The New York herald., 1876-03-21
Cruelty and Vice PraCtSed in the Mas
SachuSetts AlmShOuSe.
INSANE WOMEN DEBAUCHED.
Officials EIope with Female Inmates and
Desert Their Families.
INCOMPETENT. MEDICAL CARE.
A Frightful Record Of Deaths Caused by
LOathesOmo Confinement.
BosroS, March 90, 1876.

BosroN, March 20, 1876.
1t seems almost incredible in this enlightened age,
and in the boasted philanthropc and moral atmosphere
of fMassachuse that there should be permitted such
systematic series OF cruetes, vices and crimes as
have recently developed In connection with the
management of the Almshouse at Tewksbury The ex-
posures have been secured mainly through the efforts
of Frank b. Saaborn Chairman OF tho Board Of State
Charities and the startling results Of the investiga
tion were made known by Mr.. Sanborn to day in an
address which he delivered before an examining COM
mittee OF the Legislature
INSTITUTION AND ITS INMATES.
Before proceeding to give the gist OF Mr.. Sanborns
account OF the sickenng and revolving circumstances
connected with Its administration, 1 will explain
that the institution is the largest Of It's kind in
New England, containing IN average upward
70 200 inmates. Many OF these insane and very
many afflicted with various diseases in
various stages and reckA kAess Indifferent ncom-
petent has been the management during the last few
years that the assured death Of inmate upon enter
ing has been the rule rather than the exception.
During the year 1875
THE AVERAGE OF DEATHS
In nine, 325 of 2 $40 who admitted to
the institution, and this the absence OF any
tagious diseases
Mr.. Sanborn, in his argument charged the imprson-
ment OF insane women for refusing to work. and the
institution. "The shocking circumstances" said Mr.
Sanborn, ''wcre detailed TO your committee until you
voted to hear more OF them II Is certain that five
women were imprisoned In the autumn OF 1874 two
of them for than eight weeks that they al
lowed neither chair table bed the day tme
that they
WAITED UPON WHOLLY MEN,
that their cells underground dark and unwhole-
some that their food was bread and water; that tine
and collectively ignorant OF this abuse for
at least nine weeks; that the bylaws of the
Almshouse both neglected and violated
in this particular; and that two OF the four women
who remained at Tewksbury after this Imprisonment
died within six months from their release of these
cells To all this no denial was offered; but II tes
tilted in Defence that the superintendent (who alone
has authority to imprison nmates also ignorant
Of what was going on; that the physician who intro
duced the practice did incidentally, and with good
intentions; and that OF the Eve had some
how recovered her santy-perhaps In her dungeon.
It also appeared that although the Board OF Charities
released these women the Sd OF December,
1874, and formally censured their Imprisonment by
communicated to the inspectors early January,
1875 these inspectors did not discharge punish
the cupabe physician, but received from him on the
25th OF March, 1875, long written defence OF his
course signed both by the physician and the superin
tendent and allowed him to resign about the lst of
May, without putting record SO much a vote Of
censure concerning him. From all that hes appeared
IL would that the Superintendent and at least
OF the inspectors do not yet much harm in what
then done nor did they know, until these hear
ings disclosed the fact, that of the
prisoned for the benefit of their heash had died more
than months ago.
THE TERRIBLE MORTALITY.
The facts alleged concerning the excessive mortality
during May and June last have all been proved, far
as the number OF deaths and the circumstances at
tending these deaths concerned 1t was attempted
by the defence TO show that neither the Superintend
ents daughter, who had actual charge of the hospital
where these poor women died. any else was
responsible for their death, which described by
several OF the persons truly responsible the
assistant physician, her father the Superintendent
and the Chairman of the Board Of Inspectors
"natural," "accidentai or 'providentlaL II did
clearly appear that either OF these witnesses knew
at the time that tho mortality was excessive
took any precautions about IT, such as would naturally
have occurred to good physicians well informed
officials. No consulting physician was called in no
post mortem examination inquest held, and
such records oil the cases and prescriptions as
existed were destroyed either ihoughilessly or pur
posely. None OF the witnesses for the defence we're
willing to swear that they knew what the natural
death rate among the chronic insane Is
INCOMPETENT PHYSICIAN
II has also been Testified 10 with great cearness that the
assistant physician at Tewksbury Miss Marsh had not
patients such general attanments her pro-
fcssion as would have secured her appointment
sisant physician at the Worcester Lunatic Hospital
elsew here II. the standard OF qualification high
Dr. Allen, in his testimony, left the impression
which you, gentlemen, will find to be correct that un-
less her father mad been superintendent she never
would have been appointed and never would have been
allowed the opportunity which last spring proved
TO be so fatal 10 her patients Dr. Mich
OILS testified positively to his opinion that
these patients were "dosed 100 much" and
Miss Marsh herself tcstnes that the 18th of July
last Dr. Nichols told her she had gwen much
cine She was so little acquainted with the past con-
dton OF her patients that she did not know that two
OF these fourteen women who died under her care in
Ave weeks, we're victims o. the outrageous imprison
ment SIX months before. These two were Julia Co
banc, who died Of diarrhea aud Caharne Walsh, who
died of consumption. / leave you To judge
whether their death was fastened by this i'm
prisonment which itself deendcd by
Miss Marsh, superior physician, DR.. Whitaker,
ia paper dated March -, 1875, and read at one of
your hearings Tho whole testimony goes to show
that neither Or. Whitaker Miss Marsh bad any
competent acquaintance with insanity affecting the
physical health and did not understand what II is that
increases or dininishes the mortality OF the insane.
1t Is fully proved that hore has been such
ire mortality before or since during Miss Marsh's
control OF the sick nsano and that tor four months
after the Sth Of June last fewer died
Tewksbury than IN the nvo weeks that Miss Marsh had
charge OF tho hospital. These facts are undsputed.
With better treatment and under more skilful phys
clan fower women would have died.
CRIME.
Another OF the charges made by Mr. Sanborn and !
not disproved related to the alleged criminal practices
OF night watchn an Reed with an Inmate named Brink.
Mr.. Sanborn said:--I hardly think, gentlemen, that
there oLe Of you who heard Mr.. Wrightington's
very convincing statement OF the evidence against
Reed who did not feel that the woman's story
true; and indeed Reed has practically confessed as
much by fleeing from the AImshousc and from the
State and remaining absent though invited by your
committee TO return. The testimony under the
charge also showed clearly that the inspectors had
taken pains TO stop the practice OF sending young
man at night through thasrooms where many young
inmate women we're sleeping, practice which, in this
instance to have been the occasion OF the offence
committed.
The same is to be said respecting another charge in
relation TO the very
DISCIPLINE
OF the Almshouse supported II has been by very
copous testimony proving II 10 be true II the Super
nendent aud inspectors had dOno their Duty the dis
cipne OF the Amshouse could not have fallen into such
a witnesses have described, and the super
ntcndent has virtually admitted. We have proved by
the Official records OF the Board OF Charities and OF tho