Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1892-01-22
4 MARKED DIFFERENCE OF
OPINION.


Our Lynchburg mail Monday, brought
us a most striking contrast between the
opinion of an editor who doesn t know what
he is writing about and the opinion of a
Director who does know. One is an extract
from the Lynchburg Tirgimian, the editor
OF which probably never saw woman ply
STEFAN in OF out of an insane asylum, and
is as follows:
Notwithstanding the overwhelming MAORI
ty by Which the bill authorizing the employ
ment of female physicians at the lunatic asY-
lums OF the State was passed by the House OF
Delegates, it seems to be understood at the
Capitol that the Senate will kill it as dead
as door-nail." This is as it should be. We
have no female physicians in Virginia and
the enactment of the law would result, as like
as not, i'll the importation of lot of short
haired female ''cranks' from the North
whose soundness of mind in some respects
would be as questionable as the patients in
their charge. The passage of such an act
would be, in one view of the case, reflection
upon the medical profession OF the State,
which deservedly occupies too high place in
public esteem to be thus needlessly discred-
tied.
The other is from the Lynchburg Nevs
Of the same day. which gives the opinion OF
Mr.. n. z. Manson a member of the Board
of Directors Of the W. L. Asylum at
Staunton. which has had woman physic-
ian on its medical staff for nearly two years,
and who has had opportunity to both see
and know what advantage woman
physician is to the female ward of an ILL
sane asylum. Mr.. Manson had just re-
turned from attending meeting Of the
Board at Stanton
The Board of Visitors of the Western
Lunatic Asylum at Staunton, held meeting
at that place Thursday, and in addition to
routine business, inspected the additions that
have recently been made to the accOmmoda-
lions. These consist of two fine and we'll
equipped buildings, with capacity OF one
hundred patients each; one of them has al
ready been furnished, and as soon as the pres
ent legislature makes the necessary apprOpri-
alton for its maintenance, it Will be thrown
open for patients. A resolution offered by
Mr.. Manson, of this city, was adopted. reduce
ing the price OF board &c, to S15 per month
for pay patients, instead of S22 80, as hereto
would cover the expense, and as it was not
desirable that the State should receive reve-
nue. from such source, it was reduced to the
actual expense incurred in maintaining the
afflicted residents. Mr.. Manson IS in hearty
accord with the sentiments of the Till recently
passed in the lower house OF the legislature,
providing for the employment of female ply
sicians in the female wards, and says they
already have it in successful operation in the
institution at Stanton.
The Senate may kill ''as dead as door
nail'' reform in the interest of decency,
humanity, and the health of helpless insane
women now in the hands of male physic-
ians, which the House passed by an over
whelming majority. 1t may do SO, but If
it does, the bill will reappear year after year
until it is a law, and until those preJudiced
men who now oppose it have been RELOCATED
to the shades Of private life and forgotten.
No reform in the interest Of helpless wo-
men ever died in old Virginia for lack ct
men to support it. The men Of Virginia
in this fight are enlisted for the war, and
prejudice and self interest will have to go
to the rear in the end. however near OF far
that end may be.