Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-03-17
HOSPITAL INVESTIGATION.
The Board Of Supervisors Taking Testi-
mouy

The Board of Supervisors yesterday began
the investigation of charges against DR.
Lame. for alleged inhumanity, neglect and
mistreatment of patients at the County
Hospital. The charges consisted OF certain
newspaper articles. and were laid By J. n
Larkin, as publisher of the Sunday Leader
LarI1in conducted the prosecution, and the
defendant appeared in his own behalf. The
conduct of the investigation by these tive
was acrimonious and frequently exceedingly
personal, rising at times to the sensational.
Mr.. Schneider sworn: He furnished some
of the statement published. He had seen pa
tients at work in November in the yard All
well ones were required to work. Some OF
them sometimes got short of clothing. DIR.
Lame refused to buy cheap lookiug-glass
and comb. Was discharged from the hospital
December 22d, because be would not do work
he thought not within his duties. He was
sick for two weeks after his discharge. Did
not complain to the Supervisors of cruel
treatment of patients. Was in the hospital
two years. The Supervisors furnished addi-
tiOnal blankets as cold weather came on.
w 4SucsS Aau tle uuty VI aIIeHulH5 " 4Ao4oU-
meyer, who was weak He died December
18th. Never stole Horstmeyer's pantaloons.
Knew John Smith. Do not know if he was
a physician. Do not know if he died for
want OF fire. Think he had all things that
could be given him. Do not know who were
the convalescents who were refused clothing
The steward refused to purchase stockings.
John H. Knowles sworn An old man
named Butterworth was at the hospital. DR..
Lame told witness that Butterworth was not
sick, and that he was Furnishing him to make
him well. Butterworth told witness that
Laine had put eight burning plGsters on his
back to punish him, and had given him con-
stipatiUg medicine. Witness saw Butter
worth's food it was only cup Of tea and a
slice of bread. He reported the case to Su-
whip witness because of his statements But
terworth is 50 years old. Saw the record Of
his age seventeen years ago. The old man
appeared as if lie had been ''jalloped." Saw
his back it had been blistered severely, and,
witness thought, unnecessarily. When in
drink Butterworth is violent and uses bad
language. DIR. Lame told witness the blister
ing was done to punish the man. Have
served when young as q physicians appren-
tice. Don't know what burning plaster is.
A yitriol plaster may be burning plaster
G. Butterworth, aged 50, sworn: Have
been in the hospital. February 18th was
sick. Next day the doctor wanted him to
go and scrape some bricks. Told the doctor
burning plaster on his back after sprinkling
from a vial He had eight put on-one
day. They burned his flesh badly. Suisse
quently he had three healing plasters put on.
He was in bed all the time for three weeks
During the time for the first few days they
gave him only little bread and water Then
the doctor gave him medicine to purge him,
and then medicine that constipated him. for
three weeks nearly. Did not complain to DR..
Lame about the bread and water diet. How
ard, the nurse, came to town one day, and
another nurse then gave him some coffee
Have been in the hospital off and on for ten
years. DR.. White turned him out once for
coutradicting him. Once he locked him up,
perhaps twice don't remember for what
Have had pain in the back since 1858. Once
Dr. Lame told him he looked able to work.
He told him to clean up around his bed, and
he did so. Don't remember saying he could
not work because of the pain. Did say so
when asked to serape brick, and had pain
in the side too, from buggy running over
him. Had never had his back blistered be-
fore Don't know how a blister should be
dressed Took medicine from bottle. Mr..
Bly, gave him the medicine on Friday, the
day he was put to bed, to purge him. The
next medicine he took from man who
brought it in bottle the same day, to con-
stipate him, and it did, for three weeks, lack
ing day and six hours. DR.. Lame threat
ened to punish him if he wouldn't work, that
is in a way. No one else ever threatened to
punish him if he wouldn't work. Once had
a book of his grandfather's, showing his age.
Never had it in California. Never showed it
to Mr.. Knowles.
Mrs Lynch sworn: Daughter of an ex-
Supervisor of 1857. Was very sick in the
County Hospital one night; sent for DR..
Lame told him thought she was to be con-
fined. He said she had false pains and went
away to bed. She was sick until in the
morning, when the child was born dead. The
nurse had refused to call the doctor. and in
fifteen minutes the baby was born. Was
alone and unattended, except by patient in
the next bed. Half hour after the doctor
came and told her she was brave little
woman. Received kind treatment at the
hospital, but the doctor refused to come that
night when sent for. He asked her to 90 to
another ward, but she declined. Had told
the doctor she did not expect to be confined
for month yet. That was the night before.
Believe the birth was premature. Thought
the treatment of other patients was bad and
ought to be known. The seventh day after
confinement she was very sick, and sent seven
times for the doctor and he refused to come
for long time. Told Mrs. Beckley she
thought her child dead eight or nine days be-
fore it was born. Never told Mrs. Summers
so or any one she took medicine to kill the
child. Whenshe sent for the doctor, thenurse
said the doctor wouldn't come, as he thought
it not necessary. Don't think hospital doc
tor can be with all patients exactly when
wanted. Mrs. Anderson was sick at the hos
pital, and died there. Her boy and the boy
of witness went for the doctor at 5:45 A. NJ.
He sent word he could not come until he went
his rounds. Mrs. Anderson said she was
dying and wanted to see the doctor. She
had the consumption. Witness sent her boy
for some paper and an envelope, and the doc
tor told him he'd whip him if he came again.
Mrs. Beckley. the natron, told her she'd
get the devil raised with her, that the doctor
would give her fits, and that she wouldn't
want to be in her boots When the doctor
came, he told her not to send her boy so
early in the morning for trifss, but to askhim
for what she wanted when he made his
rounds. Heard the women say they were
afraid to 90 to LANES office, as he'd bite their
heads off. Don't think if the doctor had
been attending Mrs, Anderson every hour
that she could have been helped at
all Mrs. Can5well, an old woman, took
an overdose of medicine and was deiirious
she went out of doors witness tried to hold
her; presently Mrs. Beclley and nurses
brought her in and put her to bed; Mrs.
Beckley said she called the doctor, but he
did not come Later the steward came and
said he had called the doctor, too. The
woman got worse, and in the night fell on the
floor and had two fits; the night Waterman
came and he and the steward bound her in
bed and put board up in front. Later she
got loose and had another fit, and the watch
man and nurse came and bound her again.
The doctor did not come Mrs. Beckley
said he wouldn't come. The Waterman said
the doctor wouldn't get up. There were
eight sick in that ward; they feared the
crazy woman she attacked Mrs. Dowdy
don't know if Mrs Cantwel could have been
better off in any other ward don't know if
the doctor had sat up all night with her if it
would have done her any good thought she
might have had quieting medicine, though.
The binding of Mrs. Cantwell was carefully
and kindly done.
I. W. Read sworn: Detailed how the al
legged facts charged against DR.. Lame were
made public, and that no outside influence
had been used.
The prosecution here rested, but announced
that it had other testimony regarding other
charges.
For the defense Mrs. Dowdy was sworn
Was a patient in the hospital was in the
ward with Mrs. Lynch and Mrs. Cantwell.
Found DR.. Lame daily attentive, kind and to
treat his patients we'll Mrs Lynch came