The New York herald., 1872-10-06
Ignorance of the Resident Physician
of the Laws on Lunacy.

The inquiry into the management Of the Emi.
grant Lunatic Asylum on Wards Island adjourned
from last Monday, was resumed yesterday, the COM
mittee OF investigation starting from the wharf at
Castle Garden at half-past one O'Clock and begn-
ming their days labor In the ONCE OF the insttu
tiOn at about three O'Clock. The following gentle-
men were present in 0fical capcty THE Presidents
Of the Board OF Emigration, Richard O'Gorman,
Commissioners Hart, Kaufman, Lynch, Forrest ana
Wallach, Superintendent Casserly, Warden WellS
and Drs. Ford. Dwyer and Riedell
THE MOTIVE OP THE INQUIRY.
| Upon the opening of the session of the commftee
| President O'Gorman sAc:-
81 think it proper to say in regard to the origin
Of this committee that it came into existence be-
| cause sOf a suggestion OF mine. There was no
| suspicion OF mismanagement felt by me as motive
of that action. These public institutions would do
well to investigate themselves, so that knowing
intimately all that goes on in every branch they
may fearlessy await whatever investigation may
be made OF their affairs, and be prepared TO subject
themselves TO the judgment of the people, II there
Is anything wrong we want 1t righted, and win be-
most pleased II this necessity does not exist."
The evidence that followed showed the utter in
capacity OF certain physician under examination
even more fiagrantly than on last Monday, and the
patience OF the committee under the infection Of
his selfstultifying explanations was simply won
derful. He wrthed and perspired under the tor
ture, and was spectacle as ludicrous as ptiaDle.
The outrage by the nurse, Cavanagh, upon the
woman who was senceinte was not further discussed
and 1t seems that it's full details not to be-
reached II, as announced, the evidence isa
closed.
TESTIMONY OF THE CHIEF PHYSICIAN.
The first person examined was Dr. Ford, who testified
charge Of the ASYLUM ls5s until 1870 there we're in
of is!S pa!isnss
e & @ @ e5s
ing there We're no records Kept during my term Office
& Inc 's's s Ss E
Il day. aSoas
hour there; had an the means Necessary maxi.
the year; but Kept record except in particular
shoSd SSSd HAPPEN @
s $;s% ssa .as:s
q
When s a called upon M had charge Of the Lasse Asylum
sasS ss's%ss i saasa!atSa within
have IssaiaS BOOK sj:ssry ''
R % ns sssa ss E. @
s r $o.Psl
Book %as he Sat
S0's
e entered in kss SSeA % w
make special anything int resting The pTcies
um sannS sa,e their own + Is N more that
possible for three physicians to record 100 patiepts
in hotSs where as
pss sa With the The
Sns sssh
1 hay iier iy hpn arp,
date ci admission date Of discharge, ward scom
E Rede placed the d rack BY
!psss H Il % ssss.
the the
island never wroe % any letters to the Board there ia
a 4 'na%
e''' : - ABUSE OF PREGNANT WOMAN
remember S woman delivered Of achld in the Asylnm>
sxsmnatsR asnt9 sSsa sailed Mrs ses
ssw @ s% s pss Of d a ssl
when Mrs sculy called my attention to it, and NOT
IRREGULAR AND scANrY REGISTRY.
3 ans s Sesanse Yfn % mot sa tho
practcaS sa able % as Supposed and few weeks o
@ aSa aS e as @ an ntry on @ i
my arst annual report when found that for second
a % VT
IN t stS BOOK Ss
.s but one alone mot KEEP have read tho
w1at the termed
such book is necessary a unac asylum think that
other asylams better supplied with the
IN
ssa
TaTds S. ;aHa
to enable me to continue II the entries in the last book
pens the eS Soct ss there are 0e'"D'e'
kept of the ASYLUM since came into charge my first step
on my accession was to report s coneition
else but this is cause Of too great anxiety tome;
eopemens; cwitnes. was asked to enamer.ts the i'm.
the number Of admissions at every Christmas twice
HaSs sloRsI
the m mn ve have BEEN N ehSrse mas re-
During my residence here have received only tweo or
den with patients which they have sent here although
they are required to send history Of each that they
VIOLATION OF RULES ELSEWHERE.
Garden, and we must look into it
Examination resumed-Patents are confined here With
Ery Az ,,s
S wa island n and s
the resident physicians at each OF these places and a.
ILLEGAL PROCEEDINGS.
Examination resumed.-I used TO conne patients with
H era s@ s ssG %as hs % % 1
Castle ply sician Mr.. Lynch, chairman Of the
Wards Island Committee.
Mr.. Lynch, as his name had been frequently men,
toned In the testimony, wished to make an ex-
panatiOn. He had observed many things gong
wrong which ought to be set right Immediately
upon the Doctors speaking to me about the laws
on insane asyums asked Mr. Casserly to procure
them for me, which he was not able to do until this
day, when for the first time hnd them here in the
possession OF the President" (The President had
preyiOuSly handed of these IN Ilr
Al this point of the proceedings an intermssion
was taken for dinner, after which they were con-
tlnued, resuming the examination OF DR.. Riedel.
THE TORTURE CONTINUED.
do not know OF further improvements that mirbA
be effected In the present building 40 far Ms Know
had written rules the cove nmept oi the
asylum because Mr. Wells had charge OF H. proporeL