The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-05-22
THE IDIOT ASYLUM.
Notification Of the Revelations Made
Through Anne DAILY.
CUIPABLE IRRESPONSIBILITY
A Wasting Disease and Food Not Fit
to Give Dogs"


proves that The condition OF the children, published
in yesterdays HERALD, was known Tor some time to
the State Ali Society and tho visitors Of other Official
bodies. The officials Of tho above mentioned society
were seen in reference to the matter and they state
that tho presence OF scurvy at the Idiot
Asylum the island brought to their notice by
Mr. Baker, gentleman OF this city, who visits the
Institutions regularly every Sunday. Immediately on
receipt OF the intelligence several Of the
sent to investigate tho case. medical gentleman Of
this city examined the idiots their request and
ported the facts TO tho society The State Aid officials
immediately communicated with the members OF tho
State Board OF Charities he OF this Board
proceeded to tho island and examined the doctors,
nurses and attendants under oath, which testimony
now ~ the possession Of tho president OF the State
Commissioners OF Charities. Commissioner T.. c.
Donncly stated the writer that the results OF
investigation and the testimony taken could not BIO
furnished for publication, but that the report fully
supported the statement published In tho HERALD.
MIR. Donnclly stated, IN reply to inquiries, fol-
lows:-
s.Wncn the came to the kno Wedge OF tho State
Boaru OF Charities VIC went over to Randalps Island
aud examined all the officials under oath. The frat
thing that attracted attention was tho iact that tue
death at the Idiot Asylum for quarter Of
this year amounted TO the large number of thir.
teen, while the death ratio for tho entire of the
year 1877 but sixteen. The first case OF scurvy
occurred as lar back as The middle OF last summer.
IL was during either Tho month OF June or july
IL appears clear that no proper precautions were
taken until the latter part oil March, when tho
tiun OF the children become known 10 tho CommIs
soners OF Charities ana Correction. Orders were
then given that $50 pounds OF vegetables per
day should be given TO tho inmates, for up
TO This time no vegetables were supplied except the
supply put in the soup DIR. Richards, one OF tho
assisting physicians, nrst noticed the disease in Janu
ary but UP 70 March the supply OF vegetables not
Increased, which seemed the most reasonable way Of
checking the disease Altogether thirteen deaths took
place NJ the idiot Asylum IL but reasonable sup.
pose That tho outbreak OF scurvy directly duo
want OF vegetable food. 1t is clear that there
ena In slav 49, nnn dali
thority. In response 10 our inquiries Dr. Howard the
Mc4ical SUPERINTENDENT charge of ali tho lnstitu.
causes OF the difficulty that ho had too much "a
and that no had too little assistance
CuLPABLE NEGLIGENCE SOMEWHERE.
The State Charities Comm issoners have collected
all the testimony Ia the case and Mr. Donnclly did
not hesitate 10 state that thoro was culpabe neg.
lsence on the part OF some He DID not wish IA
express an opinion, as he was not prepared to say
who was directly responsible tor the outbreak Of
scurvy among the IDIOT children. Mrs Lowell,
also u member OF the State Charity Commission,
also informed tho writer that the Board had madc .
thorough exam ,nation into tho deaths from scurvy
al the Idiot Asy lum aud that In all important particu.
lars the report published In the HERALD was correct
1t found difficult to got any decided expression
OF opinion from many gentlemen moro or loss
timateiy connected with the department, owing to
fact that they did not wish to DO drawn into
conflict with the Comm ssioucrs, but while stating
that It would have been much bestor for tho
visitors who had made the condition Of the idiot call
drcn known to the pubic they did not deny shat
acts us published were true In every respect In
OF the branch buildings at the Idot Asylum later
than within tho past ten days two deaths have taken
place among the inmates, aud IN neither were
the sick children removed TO tho hospital, but
LETT 10 die III building where there no proper
means OF treating the sick One child subject 10
cpileptic convu lsions anu died last week.
AN OFFICIALS TESTIMONY
Ono Of the officials on the Island stated to the
writer that dur,ag the months of January February
ana March tho food so bad that tho chidrsn
often cried from hunger, and that II was hardly
worth wnilo to cali tncln to their meals III spoke
about matter several times, but could get no
saiisiaction; tho times are very hard aud
upo nave me- 'A ony fort s my voos 'paSs
the Island Tomorrow and expose tho cruelty and in
sick OF the place In the mornings the childrcn got
coffee or cocoa, sucn us II was, aud dry bread tho
bread was scanly aud the coffee or Cocoon bad that
many Of them would not drink II. ForGi meat,
but aslop called soup, WIN bread and no potatoes;
tho attendants had TO look ana say nothing. Tor
our places depended on our keeping silent :"
No action was taken TO prevent the spread OF scurvp
between about the hrst part OF January, when Dr.
the disease, until tho middle Of March up TO Tho time
tuat the death rate OF the institution became mater
of Investigation on tho part OF the state authori
Tres The explanation offered by tho officials, par.
ucuariy tho medical superintendent Is that ne
TO properly supervise take OF she institutions
under his caro-. An attempt Is being made TO try aud
prove that tho disease OF very mild character
and that tho chiloren died OF diseases other than
scuryy ana to prove this tue testimony we'll
pny offered the pubic; but the fact
that all the deaths sy ptoms scurvy were
present OF tho most positive character, and thar IL Is
impossible TO deny rs existence One gentleman. a
constant VISITOR at Raudas Island stated wuen Qucs-
toned the subject that he examined nearly ali tho
children that wero In tho hospital during the
pfcvalcnce OF scurvy, and that In every case he
found discooraton OF tho surface, contraction OF tho
joints, mouth ani throat ana difficulty OF swaL
loving. The Tact was also commented upon that tor
a considerable time the physicians did recognize
the presence OF tue disease unt even after several
nurses In the Institution had pronounced the maiady
under winch tho cniidron iaoorcd 10 DO scurvy OF
scoroutus
the Idiot Asylum during tho tmo tho disease was
IN progress, has departed Tor parts unknown, hav.
ing rendered her resignation 10 thu Coomission.
Anne Daily had registered tho condition
Of Affairs and that the public wcrc likely
BIO put III iu possession OF the ficls. This woman
according to all accounts was Ia iu possession OF
condition OF The children ioug before any else
the institution had any knowledge Of tho presence Of
scurvy bus sno positively declined to Interfere tho
matter and lett the disease TO spread.
JAREvEALED kyIDzScg.
While the stale Commissioners oil Charities refuse
to make public the testimony taken by them under
oatn At Randalps Island, SIN can DO surmsed that
IT iully bears out the statements OF Anne Daily lar
the poor ond insufciant quality OF the food FUR
Dishcd tho children concerned, and that tho sdct
SCALE was quite insufficient protection aaans, the
development OF wasting diseases One OF the assistant
ply sicaps u the asyium stated 10 the
Of thr state Board OF C0a,cs that tho cause Of ths
cisass that the inna,cs OF TIC Institution owiua
70 thsr peculiar INDECENT habits, want d exercise AM
unsouni mental condition, were peculiarly liable 70
sucn diseases, and that was o1y this class OF tho
idiot children were affected with scuryy. the moro
robust aud active escaping tho maindy although they
had tho same amount OF food. No moro striking
example OF the officials could be offered than this
statement Of the doctors TOR " they knew that tho
inmates OF the Idiot Asylum waro prodisposed TO
scurvy from the nature OF thor disease aud habits,
testify Their duty 10 guard az ainst tho dcve
opmoIt OF the malady by taking all possible procau.
tons. the 1rst OF winch TO that a iuli nd
proper supply OF vegetable food was gwen tho inmates
under their care.
visfroRs STATEMENT.
a visitor TO tho Idiot Asylum made tho following
statement TO the writer :-s'I have been a constant
anu regular visitor to All The institutions RandaIs
Island for several years past During all the umc
that have been going there l have found
that no proper supervision
Dccn taken OF tho inmates under tho charge
OF tho department 1 had graat difficulty
even 40 finding VINO the responsible head or who
10 charge OF the Island Free intercourse hM
always been permitted between all the insttutions
criminals, IDIOTS, the insane ard paupcrs all
mixd up together without any care. often noticed
tho food; 10 was not nt to give dogs, much
less human beings, and bad as
is-thc way tho TODD was prepared aud given to the
inmates mado II infinitely more fepulsive botn Ia ap.
pearance ana taste l noticed tho children
were running down In health and | spoke