Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-08-23
auavf4 1889.


beat A few days ago called to see Mrs.
G., OF Augusta county, who had re-
Gently been discharged nom the Western
Lunatic Asylum. She Is the wife ofa Dem
ocrat. She told me she had been pulled out
OF bed by an attendant by one leg and arm
and thrown into the hall. She was badly
hurt and was put TO bed This same expert
was her physician. She told him what had
happened. She was reported case OF rheu-
mafIsm and so treated for six weeks. Her
husband visited her and called the superin-
tendent's attention TO the case, aud IL was
found the hip Joint was dislocated and the
limb shortened some four Inches. An effort
was made TO reduce IL, but 1t failed. and she
cannot walk step. WITNESS.
A representative Of this paper took
this communication to the authorities
Of the Western Lunatic Asylum and
asked if they had any facts to give in
contradiction. lie was answered that
the record Of the asylum itself, as kept
by former authorities, including the Co.
alition physicians who were there, fur
nished the answer. The following
statement is made up Of entries from
the records Of the asylum, and our
representative, after reading them, veri-
fed their existence by an examination
Of the records themselves
Witness" says he will give 1" facts"
to show how the unfortunate insane
have suffered by the superannuGted
experts" who were relnstated by the
Democrats in April, 1884.
So-called Fact " No. / {: The death
of Mrs. E on June %, 1872, was
caused by dose Of fluid extract Of
conium, administered by the same as
sistant physician in the female depart
ment, who was reappointed in April,
1884. In proof Of it witness quotes
the records.
But the records show that the guam
tity Of fluid extract of conium taken
by Mrs. E on the day Of her
death was prescribed by DR.. ISribling.
The prescription is entered in the pre-
scription-book in has oWn handwriting.
Witness " says that three drachms
OF the extract given was "a poisonous
dose" But the very same page of the
record from which he quotes shows
that two and a half drachms of it were
taken on the day Mrs. E died
by boy fifteen years old, and that it
produced no effect on him. And it
may be accepted as certain fact that
DR.. Stribling knew what was a poison
Gus dose of conium.
So-called Fact" No. 2: Mrs.
rs death on May Is, 1882, oc-
CURED in the hands of this same assist
ant physician " from dose of one fourth
grain morphia and one eighth grain of
hyOsciamia.
The dangerous ingredient in this dose
was the hyosciamia. 1t kills quickly,
lift kills at all. But the record shows
that a week before her death Mrs.
T, while in an excited state, had
taken one third of a'grain Of hyosciamia
for two successive nights without any
effect. And she was still highly ex-
cited when she took the one eighth of
a grain. Mrs. r took on the 18th
Of May, with impunity, precisely the
same dose that is said to have killed
her on the 10th.
"Witness says that Superintendent
Robert Hamilton Saw the effects of the
first dose and " advised =" its discOntin-
uance. But Mrs. T was his pa
tient-the records show shat she had
been admitted subsequently to his cleo
ton as superintendent, and he ought to
have ordered a discOntinuance Of what
he "saw was dangerous prescrip-
ton.
Witness" insinudfes that Mrs.
T died from a fatal dose ofmedicine.
But the following item is entered up
on the official records of the asylum,
in the handwriting of the Coalition ply
stefan who kept those records: "MrS.
T died May lG, 1885. Cause cS her
death. puerperai mania"
SO-called Fact" No. 3: Wit
ness insinuafes that Mrs. G
was crippled by rough treatment after
the present medical officers were re-
appointed on April Is, 1884 and then
he states positively that " she was re-
ported a case Of rheumatism, and so
treated for six weeks"
But the records, in the handwriting
of the same Coalition physician, show
that she was treated for rheumatism
three months before the Democratic
physicians were reinstated. and that
after their reinstatement neither rheu-
matism nor any remedy for it is alluded
to at all in connection with Mrs.
C---'s case.
The following aiiidavits and certif-
cate are appended to the above state
ment:
This day personally appeared before me,
notary public for the city OF stanton NJ.
A. Stanly, &. ID. Bear, Lizzie Martin h. j.
Silling, and Jennie Brown, employees Of
the Western Lunatic Asylum, and made
oath TO the following statements, to which
their names are subscribed
Given under my hand this 18th OF Au-
gust, les5. {. j. ARMISTEAD y. i.
We were in constant attendance upon
Mrs. ]. II. C during her stay in the
Western Lunatic Asylum-from November
=. 6S3. to April IS, 1854. She was lame
and confined 10 her bed before April. 1854.
MARIA A. STANLY, Supervisor
CARRIE BEAR, Attendant:
LIZZIE MARTIN, Attendant
We had charge Of Mrs. J. IL. G from
April -. 1854. TO May II. 1885, and her
lameness was no greater at any time be- |
tween those dates thanit had been on April !
10, 1854. CARRTE BEAR, Attendant. |
LIZZIE MARTIN, Attendant
We had charge OF Mrs. J. II. C from |
Nav 81, 1855. To the day OF her leaving the |
asylum, June %, 1855, and her lameness |
was no greater at any time between those |
dates than 10 was on May 81. 1885.
Il. j. SILLISG. Attendant.
JENNIE BROWN, Attendant.
TO An Whom II UdV Coscan:
This is TO state that my wife who was
patient a. the Western Lunatic Asylum du- |
ring the year 1854, was an invalid and I'M |
able 10 walk at the time OF the change OF |
physicians at the said institution-viZ, on |
the 18th Of April. 1854.
August IL. 1885. JAMES II. G.
The gentleman, j. II. c., who makes |
the affidavit above, and whose initials |
only are given, is one of the best-known |
and most respected citizens of AupuSta |