Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1891-12-18
FRIDAY MORNING, DEC. is. 1891.

FRIDAY MORNING, DEC. Is. 1891.
THE KOINER BILL FOR WOMEN
PHYSICIANS TO ATTEND FEMALE
INSANE.
We give elsewhere this morning, expires
sions of opinion from the three metropoli-
tan newspapers Of Virginia upon the mer-
its of the Koiner bill requiring at least one
female physician in every State Insanse Asy-
lum where there are insane women treated
The favorable opinions they express are
backed by arguments. Almost every day a
petition is handed in to the legislature
signed by hundreds of men and women repre-
senting the highest intelligence in the State
praying for the passage OF the bill. But
we do not propose to rest the merits Of
this reform exclusively on the opinions of
an intelligent press and the petitions of the
people; we propose to it rest on the actual
experience where it has been tried. About
two years ago, letters were addressed by the
Woman7s Industrial Union to Superinten-
dents of asylums for the insane where the
reform had been tried. A bill, similar to
the Koiner bill, and which became a law,
had just been introduced in the New York
legislature, and it was important to have
facts ascertained by experience in other
States, to back it. Not single answer
was unfavorable. We give few of those
which especiic reasons for the favorable
opinions they express:
''The ability of woman to practice medicine
skillfully has already been abundantly
proved, and. in speaking for our State. 1 may
say, that since she has entered the dominion
of medical science in hospitals for the insane
her peculiar fitness for the work of this
branch of her chosen profession is not only
apparent to her friends, but also to those who
have been skeptical OF her qualifications.
There are now about twenty women physi-
clans in the several institutions for the insane
throughout the United States and they who
have watched the success of this movement
cannot doubt that it is destined to become
universal. trust that success may attend
your labors in New York, where so much has
been done in all that pertains to good works"
r.. Il. Chase, N. D., Resident Physician State
Hopitat for tie Insane, Norristoacn, Pc.
after five years experience l am able to
say that approve of the appointment of
women physicians in Lunatic Hospitals. The
right sort of woman can do work which
would not be done without her. In this Hos
pital the female assistant does her share OF
the general work of the Hospital, taking reg
ular charge of a portion of the female patti
ents, assisting in the dispensary work, keel
ing OF records, in chapel exercises, and is eX-
pected to make herself generally useful. p
Il. b. Njms Superintendent northampton ILL.,
matte Hospital, Northa npton, N0ss.
''The Danvers Lunatic Hospital was open
ed for the reception of patients in May, 1873.
On the 10Th of June, 1879, the Trustees cleo
ted Dir. Julia K. Carey Assistant Physician,
position she has continued to fill. The pol
icy of appointing female physician on the
medical staff of the Hospital voluntarily
adopted by the Danvers Trustees, was highly
approved by public opinion and on the 9th
of March, 1884, the State Legislature passed
the following act, viz: IN each Of the State
Iunatic Hospitals, from and after the first
day of January in the year eighteen hundred
and eighty-five, an educated female physician
shall be appointed Assistant Physician.
Every one will appreciate in advance that the
p ,sition is one which requires good sense, del
icacy AMI tact, Oh the part of the appointee
Tie right woman in this position can sensibly
Tighten the duties and responsibilities of the
Superintendent in certain ways. She can also
contribute not little in gaining fer the man
agement, the confidence OF friends of female
patients. as we'll as the general public.
shonld certiinly continue the present policy
law or no law. "-Ci@rIcs ". PeJe " D., ST.
9,srtnteed9m Burners Lqsnetic Hospitol, lMltssa-
ctusatts.
'In 1885,, l became Superintendent of our
State Hospital for the Insane. | soon dis
covered that among the six hundred female
patients, there were many cases requiring
special treatment and that they were not
treated, because the physician could not get
the consent of the insane woman, to submit to
examination. = = :: | therefore aDpoin-
ted a woman to the place, against the advice
of the Trustees and my medical friends. l
have never regretted the act, as it gave the ut
most satisfaction to the patients as we'll as
doing unbounded good to the whole institu-
ton. There is still woman at the head Of
the department for women, and public senti-
ment will forever demand it. i = = X Ten
years from now predict that each State will
have an Hospital for insane women, separate
and distinct from the Hospitals for men. and
that Hospital Will have woman for Super
intendent and female physicians to attend it. -
DR.. ". d. Fletcher, Indiana Santar5,ta, In
d5GnGp0tts.
"Much good has been accomplished by the
presence of ladies on the Boards, as we'll as
by having female physicians in the Hospitals,
in slencing in great measure the criticisms
untruthfully made, thai the female inmates
of institutions not 50 governed, and sup
piled, do not have the privilege Of converse,
with individuals Of their own sex, above the
rank of attendants, and think that the lady
Trustees are very highly appreciated by their
associates. "a. II. Noulton, Inspector State
Board Of Luaacy md Charity, Boston, Mass.
'At times have regretted not having an
intelligent lady, to take charge of the female
insane of this Institution, in certain physical
diseases, and physiological conditions. -
S. Dorset Dr. d., Superintendent iState Les,aat5c
Asylum, austin, 7ec@a.
1.-The success Of the female physician at
Norristown, Pa, has been wonderful Let
lhe teli ou, tilae up W tlle udy tildI d. Alice
Bennett took charge of the women, in this
Hospital. those diseases peculiar to women,
so productive Of suffering and wretehedness,
were never treated at all, in any Hospital, in
any State of the Union. Dir. Bennett has
found on several occasions that as the physi=
cal disease was removed, the mental decisions
vanished. ''-HirGm Cor3on, NJ D., Pennsyl,
gGaia.
Extract from letter received from the Hon.
W. P. Letchworth, ex President New York
State Board of Charities
1T appears to me to be eminently proper,
if not necessary to the well-being and protec-
ton Of insane women, that at least one woman
nhVScian should belong to the medical sta Il