The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1889-05-29
" A WHITED SEPULCHER."
COOK counTvs INSANE ASYLUM.
A startling Statement Made br n Former
Member of the Medical staf-The
Attendants Are All Disreput-
able Ward Politicians.

CHICAGO, May 22.-ID the inquiry as to the
state of affairs at the Cook county insane asy-
lum to-day DR.. Clevenger, formerly member
of the medical staff there. testified that it was
impossible for reputable practitioner to stay
there. The most disreputable ones were the
ones 10 stay, because they devoted more time
TO intrigue. The disreputable ones practiced a
system of elimination of the better element by
either physical violence or other means. I'm
1885," said he, "the physicians who secured
bodies at the asylum for dissection told me that
the bodies were so covered with vermin that
they had to be scorehed before being put on
the dissecting table"
"0nce, in 1886, | heard screams. and, running
from my office, found two attendants stand
ing over patient named Hertzberg, who was
bleeding profusely. l knew there was no use
making any complaint, as the attendants were
supported by John Cummings influence on the
county board. Soon after they rebelled and
refused TO obey my orders. They seereted
bodies on which desired to hold post-mortem
examinations, and could not get them for two
or three days after they were buried.
II published a statement, and the following
night one Of the attendants called me a vile
name, and, few minutes later. shot was fired
down stairs, bullet crashed through the floor
and lodged in my book case"
Soon after this the doctor resigned.
What is the matter with the institution
nOw| was asked.
1T is under the influence of boodleism. 1t
is in a bad place, on unsalubrious ground.
There should be new buildings for male as
well as female patients No building should
have more than five hundred patients, because
il is impossible for one man 90 oversee more.
Then the county board should be knocked out,
and the asylum put into the hands OF state
commission
There has been repeated testimony that lice
abounded in the wards and Or. Roller an as
sistant physician, found maggots in the wounds
of neglected patients, in 1884. Bedbugs would
torture paints under their strait-iackets and
rats would mutilate the bodies of those who
had died unattended during the night. The at
PENDANTS were usually appointed by the COM
missioners for their fighting abilities at the
polls. in frauduleptly carrying elections, and
seemed 10 want to keen in practice at the ex-
pense of the insane. They often openly defied
the superintendent, and when threatened with
dismissal, reminded the official that he had not
sufficient political influence. The majority OF
the attendants being of this low character, the
efforts of those who were well disposed were
discouraged
"Brawls, drunkenness, oaths. slamming of
doors, incesSant alarms, Matchmaking, bluster,
pistol shooting, intrigues, immortality, stealing,
neglect OF duty on part Of subordinates exerted
a very depressing influence upon the decent
officials there. end caused them to waste much
of their energies in keeping out of rows.
There were stealings in the clothing in vari-
GUS ways, and even the rags and bones we're
sold for the benefit of the ones who had control
of such offal. The county boards financial re-
ports we're falsifed and confused in n variety of
ways: often the expression general expenses
would cover thousand dollars or more of I'M
accounted-for bills and at one time some $4,000
was included in lump in some such item, to
the perfect satisfaction of the commissioners.
ITO add to the turmoil, while the perfectly
new boilers were being destroyed in the engine
room to enable more stealings, and the patients
were suffering for want OF heat, the commits
sioners would interfere with the classification
of the insane by ordering violent cases, in
which they happened TO have an interest, to be
placed upon the wards assigned to quiet and
cOnvalescing patients, and otherwise interfere
with the proper treatment of the insane.
Everything was done to make an apparent
showing Of external cleanliness, but the white
washing and the flowers and the well-kept lawn
constituted the place bat q whited sepul-
cher -