The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1884-02-14

the mugs filled to the brlm with the strong
est preparation Of aconite in the Asylum
the yield Of the alkaloid could not have
been as much as .543 of grain.
But it is useless to follow the vagaries
Of the Committee through this part of it's
report. The analysis was right or wrong
and must either be accepted as a whole OF
rejected IN toto. Either DR.. Mallet was
not competent for the work he undertook
or the Committee doesn t know what it is
talking about. An intelligent public will
not have much hesitation in deciding be-
tween the two.
But the true animus of the report is re-
vealed in the statement that Whether
the poisoning Of these unfortunates was
done by parties in or outside Of the Asy-
lum, by accident or design, the response
bility justly rests upon the officials placed
over them, whose duty it was to see to
their comfort, safety and welfare" Here
is the bold declaration that no matter what
the facts might demonstrate, the Commit
tee had determined that the blame should
rest upon the officers of the Asylum. That
the poisoning could not have resulted from
accident was as clearly established as a
proposition could be. The evidence showed
that the fatal doses were administered in
tonics that these tonics were prepared in
the dispensary in large quantities that at
the some time and from the same bottles were
poured not only the doses afterwards pois-
oned, but forty or fifty similar doses which
were taken by as many patients the same
morning with no unusual effect that the
contents of these bottles were analysed by
DR.. Mallet and showed no trace of aconi-
tine; that the dispenser could not, by
any accident, have added the aconite, as
the only bottles containing the prepare
tions Of that drug were in closed case be-
hind another row of bottles, and in the
rear of him as he stood at the prescription
counter, whilst the bottles from which he
poured the doses were in front of him
and finally, as stated before, that the mugs
filed to the br,in, with the strongest prepa-
ration of aconite in the dispensary could
not have yielded the quantity Of the aka
loid found in the contents of the stomach
of one of the patients. In fact, the evil
dence not only exonerated the dispenser
from every shadow of suspicion, but proved
that by reason of his unusual carefulness
and competency, he was peculiarly well
qualified to discharge the duties of the po-
sition. Farther than this, it was conclu-
sively shown that more precautions were
used about the dispensary and premises
generally, under the present administra-
ton than had ever before been exercised.
The medical Office had been thoroughly
renovated the open table in the hall upon
which the medicines, after preparation,
had been placed for years, had been sub
Stituted by closed safe; stricter regula-
tions had been enforced in regard to the
admittance of strangers. and a more
thorough discipline inaugurated in every
department of the Asylum. Every pre-
caution that the experience of his prede-
cessors could suggest had been adopted by
the present Superintendent, and besides adj
ditional safeguards were thrown around
the Institution. What more could human
foresight have done ? AS well insist that
every patient should be provided with q
suit Of mail, and thus be prepared for the
attack Of a possible assassin, as to contend
that the management should have antic-
ipated such a diabolical deed as this pois-
oning and made provision against it.
The Committee was forced to admit that
the Asylum was in admirable condition and
that the patients were as comfortably pro-
as could be, but it makes no men
ton of the many improvements made; of
the fact that the Asylum is accommodating
more unfortunates now than at any period
Of it's history that the appointments about
the buildings and premises are more COM
plete than ever before, and that the gen
eral condition and discipline are ''rdther bet
ter" now than within the experience of q
trusted attendant who had been there for
fifteen years. All Of this and more was
evidenced to the Committee, but in it's
anxiety to express its ''regret(?)'' at the
''partizan spirit which pervaded the entire
it doubtless overlooked
them in making up its report.
And finally, for we have already occupied
more space than we intended, in regard to
this regret" Those whoare unacqIainted
with the truly conservative and deeply
nature of the distinguished
chairman of the Committee, cannot meas
ure the depth Of sincerity contained in
that one little word. tits volume in two
,yllables. 1t tells tale of protracted suf
fering !; of agony long drawn out. For
nearly two days the Committee, and the
chairman especially, were trying, and the
lull spectators thought vainly trying, to
establish the very thing it so deeply re-
yretted. With more than Spartan heroism
It was performing it's duty to its party,
whilst all the while the wolf was gnawing
1t it's vitals. So successfully did it con-
zeal it's feelings that the public was COM
)letely deceived. Those who were present
that the regret came in where
he effort to prove partizanism and polit-
cal assessments was buried under the
evidence Of the Committed own witness,
whilst from the report we are forced to
,elieve that that failure was a source of
oy. So determined, however, was the
to make martyrs of it's major
ty that it seems to have entirely disre-
,arded the testimony on the political phase
# the case. BY it's own witness it was
'roven that so far from there having been
assessments" made on the officers and |
Employees, as the Committees report |
would indicate, DIR. Hamilton took partic-
liar pains to make it known that no one
ICED contribute unless he so elected
There were employees who did not con-
ribute and some who were not asked. |
again, it was testified that but one single |
mployee had been discharged on account |
f politics, and he not wholly for that |
eason.. 1t was also proven that Demo-
rats were yet in the employ of the Insti-
ution, and that the political complexion
f the household was not more pronounced
7 Readiuster now than it had been Demo-
ratio under the former administration.
There was lever an investigation more
arren Of results, and never a report made
hat more completely disregarded the evil
ence for partizan purposes. If this is