lila tnnitlr ul.l.-h hurl _____
ftcvompsnted hltn to the rltj, in their j
room* no long that tbej had bfcora*. iWl
nn??*j About him. At lust be returned > JL.
I to the roomx, ninl to the anvlouw In- j
j qniry of bl* wife. "Where In the world J _
bare yon been i*> long?" he responded i f II
| e?itn'>. "I've Ju?t been in (be otMpI |
dor woi*lng pro and con." I
>TER NEWS. MAY 12. I9G9 x
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