Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1881-02-21
OUR INSANE HOSPITAL.
ine INVESTIGATION Dragging Its Slow
Length Along.
a weary Waste Of Words. R..
aging Facts.

aging Facts.
COMMITTEE on Insane Asvlum co,-
'ihued their investigation of the a.f,;.s =. a,
Hospital, Saturday afternoon. Gso,ns
christie OF Hallowell. for several wears con.
nected with the institution, was the fret go;
ness called. He thought that at ,;mss ,ho.,
were not sufficient number of attendant. -
care ior the inmates. The food wa, aim,
'"ii' ana wholesome, but there was not muc,
variety. When man was sick he b,a ,.,.,
he needed for comfort. Witness h.ah-
d" attendant IN the Insane Hospital at Tam.
''h' Mass for two years. In his judgmen,
the Massachusetts hospital was the better ono
Out the food was no better than in Ma;ro
inere were more attendants who could be
called upon when necessary, and there wa.
no lodge" in which to confine violent M.
tients. At Taunton, refractory patients were
kept from doing harm by 'sstraps" and nv
straight Jacket While he was en-.
pioyed at the Maine hospital he had
never known men to be compelled to work
n
when they were unfit for labor. A. ,
general thing the inmates were delighted to
get out into the fresh air and work on tho
farm. Had known patients to be ken: in the
lodge" when the temperature was very cold
so that they suffered severely. He cited the
case OF man named Palmer, who. when put
in the ''lodge." suffered severely until clotbe.
were brought him. This case has been ful,v
reported in the Journal in the testimony of a
former witness. He did not call DIR. Harlow 8
attention to Palmer's case.
CTosS-eTdmined-There was no orders from
any superior officer to put Palmer into the
lodge IN naked state. 1t was part of
witness duty, as Waterman to see that no
patient suffered from cold Palmer was a
peculiar patient; he was violent all the time.
and would tear his clothes and bed clothes
to pieces. Considered the '.lodge' more
humane than straps At the Taun.
ton hospital, where there were some 700
patients, there were two or three spare atten-
dants whose services were brought into req
ulsltlon III case of sickness among patients.
There is at presen. ''sick room" where
patients are taken and cared for. DIR. Harlow
makes tour of inspection through the Hos
pital every morning. He inspects the food,
and inquiries about the health of sick patients.
DIR. Sanborn went through the wards twice a
day, as also did DIR. Neal
R,, D,. Epfox Al
Taunton use force in handling violent pa
tients?
Ansrer.-"Ycs, sir; when it was neces-
sary."
DR.. B. +. Sanborn, assistant supern-
tendent at the Hospital, testified My duties
are to visit the halls every day and ascertain
the condition of the patients; to put up pre-
scriptions, and to show visitors around when
necessary. The Doctor stated the leading
causes of insanity. Intemperance is the
leading causes among men. physical emacia-
ton and diseases peculiar to her sex among
women. He was not at present treating any
patients for the latter cause. One evening
last winter, during an entertainment in the
chapel. female patier. lighted some paper
at the gas jet and set her bed afire There were
but two attendants in the upper halls that
evening; the rest were in the chapel. Con-
sidered it practically safe to leave the wards
in this condition, as nearly all the patients
were in the Amusement Hall.
Dr. Butler here stated that he was not
attempting to reflect upon the officers Of the
Hospital or the Trustees. If things were
wrong at the Asylum, it was the fault of the
law. He objected to visitors going through
the wards out of idle curiosity. He said he
objected to the practice, and wished to show
its baneful influence.
Cross-eramiued-I think the Maine
ASYLUM is on par with the public asylums of
other States. have reported attendants for
not performing his or her duty to the super
intendent. almost invariably speak to the
attendant first, and if he does not do better
I ALWAYS report him to DIR. Harlow. Have
been at the Hospital nearly fifteenyears During
that time some eight or ten attendants year
have been discharged because witness re-
ported them to DIR. Harlow for inefhciency.
The attendants shonM report all cases OF
abuse by other attendants TO the proper a"-
,hoylfies. II is part Of their duty, and II
then do not report abuses they are themselves
riolatiag their instructions
Bu Mr.. Baker.-''In the fifteen years IN
which YOU have been at the Hospital, have
any cases of personal abuse come to your
notice. in which the guilty party was not
discharged"
1usrer.-s'No, sir"
Witness continues I once saw an attend
ant abusing patient. DR.. Harlow was ao-
.ent ut the time, and took the liberty to
discharge the man. l prefer the
.,odce" system to the 'bed strap method OF
,-o.,men,. as the former does not irritate
tho ,atient so much and aggravate the IN
sanity. These sslodge" rooms are heated oy
indirect radiation. Coils of pipe radiate I'm
dor the floor. and the hot air comes up
fues. Pipes could not be put
;,,o the room. as violent patients would ourh
In my judgment the temperature
IS .ha ..lodre" halls would average 50 degrees