New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-05-15
SERIOUS CHARGES DENIED.
AN INVESTIGATION OF THE TREATMENT
OF INSANE WOMEN ASKED FOR.
THE STORY TOLD BY REPORTER sTIRs UP
TAMMANY oFFICIALs-soME EXCUSES MADE
THE STATE BOARD IN LUNAcY

THE STATE BOARD IN LUNACf
CALLED UPON.
Serious charges regarding the treatment OF the
insane women in the asylum on Wards Island are
contained in a long account OF the experiences Oh
a reporter for The Herald" who recently assumed
the name OF Mrs. Ellen Burke and obtained employ
ment for a few days as attendant in the female
department of the City Asylum for the Insane Inc
story describes the miserable condition OF an army
OF crazy women kept in buildings which are over
crowded and filthy, subjected at times TO brutal
treatment and fed on unwholesome loou Inc re-
porter brought back to the city samples Oh 'ne
food which were submitted to Professor X "A.
Witthaus for examination, and he has declared that
the food was UNIT for human beings. The meat ne
described as being about ninetenths fat and parity
rancid The biscuit was mouldy The put'er was
real butter, but was rancid.
Some OF the women who Obliged to partake
of such food had refused TO eat IT, the reporter
states and then 1t had been forced down thsnr
throats. Brutal force In the treatment or women
had been used frequently, the reporter declared
and she had heard of cases in which the arms Oh
women had been dslocated while they were pe'rs
beaten by the attendants. list OF so-caIed acci-
dents to the patients. IN which no explanations
have been made as TO the manner In when the IN
urIes were received. has been obtained III supPoi'
Of the charge of brutal treatment.
The buildings in which 1900 insane women ana
go attendants are housed. old and overcrowaed
They also in a bad sanitary cohditioh DIS re-
CARDS their drainage and ventilation. worse sui
they are filthy and are overrun with rats ana YER
min The facilities for bathing are bad, the women
with skin diseases being allowed to battle Win other
women Dead bodies are sometimes kept In the
bathrooms while awaiting burial. Women who are
bathod are Obliged at times 10 go into the outer
air without their clothing the risk of taking cold
and with a shocking disregard Of modesty
The clothing of patients is Of poor quality, ard
L., itv
TENTS are obliged to remain with the violent pa
TENTS and some of the more timid and sensitive
of the women are compelled 10 witness disgraceiui
fights and hear the fouest language. The charge IS
made that some Of the patients VINO might recover
their reason in proper surroundings are mace WORSE
BY the scenes which they compelled to witness
daily.
1t is alleged In the story that some Of the women
in the asylum appear be perfectly sane. and that
there Is ground for suspicion that abe-bodied pa
tents who are willing to work are retained III 'he
ASYLUM after they have recovered their reason
Many OF the patients are compelled to perform the
worst drudgery in the asylum
MAYOR GLRoY WANTS AN INVESTIGATION.
r. II. Porter. president Of the Department OF
Charities and Correction. had a conference with
Mayor Gllroy yesterday in regard to the story and
afterward the Mayor wrote the following letter:
Novor's Once. New-York May A.
To Charles F Mcdonald. President State Board Ia
Lunacy. No 33i Fifth-ave. .,-
Dear Sir: | deem IL my duty 10 call your attention
10 serious charges made by publication IN Inc
Now-York Herald" OF May l3. 1894 against the ad-
minstra;on OF the Institution for the insane under
The charge OF the Commissioners OF Charities ana
correction OF this city Under Section 10: chapter
2s3 Laws OF 1859 Of the State or New-for tne
power Of examining into the truth or fasity or sucn
charges rests with the State Commission in Lunacy
I have 10 request that such an examination be mace
a, the ca rliest convenience of the Commission Re-
spectfuy yours, THOMAS r GlLNOf' Mayor
President Porter when at his office yesterday
said: 1T seems strange that all this should be news
10 the people who know all about the asylum be-
lieve the charges groundess" he added. and my
confidence in human nature will not admit OF be-
lief In such inhumanities. The charges originated
with a woman who has been In the employ or IN.
board I'm the female department Of the insane asylum
since June, 1891 and IL would occur TO almost any
person that II she had and heard all that sne
claims she might have made some complaint before
now.
This Or. Rabinovitch never made complain,
either to her fellows her superiors mat part OF
the complaint which deals with the overcoming Is
nothing and our department was the nrst u
make the fact public. .
Before all the requirements or the department
can be met must have more money. said Presi,
dent Porter. but that at our disposal has been used
think iudiciously and with the comfort or our
know all about this matter and called on the
on Lunacy TO make a searching investigation.