Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1881-03-17
AoGUsTA IL

tween these two officers have been proved to
be of the most friendly character. and the
latter has served faithfully and to the entire
satisfaction of the Board of Trustees.
FooD.
Some testimony was adduced designed to show
that at times the foed was not of suitable quail
| ity. After very careful examination, we are
thoroughly satisfied that the patients in the
Hospital have an abundance of excellent
food We found, upon inspection. that the
kitchen department is provided with com
plete outfit of the most approved modern ap-
pliances for the preparation of food. and that
| the food of the officers and patients is pre-
pared from the same materials, and general
lv in the same dish: in fact. we doubt wheth-
er the patients in the Hospital do not fare
much better than the average of the people
of the State-so far as food is concerned.
FEMALE PHYSICIAN.
Some discussion has occurred in relation
to the employment of female physician for
the female wards. We have before us Il file
of letters from the superintendents of sixty
six American hospitals. bearing upon this
subject. \ summary of the letters is a. fol
lows:
Whole number sent out, 66; answers to
same, 81; favoring. j; opposing wholly. 30; ;
opposing in part. Il; having experience and
favoring, > having experience and opposing,
); not prepared to advise, i.
Your Committee are inclined to view this
subject as purely administrative; and as the
Trustees are already empowered 10 employ
such officers as they think necessary, To ena-
BILE the Superintendent to properly conduct
the affairs of the Hospital it seems to us
unnecessary to legislate upon that point. The
desirabilitv of employing more medical as
sistants. and the determination of what par
ticular person or persons to be employed. we
consider very properly left where il is, in the
hands of the Trustees.
EMPLOYING or ATTENDANTS.
We finJ that in the selection of attendants
great care is exercised by the Supcrntcn-
dent; all applicants are required to furnish
testimonials of good moral character. and
generally, we think. the attendants in the Hos
pital are persons of ability and worth We
are convinced by the evider &c before us that
persons entering the service, are not qucs-
toned as to their religious or political pref
erences. 1t is also shown that persons of all
political parties are and have been for wears
in the service. Ii is to the credit of Il T. po-
litical parties of Maine. that charges of this
klfil nave come not from tnem but from II
very small section of another State.
LoDGEs.
1t was charged on the part of the prosecu-
ton that at certain times patients have been
put in the lodges and have suffered from cold
An inspection of these rooms and of the
method of heating them will convince any
reasonable person of the incorrectness of this
charge. These strong rooms are designed
rather for the protection of violent patients.
who at times might injure themselves and
other patients, than for anything that even
approaches restraint upon the person of the
patient. We are satisfied that the lodge sys-
TEN cannot safely he abandoned for any other
system of restraint in use in the hospitals
of this country.
VENTILATION.
This very important subject has been the
subject of examination. The apparatus for
this purpose is shown by its results to be ctii-
cient The air in the wards throughout the
buildings was on every occasion. when visited
by members of the Committee. found to be
good, and no bad odors were present.
PTBLnIry.
Friends and relatives of patients are ALWAYS
admitted. and the general public on all week
days except Saturday. So great has been
tHe ueslrt OI tHe management tHat ttlt pubiic
should have the fullest knowledge of the Hos
pital, that at times visitors have been admit
ted on Saturday and Sunday. Teams are
often sent to trains and other places to facili-
tate the visits of people who would not other
wise visit the institution.
FINA>,IAL MATTERS.
Your Committee has in no instance heard
of any rumors or complaints regarding the
q 4
fact the attorney for the prosecution expressed
the fullest confidence in the financial manage
ment of the Hospital. and no charges having
been made your Committee did not think it
necessary to examine into the financial man
agement Of the institution.
toN'II SION
As the result of the investigation. YOUR
Committee has reached the conclusion that
the Maine Insane Hospital is an institution
fully entitled to the confidence and support
of the people of the State: that it j. well gov
erned; that the discipline i firm and strong
The very small number of cases OF alleged
abuse Of patients. and this number on the
evidence of persons who testified under .
sense of personal eumifv towards the man
agement and most of whom had been dis
missed for causes proven to be just the
failure to prove in others. aud the fact that
in all cases where an offence actually oc-
Cured the offender at once removed. all
go to disprove the charge OF want Of proper
discipline. 1t il remarkable that
dealing as they do vi it'll man, cases of acute
man a, q nd in many instances vs. ith men endow ed
with maniacal strength. it is possible to
so conduct such an institution for the twenty
wears over which this portion of the invcstiga-
ton ranged without affording more instances
of actual abuse and more material upon which
to fabricate charges. The sensational arti-
cles which have appeared before and during
the investigation in certain newspapers. most
" outside of the State. were probably intend
ed to prejudice the public mind, and if posi-
BILE increase the popular suspicion always
attaching to such institutions. They have
reacted forcibly upon public sentiment by
reason Of their extravaganza and absur.Iity Of
their statements. 1t is to the honor Of the
press of Maine that it could disregard the
advantages Of sensational items and
await the completion Of the evidence
on both sides. aid the report of the
Committee. before rendering verdict which
might cause far greater suffering. than any
charged by the enemies of the institution.
Respectable newspapers can hardly afford.
for a mere increase of sales thus to assault a
State institution during an investigation, but
no remedy exists to prevent such outrages
Public servants or private citizens without