The New York herald., 1875-11-10
LUNATIC asylum ABUSES.
THIRD SESSION or the -srA4scom,nss1osnns'

TEN AND IRREGULARITIES ?-TEsIIMoNY or
DRs. BLANCHARD AND coERY.
Yesterday afternoon the committee engaged in the
investgationof the alleged cruelty pracsod upon tho
unfortunate OF the asylum the Of in
sane, at Fatbush Kings county, met In the directors
room Of the Fireman's Insurance Company Montague
street. Brooklyn The State Commissioner in Lunacy
DR.. ordronaux, presided.
Dr. James H. Blanchard took the witness chair and
maze several corrections In his testimony as published
~ the newspapera In regard to the hangers-on who
are nos IN the service ofthe county, but who stop at
the Asylum he said there are three or four persons
there who have permission from the Commissioners 10
remain there.
Commissioner Cunningham said he desired TO make
correction in regard to the statement that the Board
has employed counsel to represent them in this nyes
gaton. The Board has not engaged the services OF
any counsel Any counsel present secured upon
tho individual authority Of whoever engaged him
Counsel said they did not claim to represent the
Board officially
Dr. Blanchard then resumed his testimony and ex-
hibited letter signed by DR. W. IL Thayer and sevora
osher leading physicians, recommending him for his
ability and capacity to fill the Office Of superintendent
of the asylum at Flatbush Mono of the gentlemen
who signed It then would refuse to sign it to-day
DR. BLANcnARDs TESTIMONY
He said he had been connected with tho Kings
County Hospital for eighteen months; when taking
his place superintendent OF the Lunatic Asylum ho
did not change the rules, as they had worked well
under Dr. Chaplin and others; the office Is used as
for the physicians; II is for the exclusive use or
the medical staff; DIR. Coery was the medical head OF
the institutions regard the beds he said they are
sometimes without beds. owing to tho deficiency OF
| straw; that deficiency has only been briet
the efficiency in clothing owing to lack in the
ability to make fast enough did not consider his
duty 60 through the halls with visitors; Miss Dora
Robinson has been through the institution twenty nine
times in fifteen months; had heard Of any old
/ woman beng beaten; there was nurse named Kate
Mccarthy, who broke her arm in the performance Of
| her duty; there patient who had her
broken by nurse; Dr. Atwood has been
under any restraint in the discharge OF his duties;
IT the duty OF the steward to every hall the
building to look after breakage; great many persons
sleep the 1ooTs as It would be dangerous to put
them in bed-thcy would fall out; patients have
/ ever been employed in serving for nurses; there
has boen a lady named Draton patient there;
Maggie Oara and Kate Nevns were transferred to the
nursery; OF them declined to go; they were not
discharged by any one; Miss Jenny Robinson has been
in the asylum twenty-five times in fifteen months; Ber-
nard Strauss discharged at the request of his wife;
he committed TO the institution ia the usual way
| The commitment was produced and examined by the
committee.l Witness knew Mrs. Leggett patient;
she Is estimable old lady and would use cru
city toward her; force has TO be used have her
clothes removed and she wont cry out aloud; the
propriety Of appointing German nurses was
spoken Of to him BY Mrs. stribling, and
cauS be me m qs no
that witness had not gono through the ward in which
Harley was nurse at one period was false; Harley
discharged from tho asylum for stopping away without
permission; witness had Harley under tho In
luence Of hquor the records will prove that thero
were three patients who died there in night;
when patient IN need Of constant attendance it is
the custom 10 have nurse sit up with HIM all night
CRoss-ExAMSRD.
Dr. Ordronaux here cross-examined the witness to
the relative position Of the supervisory physician Dr.
Coery, and that OF the Superintendent; witness had
regularly appointed all tho attenaans had always tried
TO get the best he could the applications for the posi-
ton so few he had only or two from which TO
choose az time; seven men were discharged, by
order Of the Board or Commissioners, for
peculation;. had reappointed attendants
whom he had previously discharged; there must
have been reason for their discharge; man named
Marcele was discharged for alleged cruelty on
occasion witness, recommendation Of the Asylum
Committee oil the Board, Messrs Midas and Raber re-
appointed Marcelle in September, 1874 cmpoy6 of
liberties with female attendant that was in the
engineers departments his name is Corr; witness did
not know where he now is; man named Kcan was
discharged for being gone all night and reappointed;
Leddy, another attendant was similarly dealt with and
taken on again; the present night watchman
is person named Hudson; he is
doors at night; think the attendants all
| read, though some cannot write; tho
witness exhibited the certificate Of recommendation
from physicians not TO put them in false hight;
there is no library in the asylum money is allowed
for the purchase ofbooks; in the habit Of visiting
oil parts of the institution; has control or the
| engineers department; McCowley and Clancy the
|
OF Smith, an attendant In hall s. witness appointed
| Smith upon very good recommendations do not keep
| copies of the recommendations
Gill Harley asked permission to ask the Doctor q
question, as his character was as dear to him as tho
witness was to him.
| Permission given, and Harley then asked
where he had him drunk DR.. Blanchard
said In the wards Of the asylum. Witness said,
swer TO further questions by Harley he remembered
Lasseile mixing medicine in the laboratory had seen
Lassele intoxicated Harley asked why the Doctor did
not discharge him when he saw him under the inau-
a ad AZ txuac
none ot his business.
Harley asked the Doctor If he had not stoyed away
sixteen or nineteen days from the ward. The Doctor
replied that he had never been SO long away; IL
his custom TO go through all the halls two three
times week Harley reminded the Doctor that he
was under his oath TO which the witness replied that
| he was aware OF that
Harley-weH Doctor, when you met me down at the
City Han alter was discharged, was drunk thenS
DR. Blanchard-I don't think that you
Harley-Well, was not IN the employ Of the Asylum
Dr. Blanchard said that would be difficult ques-
ton to answer; lasselle was reapponted principally
| upon the accommodation Of Magees COUNSEL witness
never had been influenced by politics in his appoint
ments
Dr. Charles Coery then sworn, and testified that
Tor six months from August 1874, he was supervisory
and advisory physician for the Lunatic Asylum Flat
| bush that title Is not known among other asyuns
! Mr.. Wheeler, one Of the Charity Commissioners, re-
oueed him 10 call al his house witness did so when
Commissioner Wheeler told him the physicians at the
asylum had resigned, and they in trouble as to
how they should Oh the place Of Or. Macdonald, who
|
| they should reconsider the acceptance OF the
resignation Of Macdonald Mr. Wheeler did not think
the Board of Charities would change their action
CARDS Dr. Macdonald; Mr.. Wheeler then asked witness
II he could assist them in supervising the physician
| who would probably succeed Or. Macdonald; the
place Of superintendent OF Lunatic Asylum Is usually
considered place OF great trust and OF honor; witness
had suggested that the place might be left open till they
could confer with other institutions where they might
be able to obtain an experienced physician; witness
position entirely unsolicited and unsought io and
the pecuniary compensation was merely nominal ne
| connected
| eved that appointments should be made from among
persons Of experience In the treatment OF unatcs; or
the FIRST month witness made visits daily and Tor the
second month his visits weekly these visits were
from to four hours; was not always accompanied
by Dr. Blanchard; there no formal rules witness
| remembered cnjoinng Dr. Blanchard the necessity
for enforcing rigid discipline protect the patens