The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-11-16
MADHOUSE MANAGEMENT.
Spicy Facts and Figures Elected by the State
commissioners in Lunacy.
is ERE A REM z DY?

The seventh session OF the investigation touching
the alleged abuses the Kings County Lunatc Asy-
linn Fatbush was resumed before ID. ordronaux,
state Commissioner in Lunacy, and the committee APP
pointed by Mayor Hunter, yesterday afternoon in the
office III the Fircmans Trust Insurance Company. The
first witness sworn Vas Mrs. Catherine II. Foote, Of
NJ % Rycrson street, Brooklyn Witness has
daughter who has been in the Lunatic Asylum for six
years had been in the habit or bringing her all her
wearing apparel, bed and bedding; a good many OF
these articles. Tor the last two years. have
been missing; had spoken to Ed lIutchin-
SON. Miss Carey and Margaret all nurses there
about the missing things Miss Carey told witness that
the laundrcss had taken some and witness daughter
had destroyed things; witness had frequently TO
replcnish articles which had disappeared and OF which
she could get accounts had spoken to tho doc
tors or the commissioners about these things Miss
Footc was in Hall { Of The Asylum.
PATRICK o'sCLLIvAN RECALLED,
said in the Of Lossclle he wished TO correct tho
statement previously made rejecting upon Losselle as
a nurse; Lossclle kind hearted man and never
struck him (witness while patient in the institution;
the nurse who "pcrpexed" him one Kane; witness
had overdoses or medicine given 10 the patents
he had been brought testify before the committee
by the OK patient MCGEE, who told him he had been
DR. Norris President OF the Board OF Charities test
fed that he had held that position for the past ten
months had formerly been Coroner Of the county for
three years; the Board had since last Saturday
week: the bylaws required that the Commissioners
shall meet on Wednesday of every week; the Commits
soners could meet and be in attendance at this in
vestgat'on no changes have been made in the bylaws
to conform with statutory changes; counsel IS not en-
poyed BY the Board to represent them at this nyeSt
CATION the counsel present Is the regular counsel or
the Board witness SAID in having the counsel present
he had acted with the concurrence OF all the other
members of the Board; he understood the
nature of the Office Of Dr. 0rdronauX. rs Commits
sioner in Lunacy as being empowering him 10
investigate the management of any unatic asylum in
the State the nurses are appointed by the Medical
Superintendent Of the asylum; the superintendent has
power employ many attendants as he may please;
witness had hecn informed that there we're more
attendants required at the asylum; witness explained
that he had had much TO do to occupy his time with
internal difficulties in the Board, investigations and
other trouble, that he had not had time to thor
oughy examine all the laws appertaining 10 them
Witness presented letter which he had received
Ia February from Or. Corey, whereintthe latter re
signed the position Of visiting physician OF the asylum
lie thought Dr. Blanchard was sufficiently qualified TO
act supervisory physcian Or. Corey had thought
it was rather beneficial than otherwise to have tho
patients occupied i'll sewing; DR.. Corey had told him
that the ASYLUM was as well managed as any OF the
kind in the country Witness said there are S24
persons in the Lunatic Asylum at Flatbush in 1874 the
net Of the asylum SIS $780, the cost per inmate
per year $ll6 IS; the average weekly cost was
s. 30; the cost for 1875 $79999 or 50 900 less
per inmate tins year only s97 this less than the
cost for any year since 1860; the Board had been
charged with extravaganza and witness therefore made
this statement.
commissioner Midas said there a deficiency OF
$gl OC0 in the estimate Of the Board OF Charities for
the year which legacy left from the year before
the Board asked the Board OF Estimates Tor S4ll000,
bu; that had been cut down TO $685. 000 and this
too in the face OF prospective very severe winter Tor
the poor
too economical; in Utica the doctors get IRON
9 Avn nd
there; here they did not get sufficient in
this asylum; Notwithstanding the tact that il
advertised IN the papers that the doctors were
about resign their positions but one application had
been made for the POSITIONS there Is gatekeeper At
the asylum who gets SIS per month. The chief en-
gneer gets 81 500 per year. witness said he did not
know OF live nurses being discharged but there
were several female attendants, however who were
ordered 10 GO 10 the nursery temporarily ana they re-
fused 90; they we're thercupon discharged for nsub-
ordination.
Mr. Dwight johnson called the attention OF the wit
ness report Of the ladies' committee, which diff
tered materially from the statement OF Commissioner
Norris reference TO the discharge OF these live ei
1cicnt female attendants.
witness replied that his only reply 10 that was that
he under oath and vas not responsible for thing
the dies might say.
Supervisor Ropes explained with reference 10 the
alleged saving Of sl2i,O0O for the fiscal year ending
july 81 1915 that the money saved the county,
but that saving had been effected through the Board Of
Supervisors
Charities credit Tor this economy. lie
said they had been criticised for paying too
much to the doctors, and that was one
reason why better talent not engaged; in the
Orange County Asylum there are eighty four patients,
and support Of that number last cost 1924 0Oo
tile asylum at Mddlctown, which State asylum,
pays $50 TO $50 TO the nurses attended; patient
Gently bit male nurse at Fatbush through the hand,
and the left there, being afraid OF his life; at
PENDANTS frequently assaulted and u requires a
peculiar tact TO discharge the duties OF nurse; wit
could not tell why the management OF the asylum
a. mad soSn eonc ro 80
tracts for supplies existing between the Board OF Chart