The New York herald., 1875-08-25
KINGS COUNTY HOSPITAL.

COMPLAINTS OF CRUEL NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
TIoN BEFORE THE COMMISSIONERS.
Another investigation of abuses the county nstitu-
tions, located at Fatbush commenced before the
Commissioners of Charities at the hospital yesterday
The examination Is based upon charges made by dis
charged patients Of cruelty the part of their
and drunkenness of the attendants The principal
plant made by Mrs Pennington, who had been
under treatment at the hospital for two months She
complained that the nurse in ward ~, where she
kept was a Miss Hardy, who struck her occasion
with such violence that she broke all her upper
front teeth. This was because the patient
threatened to tell the doctor of the
treatment to which she subjected. Several other
patients, whose Mrs Pennington gave
also brually treated by Miss Hardy. Yesterday fore
nocn Commissioners Norris, Cunningham, Raber and
Midas proceeded to sift the complaint On motion the
Board organized a committee Of the whole. and the
Chairman voted the power to send for persons and
papers. Commissioner Norris conducted the examna-
ton Mary Phelan, patient OF the hospital testified
that she knew Mrs. Pennington and Miss Graham had
no recollection Of seeing either abused;
in the ward with them all the time, and could
have any Of violence; Mrs Pennington fell
Of bed on one occasion and hurt herself nurses and
doctors alike treated them we'll
Cornelia Wade another inmate Of ward % testified
that she had been there for about year and half
and remembered both Pennington and Graham; never
saw any violence or unkind treatment used toward
them by the nurses did rccolect single instance
in which bad treatment had been received by any
patient
The Chairman here told the witness that the object Of
the examination to ascertain whether they were
well treated. and the witness should be afraid to
tell the truth.
witness continued, saying that tho food was not
found fault witn that the patients were not ntmi-
dated by nurses or anybody else from making
plants the beds cleany and the doctors atten
tive had heard any bad language used by
in presence Of paents there was one nurse discharged
when fault was found with her; witness had been pa
ticnt in the smallpox hospital where she had also
been properly treated; had she been III treated she
would not be afraid say before the Commissioners;
witness had been subject 10 epeptic hts and when In
III could notice what transpirIng around her;
Miss Hardy had treated her kindly
Mrs. Anna Clark, patient ward 22 testified that
she never received any ltreatment at the hands Of
Nurse Hardy or any other nurse; she never saw her
under the influence OF liquor; never Miss Hardy
come into the ward with her clothes covered with mud
had heard all the patients speak well Of her. the sood
was all that could be expected quality for such a
place; Mrs Pennington once told her that she half
starved; Dr. BrsOw in the habit Of visiting the pa
uents twice day she had not been prompted by any
one az 10 how she should testify before the Board she
had not been ntimidatcd what she should tell
Sarah J. Howe, patient suffering from water on the
brain, testified that the treatment OF Pennington and
Graham was kind; Nurse Hardy out and re-
turned slightly under the influence OF hquor she was
good at all times 70 the patients; never knew her to
swear vulgar epithets; remember seeing Miss
Hardy come home one night with mud her skirts;
had not been told what TO say on the examination
Bridget Hardy the nurse was then sworn and tcst-
fed that she had held that position since May L. re-
membered Mrs. Pennington and Miss Graham patients
In her ward II not true that she had knocked Mrs
Pennington's upper teeth out by blow, the woman
had no teeth there when she entered the hospital .
she partly parayzed witness never lifted her hand
10 strike any patent had always had TO m Mrs. Pcnnng-
ton In Of the bed she never swore at her; had
been out Of the institution but night since she
there nurse; always made Il habit W be IN before
nine O'Clock; drank any liquor in twenty-h
years
Mrs Eleanor Martin, matron Of the hospital, testified
that she had heard any complaints against nurses
every morning Mrs Pennington had told witness Of the
kind treatment received by her; Mrs. Pennington SAID
she had left her false teeth home whom she came 10 the
hospital witness visited the wards frequently, and the
ladies Of the state Committee on Charitable Institutions
frequently called there aud expressed their satisfaction
with the treatment Of the inmates.
The next witness Mrs. Moran who never heard
OF any speaking In terms those Of Kindness Of
Nurse Hardy Maggie Qurk, epilcptic patient,
SAID she had been Ia the hospital Elk weeks but as II APP
peared the patient had been there year the Board de-
clnod 70 ask her any more questions.
Dr brstow, who Is assistant OF Dr. Schenck,
knew nothing OF the complaints Of Mrs Pennington had
\ never heard Of abuse Of PATIENTS II is his Gus
! tom 70 90 through tho wards twice day