Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1894-02-16
FRIDAY MORNING, FEB. is, 1894.
WOMEN FOR THE REFORM.

shrink from 1t. LII WOulQ seem that there
ought to be more cllivalry among men than
to force them to do SO. But when they are
so forced, they go straight to the mark
Mrs. Sallie G. Gibboney Of TazewelI, writes
a convincing letter to the Richmond Dis
patch on the subject of women physicians
for the women insane. In all that has been
said in behalf of that reform nothing has
been said stronger than her words. 1t is
an outrage on deceiacy and humanity. that
male physicians should hear the rawlings Of
insane women, and il those physicians are
men of proper sensibility they know it is
so themselves. They know that they would
suffer agony if another male physician
should stand and listen to tile rawlings OF
one of their own insane sisters OF daugh
ters-for they kaosc from experience hom
shocking those rariags Gre IN Others.
Mrs. Gibboney says:
Six years of my life have been spent as an
officer (matron and housekeeper) in an insane
ASYLUM, and speak in behalf of my sister
woman This idea OF a female physician is
grand one. Many CALLING conditions would
he impaired to female ply stefan which never
reach fine ears of male, and do think that
all right minded people will agree that Wo-
man in the humiliation OF her mad ravIngs
and frenzes should be treated by one OF her
own sex if possible. Progress, reason, civil
zation and that holy thing men call justice
demand it. 1t should be law, for it is
right. Ancient baked customs must give way.
10 dead - and
from its ashes rises reason, holding aloft the
torch of philanthropy. The propriety CT this
change must suggest Itself to all humanltarl-
ans and come home with poignant force to
those who have friends thus situated, who
are bound to them by the ties OF blood anc
affection.
Another woman correspondent, h. Il. T..
sends an excellent letter to the Rlchmonf
Times, written from a Womans stand
point, in which she says:
s"There are so many phases of woman's phys
ical and mental condition Of which only wo-
men can be properly cognizant; so many deli
cate. vague, scarcely dehnable states of a
mind diseased, when a woman needs the socie-
ty and care OF a sister, that it is wonder the
physicians in charge OF our asylums have not
urged the appointment of fema lie assistant:
long ere this. -
It can only he the most deplorahle igno
rance with those unfamiliar with insale
asylums, and yet more deplorable prejudice
with those familiar with them, that woulf
lead men to resist the reform OF Womei
physicians for women insane
V,I,o D;.I.n,o,,d .J;o,oc nf l.;ct Tuec;]ay
has the following paragraph in lis report Il
the proceedings in tie House Committee o.
AsyIums and Prisons the day before:
When Mi Koiner's bill. providing for the
appointment of female physician for each
asylum OF the State, came up. DR.. Nash, q. ="
sistant physician Of the Eastern Lunatic AS :
lum. expressed his views on the subject He
thought it would not be advisable to enact
such law at the present tine. lie did not
know OF any female physician in this State
who would be competent to perform such pro
fessional work as would be required of then
in an asylum. They would have to choose
these female physicians from tie North.
However, if such a measure was to be passed
he thought the appointment of the female pily-
sicians should be left discretionary with tl.t
asylum board. The further consideration OF
the bill was postponed
DR.. Nash S acquaintance iii Virginia
seems to belilniteJ The Western Lnratic
Asylum has, and las hid for some years, a
woman physician fully competent ito per
form such professional work rs would {
required Of them in III asylum III
Nash s acquaintance outside Of Virginia
also seems 10 be limited. There are piei:t}
of Southern women physicians who h:E,
had Il medical and surgical education ecu
to his OWN, WHO CAL lie gotten. We llolt
DR.. Haynes, the Assistant physician at tiis
w. L. Asylum will besummouel before tb,
Committee to give her views Of the needs o
women insane The Committee will thei
he able to form its conclusions after hear
ing both sides.
AS to leaving their appointment "discre
tionary with tile boar.is, i that viii amount
to nothing Je the constant fight the asy
lum male doctors ale making against tliii
reform, the inexperienced and uninfoTme;
boards would offer little resistance They
HOllt UiltbS pa.
are good authority. without rememberiH.
that they are wholly pGeiudiced aid almos'
totally ignorant OF the history Of women
physicians work i'll Insane ssi lHllis iii 9th
CT States. Let DR.. Haynes give the com
mittee some information Oh this point.
-- ~-------
ssIf cur neghbor would leave his cosy sane.
fpps fnr rI..ra IA f,,a
are woven, and venture on the Chesapeake &
Ohio Railroad west, he would see object
lessons that would knock his book philoso-
ply into smithereens. lie would see suspeil-
ded mines, which a year ago gave eiiipioS
ment to hundreds of willing ilel at so0d
wages. He would notice the sheenc2 oi
frei .ht train after freight train, aal: ssas,d
engines which have 10 work 10 do. lie would
be Informed that four hundred men within
the past two weeks have been thrown out o.
work on the railroad alone and four thousand
at the mines He would see the stiffness OF
death where all was activity and life. -
fosts Weekly.
And il we extended our trip to Great
Britain. France, Germany. Itaiy-eyery
civilized country in the world, we should be
hold the same, and in some of them eyel
worse than in orr own country. Surely oul
neighbor would not seriously assert that
the prospect of the Wilson bill las para
lyzed the world in advance. The advocate
OF Protection las a road lesef by MANY
startling aissaIdl. les OF ,oyie. but sioie, We
hope. SO bad lis that /.
~
The R9sdge<rafer EeTaid. il lie namt
OF very pretty ans! s!eM:;y islpsr which has
just cami4ieaced 9!i1s i@ai i'll! ;i5 Fridge
water, Rocsing.a;sli,. /! il 4 elesl!s TO ti.t
town.
POLITICAL NOTES.
The Washington correspondent Of the
Richmond Times says: Congressman
Harry Tucker til.s morning received all in