Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1881-02-22

| :; "e cfuel man. Think rs far As he
concerned he would treat patients VERY
I'll. have furnished cider by the glass n
- ~ Have sold cider BY the jugfuI]
u Ut. Harlow called. Have been Superiu-
90 ue"' vi tne Maine Insane Hospital nearly
years. 1t Is not possible for abuses tn evils,
at the Hospital for anv lengtb Of time n.
| course, isolated caves of cruelty occnr now
anu them but the moment I suspect a man 7
Watch him, and if find that he is ron Oh
man towards those under his care 7 at once
I,scharse him. Have two patients from
M usus. who were committed by papers.
"heh d man becomes insane at the Home il
customary 10 commit him to the Maine
NJ Jun until he can be conveniently taken TO
'. ;" ashihgton This may be without law. but
Is an accommodation to the National Gov
erhment who settles the bills. Have dis
charged two attendants. and then. after a
whlie, re-engaged them, by advice of the
trustees Remembered the case of Palmer
VINO was put into the lodge" without clothas
!, MS was under the rules of the institution.
ne was very violent and would have torn his
ciothlhg to pieces. l discharged the two
attendants because they left the Hospital
without Milling their places. The other
attendants had SONG one in their rooms to fill
.heir places. discharged Mr. Hodgkins
because he did not ask my permission when
ne ieit the Hospital. The rising hour at the
hospital for attendants is 80 in summer and
IN the winter. Patients get up all the way
from half-past five to half-past six. Never
knew Of case where an attendant left her
ward, and gave the KEYS of the rooms to a
girl with slight mania. Sweeney was sent
from the Hospital because his case came un-
uer the law Of 1874, which required that all
IDIOTS and imbeciles should be sent to their
MONIES. The trustees endeavor to comply
strictly with this statute. DIR. Harlow then
explained the duties of the lady visitor to the
Hospital. Thought Miss Clough, formerly
head nurse at the Hospital who resigned, and
who has testified before the committee, was
lax IN her duties. She was not kind to the
SICK patients under her care. BY the meth
Oh OF heating employed at the Hos
pital 1t is now possible to keep
the lodge" at 60 or Co degrees the
coolest nights. DIR. Harlow stated that he
dld not consider that insanity was largely
caused by diseases peculiar to the female
sex. Pregnancy sometimes brought on
mania, which would subside after the time of
CESSATION was completed If | had my way
| would have better classification of
patients, putting the violent ones bv them
'S''S'' w itiitss COtslutTeu Ine lodge
system much better than the strap system.
Palmer was not put into the .'lodge' on an
intensely cold night, as has been sworn by
preceding witnesses. The night was not
cold DO not think patient in a maniacal
state can feel the cold so acutely as in other
cases. His sensibiities are blunted
Adjourned until 7.3O o'clock
EVENING
At the evening session Mr.. Fall of Boston
conducted the investigation for Dr. Butler
Miss \. A. Chevailicr of Boston. a prom
inent member of the National Society for
the Protection of the Insane. a lady whose
name has been associated with the investiga-
ton, was present. NJ. b. V. Chase of Au-
gusta testified that Mr.. Leighton, a former
steward, appropriated some $500 to his own
uses during the wears lS7l-72-73. DIR. Har-
low was cognizant of the fact that the Treas
urer was short in his accounts, and witness
believed that he was interested in trying to
cover it up. Senator Pattangall here begged
the indulgence of the committee, and stated
that he had the refutation of this infamous
charge in writing, and would produce 1t at
the proper time. John II. Shaw, former
attendant. mentioned several cases of cruelty
at the Hospital by attendants upon patients.
He mentioned the case of man called Cap
tain Hartman, whom he found in the
"lodge" one day, naked, in sack of straw.
The man was crying piteously. He said {:
Il am dying, | am freezing to death ~
After this exposure the man was sick for
several weeks. Witness said he did not re-
port these cases because he wanted to re-
main at the Hospital, and the attendants
would make it unpleasant for him if he told
of their msdeeds. The condition of the
Hospital has greatly changed since last May,
and witness thought that the attendants were
now using patients kindly. These abuses
could be broken up with proper manage
ment.
Committee adjourned after hearing this
witness until 80 this afternoon.