The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1878-08-15
ouR WASHINGTON LETTER.

I To THE EDITOR OF THE NEW NORTHWEST;
We referred last week TO the baseless
Investigation Of charges against our Co
Iumbia Hospital, and the final report
Of the Board Of Inquiry confirms our
statement. The discharged nurse who
caused the investigation absolutely had
no case, for her own witnesses failed to
support any Of her allegations, so the
/ Board dismissed the matter as un-
worthy any further consideration. We
expect another invesli cation next win
/ ter Of the insane asylum, because one Of
its inmates charges that he is improp-
erly held and treated. One of our daily
/ papers pRblishes the letter which he
writes, aud We doubt not that some
Congressman whose brains are quite as
as lacking in equilibrium as the lu-
natic's, will introduce and press upon
the House a resolution Of inquiry into
the care and treatment of the asylum
patients. The name Of this lunatic is
Conway. He brought himself into
great nOtoriety here a few years since
by attempting to shoot Senator Pome-
roy, Of Kansas, for alleged improper
advances to his (Conway's) wife. No
attempt was made to,punish him there
for, and for a long time afterward he
was permitted to wander through our
streets, as his undouhted insanity took
the harmless form Of decorating his
clothes and hat with colored rags and
ribbons, which he alleged were insignia
pertaining to the high rank he held
among the aristocrats of the world.
That he remains "as mad as a March
hare" no one doubts who sees him at
the asylum clinging lovingly to his dec
OratiOns, yet he is sane enough to match
with some Of the members Of Congress;
I hence, our belief that an investigation
will be demanded next winter. The
asylum passed through a rigid and
] searching one last year, which developed
only the fact that an honest superin-
| tendent could at times overlook certain
details entrusted necessarily to attend
ants, and, as he resigned after acquittal,
| it is about time TO Ego for'' his sue
/ cessor. Under an act of Congress.
there is a post Office box provided at
this asylum in which patients can de-
I posit letters without interference or es-
pionage Of the officials; hence, any
friend eau be informed Of abuses, should
any exist, and sanity enough be found
to do the Deedful writing involved.
1t must be gratifying to the whole
people Of the United States to know
that Washington not only has the
largest medical library in the world,
but that it is being put to one of the
very best uses that such a collection Of
valuable books can be employed. Tn
der the immediate supervision Of the
Surgeon-General, book of reference is
being compiled which is to be to every
/ intelligent physician in the land what
the American Encyclopedia" is to the
student OF general knowledge. Litera-
| ture has not yet had an acquisition of
this kind, and its addition, growing out
Of the Federal City as the work of one of
its public officers, will be a matter Of no
little interest to the citizen who brides
himself on his nationality. When it is
remembered this book will enable the
physician in the shortest manner pos
sible TO inform himself on any case he
may have on hand by all that has ever
been written on the subject, its value to
the health Of the world can scarcely be
Over-estimated. It is intended that
every library shall be furnished with
one at the cost Of production, the copy
consisting Of six volumes, each about
as large as "Webster's Dictionary"
The Commissioner of Agriculture
General lie Due, is determined his in
cumbency shall not be proftless to th,
} country. The subject Of fig culture ha
- now his earnest and thorough investi
CATION, which has prepared him to an
nounee, with the utmost confidence
that this fruit can be successfully an,
most profitably cultivated in the TEN
, perate and warm climate Of America
e He strongly recommends the subject L
agriculturists throughout the country
r aud suggests the varieties as the best Il
be experimental upon. In collecting
his information, he has availed himsel
( Of the services Of our foreign minister
stationed in fig-growing countries.
is quite possible that curing figs ma
, become as much an American industr
as making raisins and sorghum syruT
v Congress authorized the public printe
e to publish third edition Of the "PC
laris Expedition" )" and to furnish cop
at cost to any person wanting it. It
+ a large, well-bound book, beautifully il
D lustrated, and of finest Typography
\ Its cost is 81 IS, which sum will cove
n postage; hence any person desiring
a copy can secure it by remitting thi
amount here to Hon. John d. Defreei
FELIX.
Washington, D. c., July 26, 1878.
}, Miss Warren, Of Texas, having
n