The evening world., 1894-06-08
HAD VERY LITTLE CLOTHING.
More About the Treatment of New
York's Insane Poor.
Scant Raiment, No Shoe, and Dirty
Laundry Work.

The proceedings In the investigation OF
the manner in which New York takes
care of its insane poor, which is being
carried on by the State Commission in
Lunacy at he Park Avenue Hotel, was
resumed at II o'clock to-day with Dr.
Louise r.. Rabinovitch again on the
stand.
Ex-Judge John ID. Mcmahon continued
the examination of DIR. Rabinovitch,
who yesterday told so much about the
way the patients were treated.
The witness was first asked to de-
scribe the clothing worn by the women
patients in Winter on Blackwells
Island. Or. Rabinovitch said that in
her judgment both the Winter and
Summer clothing of the women was in
sufficient In Winter the clothing con
sisted OF a suit OF canton flannel under
wear, short petticoat OF some coarse
material Ike canvas and bingham
dress. Cotton yarn stockings. knit by
the women, and heavy shapeless shoes
the outfit
Sometimes, according to the witness
there were not enough shoes to go
around, and the women who were with
In the wards, while those who had shoes
took their daily walks. Sometimes the
patients took turns wearing the shoes
and then all got their walk
In Summer the womcns clothing con-
sisted OF chemise, n short petticoat
ana the same Bingham dress worn In
winter. The women were allowed no
garment to clothe their neither limbs In
Summer.
DIR. Rabinovitch said she had never
seen n Singh am dress come back from
the laundry. which was not 10 dirty that
II was hard to believe that It had seen
the washtub
The clothing which came from the
laundry was invariably 80 damp that II
The steam arising from the drying cloth.
Ing was, the doctor thought, dangerous
| to health. She had so expressed herself
to pr. Tyler. who was recognized as the
| medium of communication between the
stan physicians and Dr. Dent. the Medl
| cal Superintendent.
Frequent consultations were held
among the stan physicians concern
Ing the mismanagement Of the institu-
ton, but no complaints were made to
| DR.. Tyler or DIR. Dent, because both
gentlemen knew the state of affairs as
| well as any one.
The witness declared that d. Dent
made round Of inspection not oftener
than once a month
Commissioner Reeves brought out the
fact that there was no system by which
patients could keep track OF their cloth.
Ing to the laundry, and that every.
thing was what might be termed inter.
cnangeaDle.
The witness said that she had Otter
heard OF acts of personal violence com
mitted on the patients by the atten
dants. DR.. Kuntz. who was in thu
violent ward. had told the witness tina
he had often seen attendants infiic
bodily punishment on the poor. de
mented women.
DIR. Rablnovitch was called to quiet I
patient, n Mrs Brown. She found tina
an attendant had been having re
ligious discussion with Mrs. Brown. an,
was holding the insane woman on tn.
floor.
Each member OF the medical stan. &C
cording to the witness, always carrie
a hyperdermic syringe ready to jab int
any of the patients who became violen,
She had hers with her. with didn't fin
II necessary to use II.
The witness had frequently spoken I,
Dr. Tyler about the incompetency o
the attendants. They were selected
from among Irish immigrants. whit
were qualified physically, but had n,
mental qualifications. Some could hard
ly read or write.