The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1878-11-21
INYESTIGATION INTO THE MAN
AGENENT OF An OHIO IN
SANE ASYLUM.


eafAA NeAsA=FA u ~ 'faAf " VIM a.
I CoLTNBU>. O., November G.-Furth-
. er investigation into the cruel treat
ment 10 which many OF the female
+ patients in the Columbus Insane ASy-
! lum have been subjected develops the
I lact that the system OF ducking has
I been carried on in a number of the
! wards during the last thirteen months,
I ana, Strange to say, WAS never diScOV-
cred until few days ago. \ woman
I named Brown, who had had cOnsider5l-
/ ble experience in hospitals for the in
sane IN Canada, was given a position
I on the opening of the Institution, about
I Is months ago, and soon after began
[ the system of torture 10 patients under
i her control. For time she was Op-
posed 10y her assistant. but Mrs. Brown.
/ Dein3 OF stronger Will, soon secured
/ her cooperation. The ward over
/ which she held SWAY with high hand
was filled with incurable patients.
I whose insanity Was Of the mild type,
/ ana who We're considered harm
less, but who at times became ex-
cltable and gave some trouble.
During these periods of insubOrdina-
/ tIOn. this woman, whose duty it was 10
nurse and care for the unfortunate per-
/ sons placed in her charge. rushed the
I OffeRilng victim 10 the bathroom.
wheIe she was stripped of her clothing
and thrown into the water. The un-
( fortunate patients head was forced
under the water until the poor crea-
ture was nearly strangled. when her
heId would be raised for Il moment
that she might recover somewhat,
when the operation would be repeated,
until the patient, wOrn out from ex-
haulstiOn and almost limp, would be
forced to promise to obey 1T all times.
The victim would then De warned that
did she ever lisp word she would he
drowned In this manner the patients
became SO thoroughly frightened that
the slightest motion of the finger by an
attendant met with abject obedience.
But the matter did not end here. y
compact WAS made with the attendants
of other wards and Il secret alliance
formed, with OathS, never to divulEe
the secret. The hospital for the vie
Tins Of insanity grew to be a place of
torment. The physicians were com
pletely hoodwinked. If they heard
screams and piteOuS cries and appeals
. for mercy emanating from the bath
room, they were told that such pa
tient was being bathed, and was Great
ing great deal of trouble But the
end came at last. in manner least eX-
pected; not from the patients, for
thev were threatened with instant
death did they ever, by word or act,
intimate that they had been ducked ;
not from the lady supervisor
who had charge of number
of wards, but from one of the original
organizers of the brutal and outrageous
system of strangulatiOn. About one
week ago, one of these attendants was
discharged for some reason, and it ap-
pears she had had some trouble with the
woman Brown, whom she suspected of
causing her dismissal. In order to be
reyenged and not thinking all would he
implicated, she made explicit charges
against Mrs. Brown. Investigation
followed. 4 dozen female attendants
have already acknowledged their
guilt, and been discharged. while
many others are suspected, but
as vet the investigation has
hardly begun. The Superintendent.
DIR. l.. Firestone, and the Board of
Direction, assure the public that no
stone shall be left untuTned to rid the
institution of this class of human keep
erS, should any now remain. 1t is open
ly charged that there has been bad and
almost criminal mismanagementO of af-
fairs under the present Democratic di-
rectiOG. There are nearly nine hundred
patients in the institution under treat
ment at the present time.-N. Y. Times.