New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-12-05
TILE SENATE INQUIRY.

49, .,,, p.form met at the Metropolitan Hotel yes |
,crdav was crowded at IL a m by subordinate
Of the Wards Island Asylum, who expec'ei 10 'es"S
An regard TO the Institutions DR. Macdonald the su'
ns,n endept of the asylum SAIL taking the stand
that he had filed that position for over SIX years anu
that he had received his appointment from Tue Noi
sjoners OF Charities and Correct on lie hau egn' ae
s.stapt physicians and niuetyfour attendants III IT,
gard 70 appointments, he made nominations ior inc po
,i,ion OF assistant physician. The Consulting boaru
nat ON examining committee which e.tifod to the Co
utssioners the results OF the EXAMINATIONS Inc
witness also examined applicants lor Tue Pos"''"
of attendant The Commissioners c'a NOT o'ei
,nle his opinions in regard to appointments lie mao
,n,or made nomination that had not been confrmcd
Sometimes true the Commissioners ha''ns per
.onoi tnovIedce OF the qualifications of a candidate.
would suggest his name for app mi ment WITHIN tue
last SIX years the character OF the attendants had
1mproyed: their salaries, however, shouu oe
larger. Attendants received Sls month
with board This could be raised 10 SZo III
three months If their services warranted INC
.dvance Ten mechanics received wages shat were as
high as $50 month in some instances whe tnose VINO
did the more arduous work In the hosptai were pan"
sc5 a month. The average time that ATTENDANTS re-
manned in the syum one year. as they were men
who held the position only until something oetter turned
mp. - 40 -
The snperintendcnts salary was $2.4oo per annun
with no perauistes assistant physicians remain ed
shout a wear They were mostly young men who went
fO
Men had served as assistant physicians in the asylum
who were within three months Of graduation, but there
had been none of that class there in the last two years
The assistant physicians left the institution from ume
to take better positions; -Four s1a tSe e' a.vnm
Yesterday morning. In regard TO Dr. >; A. neSh, 4
ASS. physician In the city ssyul d, ~ ~ hot
VI IN abe sOme criticisms the MANAGEMENT OF 'nHt
;ustuion DIR. Macdonald SAID thai ne had requested
Inn 10 position as be han oeen hetirot' %
~ dn,ics suicide occurred in the asylum, the occur
renee OF which he thought was part"ny 'ue W ~
senator Woodn-would you advocate the holding OF
Coroner. inquest In the case OF ev ry patient WHO u'S
,wsys ask for an inquest when there is the sight
o, r.'s"n for it, Ii would undoubtedly be hardship
q. 10 relatives and friends OF dead patients If Que
were held every w lost Jag patients ny ueath
last year The deatn-Fate Is somewhat S"a'0r 'H''
Se"sVw What are you doing in the matter OF employing
when went to the asylum about tory patients
vcr, employed Yrstrriav 313 pltlents were eDe'Scu
w y,Tiois 1ccupa ions Al ut 200 work on the farn
On: of LIS patients, 1l37 were out do'fS yesIu@y'
which is usual average iOt ino day 70! tacn ai
,iII1ma attendant allowed me can put fifteen more
PAWS paw cstsmt # any, is use used in the asylum
A. present we have NOBODY under restraint pre-
fer when NECESSARY belt and wrstleis As Tor mat
non: but since January. 1879. they have no' been
used. In certain cases when laV - sn b no nir
ferahle. had patent who Oh see,hg on GID ~
levi 10 ,r.p in H. | an small man, but can
get INTO criD, tam over comfortably ana more my
"'"A' REPLYING TO CRITICISMS
Dr. Macdonald Then glanced over some newspaper
cl,ppings containing tle testimony OF DIS Hammond
spiizkl and Segun, and SAID:
cato Or Iammond's and D.. segun's testimony.
would say that they not been III the asylum under
tl noson Of 81 ccla pat biologist. nut declined to
Itc1hueH tne BIo6mnrdSie Willard Madison
O.bkosh (Wi..) Asyluns. deny ms statement that
cd i'm 10 the chair OF specla path0lo
s,s, r. was Dr. spl;zla on tde contrary, WHO trled
In vain 10 secure the appointment. ms auIIaNi
also take exeenton 5 II is not true that restraint
and forc,h,e feeding Of patients are Imposed III the
asvlum hy atten iauts without the authority or phy
,ns o;der usre are our rulcs the subject, and
s,VIm rc,,ce is "a nave stated. b,neve Restraint
snon id be us, medicine record Is KEPT OF tle
rrs'ratnT imposed upon patents. The use o. the crib
Ia been abandoned mainly on account OF popular
clsnor IN order that the friends OF patients Ia u q
,r;nrcr,Ty charge Of Bock~els Island Asylnm AZ
the time OF the Otimer honcidr tne m"e was seJ
III and jury that Dr. 9p''z"a huu u o r"eiy
d. II ,mnond says In the matter OF appointments
that tie Commissioners OF Cuafu ana Coif, c'lon re-
= pr, -eutcd aud then ne is appointed Ia regtrd 10
tIa would say that during my cohhec'IoN WIN 'uc
penoI.veu; never had 4 nOmiua ION t)'citl' NV
81 lie esv uIn aud there every night Sc, every
patient dly. Tons ha> always oecn nv prague; t,
.nator Nondiu-I9 regard TO the cIin. Dr Spll<nd
sald he bel; we'd II Wa ia use on "drd's lisa d ,
assertions abou institution ouEh, to be sure ne IS
things that are rue a, wen as h5l Ills 'eS''
Did You rcyeitcd, press upon DR. spitzka the ncccs-
ETY. making Application for the rosiHon OF special
dI1 no. Ia.ked him what recommendations he
l'te' from him The dean Of The NJ deal College
or he University OF the tiiN OF Ne" No'k adv -cd me
10 have nofhins do with Sitzkh ana saiG aa bet
torasx Drs. Arnold Il Draper about MN. ne ~ai
TUNED ont % ne laboratory Of rach o. n,At
ljr Arnold rad his work was clumsy ana HIS HdIucI
PEPA1rs SOON TO BE FINIsnrD.
Dr. Macdonald said further that It new wing to the
ward leland Asylum would be compile ed IN January
and vond hold 2lO patients 1t would only partially
rol,.y. the oycrrrowdipg. A buidln. borrowed from
the Commissioner OF Emigration WAS now used for
t,e shelter Of $40 patients The man building
c""iainrd sos lie thought that pr0per inspection OF
a.y ums aircad provided fOi Inc II 'olca super
1nJtudeut, however, had 10 couTo OF Tue amount u,
money to ne expended patents or the regulation %
Tie salaries Of assistant phyNcians III Janu9'y ire
allowance for al EXPENSES va % Ccn's q Neou VII,
had eecu reduced 10 70 cents ana traction ana W"ui
Segun he corsldcred purely theoit i1aI, ana nc s'iI
they had informed themselves OF tIe m@tleit on
IN asylgms' In book OF D. Hammond's
% Insanity, he sad The asylums in Ills iMs cc 1h.
book Mas published several years ago.
OTHPK TESTIMONY.
Cyrus Pearsali, supervisor the Wards Island Asy
hun said he ord red patient 10 be put in strait
j4Cket tine ago. ana reported inc TACT TO the p 81
cIan who ordered it OF.
"Whou went 10 the asylum, eight years ago." hC
sad E. i was perfect slaughter-honse. l was more
AFRAID Of ,ne attendants than the TSenIs ana IN th,
black eyes aud bloody noses. The attendants were
mostly sboulder-hitters.' When I talked OF using
lindn s. they would set big lunatc on me 10 test ny
theory" 49,, .,.., ,
CHARLES Particular, night nurse IN the hospital WARD
,aa ne never knew Of patient dying III Gid Ih'
lids Of the CRIB were removed some time ago abd bac
moi beeu put on again. The superintendent wen
through the hospital ward once every tweDty-fou
hours had zen no restraint used III we asy
for three OF four months The experiment. had prOvet
q
Dr Wickes Washburn, formerly assistant physclan
he had threatened patient WIN cola pat u
lie had. however, put patient III co'd pain WIN III
clothes on. a,
John Kennedy. steward, said that with twelve add
tiOnal atendadts $50 more men could Dc employed
John Duffy, senior night Waterman. knew nothing 0
forcIble feeding by attendants.
To-day II expects TO make informal visit 70 I'd
rdf Island lsylum,