The Indianapolis journal., 1885-01-23
The Treatment of Insane Patients.

To the Editor of the Indianapolis Journals
At various times complaints have been made
by discharged patients against the present man
agement of the Insane Hospital at Indianapolis
and rumors have been afoat of the rough treat
ment which patients at times receive Mr.
Jacob Yeager, who was taken to the hospital for
the insane on tho 18th of June last from this
county, and who returned about three or four
weeks ago, gives an account of his treatment
while there, which is entitled to consideration
Mr. Yeager is about thirty five years old, and no
indication of his past malady can be noticed in
his conversation. He gave minute description
of the hospital and its surroundings, and the
names of several other patients who were
mistreated while he was there, so that to say
that the story is merely that of crazy man,
and entitled to no consideration, is not an an
Bwer to the charges which he makes. Concern
ing the treatment which he received he says:
''I was taken to the hospital on the 18th Of
last June, and was there about six months.
When first went there and went into the room,
they never asked me to sit down. and stepped
over to the window, and was looking out, when
a large man by the name of Sulman grabbed
hold Of me- and threw me away from the win
dow. lie then threw me down on the floor, and
kicked me three or four times in the side He
hurt me so was unable to sleep any for several
nights. He gave me one two foggings after
that and at one of these times kicked me in the
stomach. The place where he kicked me in the
SIDE hurts me yet whenever do any hard work.
A man by the name of Sulman, tall, strong
man, and another smaller man named Mad
ison seemed to do all this kind of work There
were several others who were treated just
Rs bad as was They gavo man named john
son 8 f1ogging one day. and a little fellow they
called Mike they gave severe beating not long
after that They threw a fellow named Philip
Biain down one day and stamped him with their
feet, and then used the strap on him, and one
lick hit him in the face and cut deep cash.
Another little fellow named Bob. Smith, was
given severe beating I could sometimes hear
patients IN the other wards screaming when they
would be whipping them. They never told me
what they were whipping me for, and never
enough except this rough treatment l received.
1t is q shame the way they treat some of the pa
tents, and thing they ought to have change
made so that it would be stopped"
Such is the simple story told by one who does
not speak from whathe has heard but who speaks
from actual experience, and anyone who reads it
will be surprised to know that such treatment is
permitted. The present superintendent of the In
sane Hospital took charge of the institution with
great eclat Newspaper men and preachers were
invited ont to the hospital to witness the incin
Grafton of cribs and all the means of restraint
that had been used when deemed necessary, by
former superintendents. These opening demon
strations gave notice that cruelty had been prac
ticed in the management of the inmates, but
that new era had dawned during which all
measures of restraint and correction would be of
the emildest sort. We have heard the admins
tration of the affairs of the Asy
lum for the Insane, under Evarts
and Rogers, well spoken of by those
in this locality who had friends in the place,
and we confess to no little surprise when such q
complaint as the above is made under the ad-
mnistration of man who made such great pre-
tentions when he assumed control.
Every county in the State perhaps is repre-
sented in the patients of the hospital and if they
are even occasionally treated as grossly as this
man seems to have been, the people should
know it Superintendent Fletcher has publicly
declared that he would reform the management
Ef the insane and has secured no little amount
of aotoriety because of his SNOWY beginning
Let the matter he investigated and let the su-
perirten be held to an accountability which
shall be relative to his pretensions.
PRtNoEToN Ind, Jan. Ia.