Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1873-07-18

Total.
We lind that punishments are sometimes inflicted
at the Vermont Asy lum, and that the punishment
known as bathing has been inflicted upon patients
by the attendants and by order Of the superintend
ent IN tbs manner following; The patient for som,
offence. or supposed offence. is taken To the bath
room, hi hands tel, laid upon his back in the
bath tut, and the faucet turned, allowing stream
Of cold water To upOa the head and face. while
the body is immersed in tepid water, and is st
kept until relieved by the attendant While
satisfied that restraints are necessary to pre-
vent the delirous from injuring themselves and
others,we cannot find language strong enough to ex
press our md snation that punishment of any kind
such should be resorted to by the officers or en-
plOycs Of said Asylum or be in any manner infict-
ed upon these unfortunate and irresponsible beings;
and would recommend the passage by the next Leg
slature OF some law with severe penalties attached
that these abuses may be corrected. Your commit
tee Inquired of the superintendents at Northampton
and Concord, whether punishments were ever in
hicted III the Institutions under their charge. who
replied that punishments as such, were not known
with them, and that they would not suffer the in
Fiction Of any kind Of punishment.
Your committee believe that there should he n
radical change in the laws regulating the admis-
sion Of PATIENTS and that the statute of 1855 ought
TO be repealed. That statute provides that medi-
cal examiner should be appointed by the Court of
Chancery OF Mindham County, whose certificate OF
the insanity OF any person proposed for admission
should be conclusive proof OF the fact Under this
statute the court appointed Dr. Rockwell, SEN. the
superintendent Of the Asy lum, medical examiner
and continued him in that Office during the re-
mainder OF his SUPPLEMENTARY. This appointment,
as might be naturally exected, opened the door for
fraud and chcanery, upon the part of some Of the
officers OF the institution. AT Burlng i'm July 1872
Joseph A Stockton. person confined in the Asylum
as insane, brought before Judge PierpOint on
writ Of HGbeas Corpus, and at that hearing William
ii. Rockwell, Jr., on behalf OF the Asylum, pro-
duced what purported to be the original certificate
OF DIR. Rockwell, Sen, certifying to StOckton's IN
sanity, which paper was dated, as Of the date of
otOckton's admission patient; and claimed
through counsel, That the certificate under the
statute Of 1855 was bar to further Proceedings
Judge Perpoint so held and recommitted stockton
without any examination as 10 his sanity or in
sanity. stockton, being citizen OF another State
applied to the United states Courts for relief which
was afforded him and he was discharged Dr. VIII
liam II. Rockwell, Jr., in his testimony before the
committee, admitted that he dated the certificate
BACK that 1t was eopy that the original was not
in his possessions and that in fact he never to his
knowledge had seen the orr ginal, and that this
paper On which STOCK ton was recornmitted was
made after he (otockton) had escaped from the Asy
lun. We deem the foregoing iact a sufficient COM
mentary On the statute Of 1855. We believe that
legislation looking to the guarding of persons
against improper commitment to tae Asylum
should be had; and would suggest something like
the law in Massachusetts providing in substance
that no person resident in this State except only
such as shall be brought by virtue of the certificate
OF n Court of Record, and under seal shall be adj
mitted patient, without the certificate of two
physicians, one Of whom shall be the patients
family physician, and further, that said certificate
shall not be received without the additional GER
tcate OF Justice OF the Peace that the physicians
signing su;h certificate ply sicians in good and
regular standing, and that medical examiners be
elected by the Legislature to examine all persons
brought from other states for admission as patients
in said Asylum.
We are satisfied persons have been admitted to
said Asylum who were not insane, who were admit
ted On the certificate of single ply sieian hence
the necessity Of some law guarding and protecting
the ights of sane persons.
Your committee lind that the supplies of food at
the institution sufficient in quantity and quality,
and we are unanimous in the opinion that the food
is well cookedan properly served.
All the timeiyour committee visited the Asylums
at northampton and Concord, they were accom-
panied by the superintendent Of the Vermont
Asylum and his attorney. From thorough exam
nation Of those institutions we are confirmed in our
opinion that the modern improvements have not
yet been adopted in the Vermont Asylum, but We
found on our visit the oath Of June that extensive
changes are being made. Two additional wings are
in process OF erection each $780, one Of which when
completed will be three stories and the other four
stories high. These wing, W were in