The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1893-03-24
TENNEssER's CHARITIES.
Report of the Committee on the
Eleemosynary Institutions
of the State.

which was read Dy the clerk.
The report states that the COM
mittee found the school for the
deaf and dumb at Knoxville in ex-
cellent condition. They advise an
increase in the number and eff
cheney of the trades taught. The
teachers were found to be kind and
efficient. An appropriation for the
white gymnasium was recon-
mended.
The Eastern Hospital for the In
sane was found 10 be in excellent
condition. The only complaint is
that too much extravaganza is IN
dulged In in the administration OF
the hospital.
We reached the Western HOspit-
al near Bolivar on Feb'y. 20. and
spent that evening and The two
following days in the investigation
of this institution. There are 319
patients here. As at the Eastern
Hospital, we carefully and thor
oughly inspected the building and
all the departments. This Institu-
ton is in charge of Dr..J. Z. Doug
las. Here, too, we found the pa
tients well fed, we'll clothed and
wei treated everyway. At this in
sttution it appears that more amuse>
ments are provided for the patients
than at either of the Others and
with good results. They have a
good amusement hall in which the
patients have some kind of diver
sion at least once each week, and
we think that this contributes per-
haps more than any other one
thing to the pleasure and content
ment of the inmates. THIS institu-
ton is indeed fortunate in having
secured for the supervisOress of the
female department Miss Pattie Pur-
nell. She is in our opinion, ust
what a lady should be who has
charge of this department of an in
sane hospital. Patient, kind,
cheerful and brave, she seems to
exert over all of the attendants and
the patients themselves an influence
which is altogether beneficial, and
we believe largely accounts for the
great womanliness and gentleneSs
of all the attendants in her charge
We commend The purchase of The
woodland, mentioned III The report
of the Trustees. La our judgment,
electricity as means Soi Lighting
should be substituted for use in the
hospital The Trustees have been
requested to secure the lowest bids
tor supplying the machinery neces
sarY for the change, and we are adj
vlsed that it will cost $4,250 We
recommend an Appropriation of this
sum for this purpose. The same
suggestions as to extravaganza in
the Eastern Hospital are applica-
BILE TO this. GA the disburoe
account of this hospital we find
charges for kilograms Sl58 II,
travelling expenses OF steward,
S152.50 which we think should not
have been allowed. We find also
that the Board of Trustees of this
institution have increased The saIa
rIeS of some of the officers within
the asl few months, which we think
should not have been done, and
should be reduced as they are ex-
cesslve. We found a druggist en-
pioyed at this hospital at $40 per
month, which we think is wholly
unnec1 ssary, and should be dis
missed, which we understand has
been done since Oar visit there.
The Central Asylum for the In
sane is considered the best iustitu-
ton in the state as regards the new
part. In he female wards, the old
part, The sanitation IS poor and the
air is most foul. The com mittee
believes that mechanical restraints,
IKE straight jackets, are used en-
trey tuo much in this Institution.
The patients here seemed more Vlo>
lent and less content than at the
other instiI utiOns, which The coin
mlttee attributes to the use of these
mechanical devices for restraints.
These devices have been discon-
tInued since the cOmmittlee's visit
to the place. The committee found
the salaries of some OF the officers
very much in arrears, The col
ored department was found to be
unavuidabIv crowded. The com
mitlee say the salaries here are
also excessive, and should be re-
duced. 1t Is thought that tOl some
S25, 900 these defects could be
remedled.
We find that in all these hosplt-
ais Tor the insane there exists a
condition of extravaganza on the
part of the management, which in
our opinion calls Tor some measure
OF reform and corrections; that Tue
Superintendent are receiving |
81 .000 per annum, the assistant
physician IN most cases 81 500 aud |
the stweard from 81, 900 to 81 200 |
per at.num. and support tor them-
selves and families. And we do |
not understand that the law which
requires the officers to reside In the |
institution implies that board ana
Washing should be furnished them
gratis by the state, nor the NANTES
nance of an extensive establishment
OF servants and horses aud carr
ages at the pubic expense, nor II IL
dId that Llelr tables should be sup
Piled with far more eXpensls e
and better dill of fare than Is Iur-
nIsned tu The patients. We would