The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-06-03
THE IDIOT ASYLUM.
An Ex-Matron Tells the Story of
the Management.
DID THE DOCTORS DO THEIR DUTY
Bad Food Causes the Outbreak Of the
Back Scuny.

The publication in the HERALD OF the statements
made by President Cox, OF the Department. OF cnar-
Ties and Correction, and DR. Howard, the Medical Su
perntendent at Randas Island, has had the effect OF
Inducing Mrs Herbert, the Matron OF the idiot AFy-
lum during the time that scurvy attacked the inmates
10 give the public her evidence. Immediately alter
The exposure by Ann Daily to Nj. J. II. BAKER IL APP
pears Mrs. Herbert resigned her position. having In
tended 10 do SO several months according to her
own account Alter she lett the island openly
sated that she was afraid remain and had ist Tor
parts unknown
Mrs Herbert feeling that she being made VIC
lin effort to place The blame on her shoulders
has requested that opportunity should be given
her TO answer .'tne ISLANDERS made about hcr." re-
porter called at her residence, where she made the
following statements which, she says are the Same
IS those sworn 10 by her before the State Commits
noners OF Charities during their investig ation:-
..My name is Elizabeth Herbert. appointed
matron OF the Idiot Asylum Randalrs Island In
1869 by the former Board Of Commissioners Since
that time, up to the 4th OF April last was employed
,hcrc IN this capacity. On that date sent in my
resignation 10 the Commissioners, and II was accepted
b. them. Every III the asylum knew that had
intended resigning Tor months-ong before scurvy
appeared. In relation to inc statement made by Dr.
Howard and published IN The HERALD Of May 20
that the spread OF the disease was due TO my not
reporting Il, it Is false l reported the sickness
10 Dr. Richards, the assistant physician, and was
naturally under the impression that he IN turn
reported the sickness DR. Howard. All
soud do was follow the orders OF the doctors
| had power authority to SEND children to the
hospital If believed It ought TO be done. Every
lime case occurred reported 20 me By the
nurses and attendants Immediately notified the doc
tor either personally or by messenger DR.. Richards
told what the disease Was, but on former
had
disease was constitutional to the children No alarm
was made By the doctors, and they did not seem 10
sonsider that there was any cause Tor uneasinesa
VEGETABLES.
ssTo the best OF my knowledge vegetables
gvon to the children until about latter part of
March, and the disease discovered In January.
Ann Daily frequently reported to me about the vege
tables previous to March. This saw Tor myself also
reported the doctors that thcre enough food,
but there variety. The doctor and The people
who prepared the food knew this, It did
not lie my power TO alter IT.. My bust
give out 10 the children what
got. The nurses frequently reported 10 me that
the food not good. Sometimes got sufficient
meat Tor the cnildreu and sometimes IL was scarce
To the best oil beIiefI never got the amount OF
meat on the dict scale (egnt ounces) should say II
about i've ounces Potatoes were ISSUED but very
seldom. never got them more than ouco a week.
Potatoes are put down the diet scale Tor every day
IN the week, but the children did not get them
bread and butter, the latter sometimes good aud some
LINES bad. The supper was dry bread and milk. The
muk was oddrink Out IL was not noursnng II was
made IRON canned or condensed milk. The dici scale
MS regards breakfast was not carried out; Tho
children did not get what the nst ordered
There have been times when / received rice,
wheaton grits homny Lwicc week. There
was very seldom rice IN The coup, II was
generally thickened with bread. The gri mentioned
IN the statement oi Ann DAILY Us having been kept
nck IN the ward Is true. The case was as foows:-l
reported about this giri, Mary Anne McAndrew, 10
the doctor several times On one OCCASION asked
him would put these children bed, and he haid,
.rney just well up l suppose he thought
that they were getting bettcr at this time Ny opin
Ion Is mat the gri above named should have been
sent TO the hospital She Was removed there
on March Is and died on the 2lst rhe statement OF
Ann DAILY that sue reported the condition OF The chill
nreI 10 me several times Is true. reported 10 The
doctor VINO VISITED every day or every second day.
The Remark reported 10 nave been made by me tina.
said aDout the children, Let them die; that u did
mako any difference whether they livea
u'cd,' never male IN the sense reported. WHAT
l aId say was that they were better on About
Tins time Ann Daily stated openly that she was
gong TO report Tue condition OF the children,
mat 10 crying sin TO let II go on. she seemed
determined report all these things cannot say,
As do not now remember. whether ~ was before
lftcr this time thai Dr. Howard ordered Mrs Daily 10
10 down and take care OF John Rouso's crowd 1
eannot Tx the date oil this order bong gwen. / tod
DR. Howard ut the lime that 1 dla moi mink Ann
DAILY ht Tor TINS duty. About the third
week IN Aarcn DIR. Howard sent Inc lemons for the
oil the SICK children, ana distributed them 10
lie nurses in charge OF the SICK upper wards
Of The man building and IN the hospital la relation
10 the beating OF Lena Feiaier, spoke TO DR..
Eealer had been Win nm about II, said that
shere marks on the child, and that supposed
Dent OF Commissioner K. =. Donnejiy, OF the state
board OF Cnsrtics published the HERALD OF May -.
Ives correct account oi the condition affairs dur
ng the lime the scurvy was on the island.
BLAMING
sIn the HERALD vi the 20tn Dr. Howard tho Medical
superintendent, aud PRESIDENT Cox made tue follow
Ing assertions. DR.. Howard says Mira Herbert,
.hs marion, let great deai u me business OF asr
pervise ana ioos aer me distribution Of tho food 10
ihv IDIOT children An ample amount OF
provisions, including vegetables, supplied during
The entire time, and the Lace Is that the children OF
tue helpless class aid not get Their proper share or
allowance. Tue Two people Who were di-
rccty responsib Tor tho outUrcak of tue disease
we're the matrop, Mrs Herbert, aud Ann Day, Who
twore 10 tue statement published IN the HERALD
In relation TO the nr.t charge. when was away
leave oi absence Ann DAILY always did my work;
inns was also tue case when was m with pneunonIs,
mud ordered by the doctor be careful and
work myself wben 2ot up. THIS woman was my
good deal OF WORK, winch did In excellent
manuer Secondly, DR.. Howard's statement that
there was an ample supply o food, including vsgo.
tables all the time, Is not true No vegetables wefo
given except IA tue soup, ana IN THIS only enough 10
make II paiatable. All the iooG furnished 10 me toe
children cot saw TO TINS matter myself. The help
ezs I0ots always got their allowances, which thcy
direct from tue cooKhouse except tho bread. wnichl
Jaw they got la relation TO tho statement that Ann
Daily ~ yseli responsible ior tue outbreak OF
Tho scurvy, state that not my auit II tbc doc
tors du not take proper care Of THEM ana send them
to tho hospital when they were SICK nDd dd not gvo
such variety OF iood including vegetables, as their
condition required. Ths saso my answer 10 The state
mcDt OF President Cox rho cnsrge made by Ann DAILY
In her statement, that sue fed tho hopeless
idiots, John Rowes crowd, during ono winter Is per-
ioctly she went down 10 the building where they
by my directons alter reporting 10 me that the
nurse IN charge not 10 be trusted and that she
was Throwing away their iood to snve herself Tho
trouble Of teealbg them. Tho woman that In
snargs OF them az this time dismissed my
complaint, ana the woman that came after her
T.tcned by Ann DAILY my request She remained
tame anu suddenly icit. inc following charges
against by people Islana aud
published In the herald :tl hat gave III rcslg-
nation 10 the Commissioners ON finding tDat Anu
DAILY had given the condition of affairs on kandai's
Island TO tho public; also that had departed Tor
Canada or some parts unknown and that was fully
OF the condition OF the idiot children long before
any else Institution, and that positively
declined TO iaerierc tho matter and et the disease
spread, 4 nave never been out Of New YORK since 1
lett KanGall's Island. This Is well known and can be
ccrtifcd To. La the second place l must positively
ac,rm that did not resign on account 81 the threat