The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1884-03-01

HEfH N
The Anchorage (%insane) asylum Of Ken,
tucy Is being investigated with IN evident
determination to got at tho truth. There
arc very full reports In The Louisville
Courier Journal, from which We gather
soms valuable information concerning one
way 10 mismansge a State insane asylum.
At the Anchorage Asylum the attendants
got drunk, which is not generally held TO
conduce 10 the efficiency Of an attendant.
Patients were ducked to make them
anenablo to discipline. Sometimes they
were ducked for one delinquency, some.
times for another. An attendant testified
that with the help Of one female patient
she ducked another, who had refused to
work. Then there was IA delicate aud zen.
sitve little lady ducked for running away.
Miss Mollie Gale daughter Of the physi.
clan in charst] took her out and tucked
her. I heard her pleading piteously not to
be ducked, but she was ducked, neverthe.
lees. Alter this she was very melancholy"
It is q wonder that the sensitive little
lady" was not q raying maniac alter this.
The ducking treatment was by order Of the
physician in charge, Dr.. Gale.
They had also towel baths as part Of the
ditciplint--" administered, according to
the same witness, "by tying the patients
hands and throwing her down on the floor,
a bucket Of water and a roller towel were
procured, and the wet towel WIS placed
over tho patients mouth and face" The
can't, witness thought the new wire cribs
not 80 good as the old cribs, because they
are smaller, the mattress takes up too
much space, and the patient has not room
to turn" Any crib ia an instrument Of
torture Of indescribsble inhunanity. Duck
ing is on a par with the crib, thumb.acrews
a1d the rack. It ought to be punished
with the halter.
The Commissioners equivalent to D.rec.
tors in Yves. Virginia) knew nothing abou.
the treatment Of patients. Overdoses Of
medicines were not uncommon. A sudden
death was not made the sutjsct Of special
investigation. OF course the grounds were
kept in good order, and the white. washing
showed the perfection Of the art. Nonew
washing machines or patent cookery
books are reported. Dr.. Gale, the man
who was placed oucr six hundred unfor.
~tunatcs, had no previous trimming to fit him
for his work. 1t was a sort Of family affair,
Dr.. Gales daughter being the matrou.
There wss a continual disagreement among
physicians aud attendants.
The Courier Journal, editorially, de-
nounces the management; declares that
"Dr. Gale has failed 10 understand the
duties and responsibilities Of his position"
and very properly holds him responsible
for all that happened under him. The
Cotrier-Journal adds very forcibly:
Something moro than the good namo OF Dr..
Gale IL involved in this investigation; soms-
thing more even than the good name OF the
State, aud that Is the comfort and the vel.
faro Of si1 hundred fellow creatures. Their
'situa;ion must appeal strongly 10 every man.
The condition in which they are placed de.
MAIDS that they be protected from Ignorance
and brutality. This means an entire 1e-o,-
ganizltion OF the Institution.
Fortunately for the poor creatures in
the asylum the Democratic majority in
Kentucky is go large that Democratic
leaders and newspapers do not hesitate to
speak againat Encouragement and in be.
half Of tho helpless.