St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-09-29
TWENTY ATROCITIES
Proved to Have Been Com
mitted in Rochester
Asylum,
But DR.. Bowers Is Freely EX-
onerated From All
Blame.
He, However, Deems It Ad-
viSable to Resign His
Post.
Drastic Recommendations for
the Hospitals Man
agement.

i'll the management of the asylum, but
stringent suggestions are made for the
regulation of attendants.
The report was formally presented to
the board of trustees, who assembled
yesterday morning in the executive
chambers at the capitol. There were
present: NJ. j. Daniels, of Rochester,
\. L. Sackett and W. SehimmeI,
OF st. Peter; IL. B. Strait, of ShakOpee;
j. f. Meagher, of MankatO; Burr Duel,
OF Dodge Center; A. BartO. of Sank
Center; Milton r. Tyler, of st. Paul.
Gov. Merriam was also present. The
report was first read. A resume of the
Taylor Combs murder was given at the
outset, but no comment made thereup-
on, DR.. Bowers statement that he acted
wrongly in at first Withholding Beck
mans and PeterSOn'S revolving deed,
| covering all that the committee could
bring out. The report then proceeded:
THE REPORT.
We find and report that the superintendent
ana physicians have, as q rule, endeavored
! TO faithfully perform their respective du-
| ties, with the exception that the Supeuntend-
| ent has not given, or caused to be given, to
! the attendants that thorough instruction in
| reference TO their duties in the care and man.
agement of patients, which, in our judgment.
| should have been given: and except further,
| that few cases of accidents happening to
! patients have come to the knowledge of the
| committee, which accidents would not have
! happened had there been taken all precau-
| tons which might have been taken to pre-
! vent the possibility of the happening of such
| accidents, and the further exceptions here
| after mentioned: That the supervisors and
| attendants have been grossly negligent in
! the matter OF reporting to the suDerintend-
| ent or any OF the assistant physicians. cases
OF ll-treatment of patients by the attend
ants. This neglect rises largely from the
| fact that there is. and has been, an I'M
| spoken agreement among the attendants
that none of them should make reports of
any wrongful acts committed by an aSSo-
eiate. The rules of the asylum require
! that i'll all cases of injury to or ill-treatment
| OF patient the attendant causing or having
| knowledge of any such injury or ill-treat-
! ment should forthwith report the same to
| the superintendent some one of the assistant
| physicians or supervisor. This rule has been
| more hOnored III the breach than III the Oh
servance. The immediate supervision of
! the attendants i'll the performance of
their daily duties in the care and
| management of patients has been entrusted
| to supervisor and his assistants, whose
! dutieS$have been TO be upon the wards as
| much OF the time as possible. observe the
| manner IN which the attendants perform
| their duties, correct such errors and irregu-
larities as might come TO his knowledge and
could be remedied by him, and to make re-
| port TO the superintendent CT any miscOn-
| duct or neglect of duty on the part of attend
| ants. IN addition 10 such duties, other la
| bors in connection with the care of the cloth
| ing of the patients were required of him. This
| supervising force was never sufficient Upon
the efficiency and integrity of the immediate
| supervising force the superintendent must
| necessarily largely depend for information
| in regard to the conduct of the attendants,
and the force must be in such numbers that
| frequent visits to each ward can be made;
the more frequent such visits the less Op-
! portunity for or the probability of the com
| mission or conceaiment by attendants of
| violations to the rule relating to treatment
| of patients Of the asylum. That the disci-
| pline OF the attendants has not been as re-
| strict as should have been enforced by the
attendants, and that there has not been that
| amount of immediate supervision by the
| supervisor as might have been performed by
| him. That there have been cases Of abuses
| and lnhuman treatment of patients by at
| teHdants. That the number of such cases of
| alleged Entertainment brought to the attention
| of and investigated by the committee was
| ninety, of which we find that twenty are sus-
| tanned by evidence. In the course of the in
vestigation that charge that at the asylum
| improper relations existed between the sexes
! was incidentally made. The committee in
| Vestigated such charges and find and report
that there is no foundation therefor.
| WHAT Is RECOMMENDED.
First-An increase in the number of assist
ant physicians and that one of the physi-
clans upon the woman side of the asylum be
a woman.
Second-An increase in the non medical
! supervising force. the duty OF such addi-
tional supervisors TO be that of constantly
patrOling the several wards, observing and
reporting the manner in which the several
attendants perform their respective duties,
to see that all rules OF the asylum are OBJ
served, to report any and all violations OF
any such rules to the superintendent or some
of his assistants, to keep record of his OBJ
servatiOn and reports and of every unusual
occurrenee-all such reports to be in writing
| rbfFl-fThp establishment ct the bQcnital
of a school of instruction in which instruc-
ton shall be given by the superintendent and
his assistants TO the attendants, relating TO
the duties of their positions.
Fourth-That no male persons less than
twenty-one and no female persons less than
eighteen years of age be employed as an at
tendant or as supervisor or assistant super
| visor.
Fifth--That a system of merit and demerit
marks be established for attendants.
| SiXth-Attendants to be divided into four
classes. Upon entering the service the at
tendant to be claSsed as an attendant of the
fourth class; at the end of three months
service, if no more than a. given number of
, dement, marks appear against him, he shall
| be promoted To the third class, and SO on at
like intervals and subject to the same con-
ditions- The second and frst-elass, upon
| each promotion. to receive the pay of the
! class to which promoted, which should be
larger than that of the class below. Also
| that whenever an attendant of the first class
|
his duties. the superintendent NAV, in his
discretion. increase his pay to such sum as
may have in such cases been determined by
the board of trustees.
Seventh-That all appointments to the
I position of assistant supervisor be made from
attendants of the first class.
Eighth-That no person can be employed
as an attendant until he shall have served III
that capacity for one month on trial. If at
the expiration of that time his work proves
satisfG Glory, he may be employed as attend
ant of the fourth class. II so employed at
the expiration of three months service from
the time of such appointment, he shall re
eeive for bis service during such trial months
the pay of the fourth class If at the expi
ration of such trial month his work proves
unsatisfactory, or if he elects not to enter the
employ of the asylum. then he shall receive
no compensation for the services rendered
Ninth-That an attendant of the first class
| who shall have served as an attendant in the
asylum for not less than one year, shall
| upon his honorable discharge from such
service, receive from the superintendent 6
certificate of his qualification as such attend
ant, and also of the terms of his service il
: the asylum.
Tenth-That the superintendent, or suct
of his assistants as may be designated by
him. shall promptly investigate all alleged
| violation of rules, and whenever an attend
ant is found guilty OF ill-treating a patien
such attendant be promptly discharged anC
forfeit all arrears of pay; the superintendent
to keep a record of all such investigations
? Eleventh-That in all cases where, by rea
son of ilttreatment of patient by attendant
the discharge of the latter is required, the
superintendent shall, before such discharge
= is actually made, notify the county attorney
| of the facts constituting the alleged ill-treat
: ment in order that such officer may, if he
deem necessary, institute legal proceeding:
| for the punishment of the offender for
| violation of the criminal law of the state.
Twelfth-That an attendant discharged fol
! the ill-treatment Of a patient shall not be re
} | employed in that capacity in any Hospital
: for the insane in this state, the superintend
, ! ents of each hospital to notify the other SD
: ! perintendents of any such discharge.
: For the protection of the hospital and it:
: officers and its employees, the committee rec
! ommend that a thorough physical exa1nina
{ ton be made of each patient upon its admis
, ! sion to the hospital, and that a record CT
such examination be made and kept.
The committee would further recommend
, that provisions be made at the asylum for the
, ! entire separation of the inebriate from the
| insane patient The influence of each class
! upon the other is not beneficial to either
That provision be also made for hospital
| for sick patients.