The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1891-03-11

lican members OF The committee, In
minority report say;
We. the minority OF the specihl committee
appointed by tile house aud senate of the
fitty-seventh regular session OF the general
assembly OF Indiana. have complied with the
object OF our appointment a. best we could in
the limited time We have had 10 devote to the
work aud beg leave 60 make the following re-
port;
We. with other members Of the committee,
visited said hospital situated near the city OF
chmond made casual inspection OF the
wards and apartments thereof; found the same
Ia fair condition. Tho patients were neatly
clothed, appeared 20 be we'll fed aud
comfortable. We made thorough In.
vestigaton OF the general manage.
ment OF the entire institution, aud would
frankly report that 30 far as the work OF the
board OF trustees IL concerned, perhaps not.
and we hope not, Intentionally. but for want oil
practical knowledge aud experience. they have
not conducted aud managed the same Hn,isfao-
tory 10 MS aud 10 the best Interests OF the in
sututon ana OF the state.
Criticising the board OF trustees for APP
pointing Or. Wells, the minority report
continues;
At their fret meeting held Immediately after
the governor issued their commissions. the
trustees did appoint one DIR. Edward f. Wells,
who had not prior TO said appointment. had
Gny experience whatever in hospital man.
aVement. nor was he skilled by ed
uonlion or experience In the care OF the insane
and their Diseases. They went to work ia an
unbusin-ss-llke manner ana without system to
prepare aud open up the institution for the re-
ceptiOn Of inmates; and we further find that In
five months time, two months OF which they
had not n singe patient, they paid out the
enormous sum OF SSi,S2ll5, The said amount
being within few hUadred dollars OF the en-
tire amount appropriated for the annual
maintenance fund.
We further md that George w. Koontz, a
member oil the board has violated sec. OF the
above mentioned act. Ia that he has received
the sum OF slf0 from contractor for services
performed on the contract OF one Janes Mad.
den Tor putting supply pipes In aud around
said institution. We further Ind that said
Koontz has allowed himself to remain ut said
hospital goodly part of the time since he was
elected a member OF said board, not only board.
ing of the state but interfering With the dis
ciplne and management oil the institution.
We further find that the board OF trustees
have, IN violation OF law, iuterlered with the
appointments of subordinates, especially the
assistant physicians, aud that SAID assistants,
appointed at their suggestion. have been, IN
part, Iaen withOu any practical knowledge
Whatever OF the general practice OF medicine,
10 say nothing OF their lack OF experience in
the care and treatment OF the insane all OF
which we do most emphatcally condemn.
We have investigated the case OF the death of
Mr.. Blount and report that We attach no
blame to DIR. Wells, no lar as the actual occur
renee is concerned, but we do find that Blount
had made com plant 20 him OF bad treatment,
aud that he, the superintendent, did not give
the subject sufficient attention ia his first In
yestiRation. lie knew that an assault or an
accident had to do with the death of said
Blouni, but he did not call the coro-
ner, IA the nature OF the case would
dem and. lie knew The patient was injured,
and one or more OF his ribs fractured, but dId
not make a thorough examination, and he
made no report OF the oircum lance TO the
board o. trustees until the affidavit was made
by Justice Harmon, an eyewitness to the en-
tire assault OF Woods on the said BlOunL
The minority report concludes by de-
mandiRg change OF management.