The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-12-26
CARE OF THE INSANE.

The care of the insane of every state
ought to be committed to q state COM
mission composed of physicians of the
first class, and including an able lawyer
and an efficient man of business. The
commission should be nominated by the
governor and confirmed by the legislature,
and should be selected without reference
to politics. A Judge or lawyer who sum-
mons expert medical testimony does not
consider the political faith of the witness
but solely his repute for professional and
scientific knowledge, and the state COM
mission of lunacy in every state should be
a non-political body. The superintend-
emit of the state hospital for the in
sane should be nominated by the governor
and confirmed by the legislature and
should not be subject to removal during
his term of office except by impeachment
of his administration before the state
commission of lunacy, who should be
obliged by the law TO visit the asylum at
least once. in three months, and should be
required to make such visits without di-
rect or indirect notice of their coming TO
the superintendent, and the commission
or any member of it should be authorized
TO visit the asylum without announcement
at any and all times.
The care of the state insane should be as
absolutely free from purely political iniiu-
ence as the board of management of a
bank. The desirable thing for the state
il 10 secure permanent. not transient
service OF an able aiienist as superintendent
of the public insane. He should be abso-
lutely secure from removal or any process
Of political freezing out" of office except
on proof of maladministration of his pro-
fessional duties presented before the state
commission of lunacy sitting as a board OF
impeachment. No able and honorable
medical man could afford TO accept the
place of superintendent upon any condi-
lions that would imply the right of the
governor TO remove him to make room for
a political friend. The duties of the posi-
ton are important, responsible and deli
cate in their nature. and a superintendent
should be subject 10 removal only for pro-
fessional. non-political reasons, and
should be tried before his peers of the state
IL. =
we have said. should be strictly non
partisan.
The most conspicuous instances of
cruelty or negligence in the conduct of
public hospitals for the insane have taken
place under Democratic party rule, where
there is the groSsest kind or political in
teriereuce in the matter of removal and
appointment of the superintendent and
the nomination OF his attendants. It is
bad enough tn make football Of the
ordinary business interests Of the pcople
in order 10 reward political! friends and
! punish political foes. but the care Of the
! s,ste insane ouCht 10 b. absolutely secure
/ from any interference except upon charges
! OF Inai-ad,uinistratlOn, regularly preferred
/ and fairly tried before . state commits
Sion Of lunacy organized upon 8 nom
| partisan basis. The medical men
should Sit upon the board solely on
! the strength Of their reputation for
high professional and private character;
( the lawyer should he selected because heis
sound lawyer and an upright mau, sep
| arated from his political Consequence. ana
/ the representative of practical business al
fairs should he judged by the same high
standard. Only in this way can the wards
% the state be sure + humane, intelligen:
and upright care. Only IN this way can
able. self-Tespecilng nedica! lien he peg