The Placer herald., 1866-04-14

supplied with warm water; and It could only
be procured from the kitchen. But we have
no patience with the insolence and inhu'
manity which would make the nconveni.
ence of procuring warm water an excuse for
killing patient with that which is cold
Which ever is the correct theory Of Mrs.
Adams DEATH the wrong remains the same.
We think she was drowned. But if we are
wrong in this, then the least can be possibly
be said is that che died from the immediate
effects of the bath she received; aud the
tragedy was closed by consultation of
physicians, when, at the suggestion of DR..
Tildeu, the cause of her death was set down
as "congestion of the BRAIN" This was
done from the best Of motives-humanity,
and tenderness for the feelings of the hus-
band, who of course whould have been
shocked and grieved to have learned that his
wife had been drowned, or killed by mistreat'
ment the day after he consigned her hope
fully to the Asylum. We commend the
consideration and kindness Of heart which
prompted the making of such a record Of
her death, but may remark that the false
hood involved has shared the usual fate Of
misrepresentation Its purpose has been de-
feated at last by this investigation and re-
port, as We have felt called upon to give oil
the facts connected with the whole affair."
1t appears also that the official entry Of this
false record was 10 accordance with ous-
tom which prevailed 10 the Asylum for some
time previous to the installation Of the pre-
sent Resident Physician.
Thus, in February, eighteen hundred and
sixty three, Vincent Larry, patient, strangled
himself with a bandage of cord improvsed
from his own clothing; and the cause Of his
death was set down as "cougestion Of the
brain"
On the first OF November, eighteen hun
dred and sixtythres, another patient, Mrs.
Mary M. Whiting, found her way to the
apothecary shop connected with the iustitu'
poison to cause her death; and in her case
the record was made to declare that she
died from inflammation Of the stomach and
bowels"
These records are perhaps literally true.
Congestion Of the brain doubtless was the
immediate cause of Lary's death, but that
congestion in turn was Immediately produced
by the stranguation. Inflammation Of stom.
ach and bowels was perhaps the immediate
cause Of Mrs. Writings death; but that in
fammaton was the direct result Of eating
poison. The record 10 each Of these cases,
If it did not show the circumstances Of the
death, should at least have disclosed gener.
ally that they were cases of suicide. But
from such record, an inference of careless
ness, or lack Of due diligence on the part Of
the Resident Physician, or bis employees, ,,
might readily have arisen, and reflections
might have been thus cast upon the man
agsment OF the Asylum. 1t was to avoid
this, doubtless, that the lying records were
made. We cannot commend this effort and
disposition TO conceal the real transactions.
The people have a right to know the whole
truth; aud 10 our opinion, the saving Of the
feeling of few individuals is no compenss.
ton for thus hoodwnking the whole COM
munity by studied system Of deception and
prevarication.
That there was culpabe negligence in
both cases last cited, on the part Of those
who had charge of the Asylum and its in
mates at the time. Of the respective occur
rences, we are not prepared to directly
charge. The strangulation of Lazy, by his
own bands, in the peculiar manner in which
it was done, we have no hestancy in saying
was one of those cases which will sometimes
unavoidabIy occur in such an institution. and
no Just mind, upon knowledge Of the facts,
would indulge any censure; hence, had the
record been more truthtully, no evil could
have come to any. But the case Of Mrs.
Whiting is essentially different. 1t ought
not to have occurred; the simple fact that
she did get poison and take it, is conclusive
evidence of want OF due care and diligence
on the part Of her attendants; for we say,
that in these matters, that degree OF atten-
ton and watchfulness which would abso'
lutely preclude the possibility of such an oc,
currence, and that alone, can be considered
due care and diligence. That care not hav'
ing been exercised, and the death having ocl
Cured, the wrong already done was only
aggravated by adding another to it-that Of
imposition upon all the world as to real facts.
We are glad the. custom Of thus "cookiDg"
the records to suit the caprice Of the man
ayers no longer prevails. The only similar
case of death which We found under the
present administration, is that Of David |
McHenry, who straugled himself with bis
dred and sxtyfve. The record 10 this case
was made by Dr. Clark. The cause Of death
is set down as Suicide" and memorandum
Of it truthfuly entered on the commitment
under which The patient was received into
the Asylum.
1t should perhaps be added in this con-
nection, that at the time Of Mrs. Adams
death, DR.. Tilden, then Resident Physician,
was in the east, and DR.. Clark had charge Of
the Asylum, The latter gentleman openly
declared the attendants who administered
the bath censurable in the extreme, and die.
charged and sent them away from the Asy.
lum the moment the facts came to bis know.
ledge. He made no effor. to conceal any.
thing, but simply declined to record the
cause Of the death until bis superior, Dr..
Tiden, should return. The record vas then
made as above set forth. DR.. Clark seems