Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1883-08-15
NO CAUSE FOR ALARM.
Another Statement Concerning the
Weston Asylum.
What Some Of the Patients Have 10 Say
About the Treatment Receiyed-An
UncaIed.for Attack.


tcUigcaccr in two o. three articles from
some OF its correspondents makes some
very damaging charges against the officers
OF the West Virginia Hospital for the In
sane, charges which will undoubtedly
cause much alarm and uneasiness among
the friends Of patients here, and which, il
true, would warrant the people in demand.
ing that the present officers should at one,
be compelled to resign and give place TO
men who would do their duty faithfully
and cOnsCientiously, and in such manner as
to merit the hearty approval of all. But
before the present inCumhents are asked TO
resign it would he well 10 lind whether the
charges made are
True or False,
and il they are false, OF course there is not
The slightest reason for removing them.
The present officials would gladly have the
whole working of the institution carefully
inspected feeling confident that an inyes-
tgation would satisfy all parties concerned
and leave them without n bot on their
reputation,-in fact they would prefer TO
haye the matter thoroughly investigated
50 as 10 be able 10 clear themselves OF these
hasely unjust charges and restore the con-
fact that +Ln,- s,"ie-.'.-~.>- T. - ----
eyery liberty possible was Chcerfuliy grant
ed Them at all times. There is no force
used at any time by the order or with the
consent Of the. Superintendent or physi'
clans except where it is absolutely ncces'
sary for the good Of the patient himself 10
compel him to
obey His Attendants,
and, in such cases, several OF the attend
4 NhA
thew quietly and with as little injury TO
the patient az possible compel him 10 sub
nit. No patient has ever been seriously
injured by any attendent with the knowl.
edge or consent OF the officials, nor does II
seem probable that any patient has ever
heen So iniHrci, for those best situated TO
kroy think il impossible. There is no hall
here 50 bad that some OF the patients would
not be able to give correct report oil any
mistrpalment OF any OF the patients IN The
hall, and the attendant dare not brea the
rules of the institution when he knows
that immediate discharge would be the con-
sequence. The great majority in fact near
ly ell Of the attendants are young persons
OF sufficient strength TO control their halls
without difficulty. and they are always OF
Good Charncter.
or at least so considered. They are always
kind except when force is absolutely nee
essary for the safety Of the hall ana the
good of the patient himself. There Is no
hail where the quieter and least insane
ratients would resist the attendant or sui
Ter him 10 be injured by tbe Dther patients
None except the wOrN; cases complain oi
mistreatment, aud many OF them speak IN
terms Of highest BraIse, the pra,s" usually
Increasing lust a. III" patients mental CON
dition improves The attendants oil have
large circle OF warm friends among the
pa,ients. and in the better halls there Is
,carcely patient who would not resent
any unkind treatment OF his attendants.
The doctors are just ms kind as the attend
ants aud the patients seldom dislike them.
Many ofihe Patients
here are angry because OF their conine'
mtn;, and complain bitterly OF this; but
after nearly months intimate scGuaint'
auce with the officers, patients and attend.
ants, the writer has never heard any one
COMPLAIN Of mistreatment except in the
case mentioned above. There Is but one
male hall that has not been visited by the
writer and the most OF them have been
visited repeatedly, and there has never
been a case where the patients have been
mistreated, so far as he is able 10 judge OF
the matter The charges made by the In
,elliPencer seem TO have been made Tor
political purposes. The reader will proba-
bly remember that the State University
IVES attacked, and the plan OF the writer
seems 10 be 10 attack all OF the state in
stitu.iens, and, il possible, 70
Preindiee the Mfnds
OF the unsuspecting against the present
Marty in ooyer, and in this way 70 work In
fnyor OF the other party. An honoraoie
desire for the success of ones own party
IS Isudable, but when this desire becomes
so great as 10 lead men TO the excess OF
making deliberate misstatements, or al east
of making statements likely 10 create false
impressions and cause unnecessary un'
pesiress aad alarm among the friends oil the
unfortunate persons confined here. II mas
exceeded the limits Of propriety and
,bouId be suppressed. This communica.
| ton seems to have no object except party
| gains 5y preiudieing the people against
! those row in power, and Ii seems TO be
! utterly Indifferent TO the
HseiiuEs OF the HFteDds
| Of those vEo are so unfortunate As 10 nave
! ia be confined here on account oil the statt
| of their mind. The chief object OF thii
pTese Mt Communication 10 to reassure al
| Who have friends here, not by misstate
nsnts, but by iDdisputsble fscts-!acts o
| which any one may satisfy himself by TAX
, ing tie trouble TO come and see Tor himseti
| Is IL not unreasonable 70 suppose that III
| party IN power Nobio hLoS i.sei " y
| beaten by the mismsasgemsntof any pub
| lie institution, muzh less Of this ons II
which so many are interested, and whsr
sn7 abuse would call forth such vioiso
aud widespread
storm OF InA1gatteB,
srd shat too Of the most enduring ohsrs:
ter Who would forget or forgive sn In
Jury 10 an insane fpiend' All the phys
cisns sre known to be perfect genuemen
and there is not one among them IN,
could be induced 10 wink at any mistfea,
IHent 81 the patients be any one; IneIe
q patient here who says, snni srsI ;os ~"
tiisr tie days spent here as the hapPies
T 5: iefst among the bsppiesi days Of m
iiie. have never been nii.trested IN an
nv nv ,r5 bsve rtyer heen punished as .
veieIy .. d'ssrrsd; fog was perl perfect e..
shln 10 cI,nirol n,ysef snd kneE very We
the ir.pro, i.e,y Of uy eordre1 ,,,,.