Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1883-05-09
FOR AND AGAINST.
Dixmont Hospital Survives.

Two reports have been given the
public by the Dixmont Hospital Legis-
lative Investigating Committee. The
majority report signed by Messrs
Walker, Hart and McCrum recommends
the transfer of the Institution to the
State and mildly censures the manage
ment. Among other recommendations
is the following:
Your committee feel it their duty to
earnestly recommend that the manage
ment of this institution be so changed
than the Office of Superintendent and
Office of physician in charge be not hllec
by one and the same person as at pres
ent. The physician in charge should
he so situated in his relations to the
management as to be the superior o
the Superintendent and the critic upor
the care and attention bestowed upor
the patients by the Superintendent
supervisors and attendants. and OF every
thing furnished to the institution II
which the comfort and welfare OF the
patient is in any way interested, ano
thereby be more nearly the friend O
the patient. The physician in charge
should not be in any way interested IL
the care of the building or property, OF
in the purchase or providing of food
clothing, bedding, or in the business
management of the institution, save
only as such interests concern the wei
fare of the patient, and to this end ne
should be the critic of this part OF the
management, and should be vested with
ample power to right wrongs and cor
rect abuse when found to exist therein
AS the management now is, the appeal
is from the man in the capacity ol
Superintendent to the same In the
capacity of physician in charge.
Your committee would further recon-
mend separation of the management
of the hospital for medical and surgical
nurposes, situated in the Twelfth ward,
Of the city of Pittsburgh, from the
management of the hospital for the In
sane al Dixmont, believing that good
results would follow such separate and
distinct management.
THE MINORITY REPORT.
Representative Graham and Senator
McNeill submitted another report
which was RECEIVED and read in the
House at Harrisburg yesterday. 1t ]:
also quite lengthy. Two conclusions
are summarized as follows:
First-That all the specific charges
of maltreatment embraced in the charg
es formulated in the published inter
view of DR.. Charles SEWN, originating
in the Erie "Herald," and made thu
basis of the Legislative investigation
were clearly and conclusively found tt
be wholly false and without foundation
in fact.
Second-That the supplements
charges of cruelty testified to by severa
attendants were also found to be 81
biased and involved in contradiction
as to destroy their credibility in every
particular, and all this character Of ties
timony was fully and conclusively
contradicted by large preponderanc'
in number and unquestioned SUPERIOR
ty in character of witnesses contradict
ing and disapproving each.
Third-We find that DIR. j. A. Reed
the Superintendent and physician il
charge of Dixmont Hospital, is now IL
the full prime of his intellectual useful
ness, and that the condition and excel
lent discipline in the hospital at tn
present time is the best tribute to tn
efficiency and remarkable ability he ha
always displayed since assuming charg
of the institution, and that no test
mony was introduced at the sessions G
| the committee to impugr his capaclt
| and ability as an officer, physician O
philanthropist.