The New York herald., 1879-11-06


INVESTIGATION BY A BOARD or PHYSICIANS RE-
GARpING ALLEGED ABUSES IN THE HART's
ISLAND INsTITUTIoN--THE CASES OF EMMA
MORRISON AND CAROLINE WE'LL.
The Board of Consulting Physicians appointed by
the Commissioners of Charities and Correction for
the lunatc asylums under their charge. having re-
ceived a comm munioation from the Commissioners,
asking them to investigate certain alleged abuses IN
the Female Lunatic Asylum, at Backwell's Island.
proceeded there yesterday afternoon about two
O'Clock and made an investigation The Board con-
ssts of DR.. Joseph r. Wood president DR.. Montrose
A. Pallen. secretary. and Drs E. G. Jaueway, Austin
Flint Jr. A. L. Loomis, c. ]. Pardu, L.
p. z. White. Allen Mclean Hamilton and
Whitman V. White. OF these there were present
yesterday Drs. Wood. Pallen. Hamilton and White.
The secretary opened the proceedings by stating the
alleged abuses which were to be investigated. The
first that of woman named Emma Morri-
son who. it was stated. gave birth to child while
she bound in strait jacket; and the second
that = woman named Caroline We who was
alleged to havo died OF starvation on the 10th OF
October last.
DR.. strew. superintendent of the asylum the
hrst witness. In answer to number of questions
he stated. substantially. that when Emma Morrison
first came to the asylum she accompanied by
her father, and her history was taken from
him. He assured DR.. Kingston that she had never
been married. and without doubt was virtuous
woman and always had been SO. From the time she
entered the hospital she extremely nervous 'o
lent and destructive. and had to oo removed from
hall No. to the lodge or retreat Dr. strew saio ne
had no reason to think she was about to become
mother until he heard of the birth OF the child.
From her general appearance at the time OF her
antrv he had no suspicion of her condition.
,uR ADMISSION OF PATIENTS
Dr. Palen asked if examination was not always
made of patients entering the hospital, and to this
Dr. strew replied 'Not unless by indications it was
deemed n cessary." In the OF Emma Morrison he
believed Dr. Kingston tried to make an examination.
but on account of her violence did not succeed. As
to the straitjacket in which she placed. it
nothing more than canvas camsole. She required
to have restraint. and this WAS placed on her
every night unlaced, so that when she became vio-
lent she usually did during the night, the nurse
could lace it up at once 1t was unlaced he sad at
The time of the birth of the child
Dr. Pallen-What was the diagnosis OF her mental
condition?
DR.. Strew-Acute mania. Her condition was not
improved by the birth OF the child
There was. he said, about one patient i'll seventy
I'VE or perhaps not more than one in hundred that
to the asylum in the same condition. Several
more questions were put by the physicians in regard
to the matter OF not making examinations regarding
the condition of new patients. To all DR.. Strew re-
piled that did any necessity for doing So
and neither did the other doctors or the nurses.
CAROLINE WELLS CASE
In regard to the OF Caroline We'll. said to
have died OF food. DR.. Strew stated that
she died, not of inanon but of ndema OF the lungs
caused by heart failure. She her meals regularly
until the night of October 8. when she refused to
fast and dinner the following day About half-pas
six O'Clock on the evening OF October 10 food was
given her by means @ OF the feeding pump. as she
received hypodermic injection, but it had nothing
todo with her death.
DR.. Pallen-How do you account for this story that
yhe starved?
Dr. Strew-Well, sir with such an element to con-
lend with as there is here there must be always q
pertain amount of disaiection. / believe 1t was a
named Maggie Modeller, who first sus-
pended and then discharged, that first made the
statement that Caroline Well starved. She
without food only twrnty-four hours. and It often
happens that some OF the most violent patients are
without food for two or three days without Its
terially hurting them.
Dr. Hamilton-what was this nurse discharged for?
DIR. Strew-It was tor leaving some rat poison i'll
of them died.
tor?
DR.. strew-Maggie was cleaning out cupboard in
butter and sugar and instead of taking it out of the
way she left ii in the swill barrel. There one of
the patients found it. and suppose thinking it
pudding, it in pudding pan. eat some Of it.
The pan was seen in her hand by one Of the nurses
and was taken away from her. 1t was not thought
that the patient had taken any OF the poison at the
time, and it was not suspected that she had done
until after her dinner. when she seized with vio
lent retching. She died few hours afterward.
DR. KINGsToS's EVIDENCE.
DR.. Robert /. Kingston then examined as to
the OF Emma Morrison. His evidence was sub
stantially the that of DIR. Srew. He also
stated that he any necessity for an
animation; she was in the habit of eating the bed
clothing and even the grass in the yard when she
was let out and he considered at the time that the
material she put in her stomach was the cause of
much of the arrangement therein; when she
first taken with cramps on the night of October IL,
IT not suspected that she was about to give
birth to q child; If examination had been made
and her condition discovered there would have
been no difference in the of treatment except
that she would have been sent to the hospital the
proper time.
DR.. Livingston S. Hnchley corroborated the state
ment of DR.. Kingston in regard to tine of Emma
Morrison, and said II was an accident over which
they had control.
DR.. Leonard +. Pitkin, who attended Caroline
wei then called and read out the record OF her
DEATH Caroline We'll died at half-past eleven =. NJ,
October 10, 1879. The certificate showed the
primary cause of her death chronic meningitis;
direct cause, cedema of the lungs. He stated posi-
lively that she did not die of want of food she
only missed three meals and had food the day Of
her death. She was plump and not the least emaci-
Rted He thought the story originated in spirit OF
malice. The nurse, Maggie Modeller. had, he
alleged, threatened she would njure him wherever
and whenever she could. Three of the nurses
also called and corroporated Dr. Ptkins statement.
The investigation then adjourned and the
Board will report to the Commissioners next week.