St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1896-11-27

seclusion under such circumstances and for
such II length Of time unnecessary,
| A patient named Sally Town was received
at the Waterbury Asylum from the Vermont
Asylum for the Insane mt Brattleboro, on Sept,
/ 4, 1891. She is described MS n single woman,
about twenty-eight years OF age, in good
health, Nho had always been deaf and dumb;
was without education, was silly and foolish
in her manner and actions, and was good.na-
tured, though sometimes noisy.
| The Case Book records her case as follows.
Under date of June 26, 1895, appears the fol
lowing entry; Patient has chartered and
crowed in her peculiar way and has generally
been quiet and accomplished some work, when
/ looked after She suffers frequently from in
Digestion" (Signed) Graves,
| Under date of July 1S.-"She is pleasant and
appears happy, bright and quick, so far as she
knows; by motions she tries TO inform the doe
tor Of different occurrences upon the hall, y
Under date of August 15,-"An enlargement
OF the abdomen has existed for some time; this
has seemed TO her attendants to be progress
sive"
October 2O.-"She has been examined by Drs.
Ferrin, johnson, Gddings and Bidwell; dag
noss, pregnant"
Under date of November 3,-"Bag of water
broke to-day She was found in the water
closet, her clothes wet all or the greater part
of the Zig unlH escaped. Dr. Hooker examin
ed patient this evening, and patient put to bed
this afternoon, as soon as her condition was
discovered; Mrs. Perry to sleep in room with
patient and care for her.
November 81 Patient passed about one half
pint of blood in vessel to-day; Dr. Hooker CON
suited by DR.. Giddings."
November 6-"Patient had a chill last night
.,t,, ,t.,lL ,tM
Temperature, (aXillary) ~; pulse, 10y;
respiration, 49, this morning"
DR.. Hooker consulted, who advised u vaginal
douche of warm water. (Ihe words vaginal
d0uche Of warm water" tire written oveI
words erased upon the book, which we are I'M
able TO decipher).
"At IL H. Dr. Hooker delivered her with
forceps, assisted by Drs. Giddngs and Bidwell
She seemed more comfortable for time but
hemmoihage continued, accompanied by com
plate uterine inertia. She died at three o'clock
this afternoon kilograms announcing her
death were sent to the oyeIsuer OF the poor,
Pawet, w., and Mrs. Julia Town, North Ru.
pert. Vt. No reply was received from the lat
ter. Telegram received to lay from overseel
of the poor, Pawlet. said barry body at the
asylum
November Sth.-" Body buried to-day in
asylum cemetery; child buried with her."
We find the fact to be that this patient be-
came pregnant while an inmate of the asylum
that attention was called to her condition as
early as August 18th, and nader such circum-
stances as should have revealed the fact to the
attending physicians.
We are unable to learn that any effort wa:
made to discover the parentage of the child I'm
til after the death OF the patient.
The record kept by the trustees concerning
the effort that was made is us follows: Under
date of January 3, 1891, Voted that Mr.
Wing be appointed an especial committee to
make investigation into the circumstances at
tending the death of Sally Town, and take all
testimony relating thereto and report the same
at the next meeting of the Board"
INVESTIGATION OF DEATH OF
SALLY TOWN.
Under date of February 10, 1894, the follow
ing report was submitted by Mr.. Wing, a
shown by said records:
"ln compliance with the vote of the Board o
Trustees at the January meeting, have inves
tigated the circumstances of the death of Sail.
Town. a patient of this asylum and | max
the following report: Sally Town diet
November 9Th, 1898. As her record of admis
sion etc. has been kept by the superintendent
AS in all cases, it is not necessary to re-produc
it here. She had been employed in the laundr
for a year or so prior to Oct LIST, 1893. Sh
was mute, and on or about October 18th, lS93
there were suspicious on the past of the super
intendent, Dr. Giddings, that she was pregnant
He at once called the attention of the super
viso.s to the patient and Drs Ferrin and John
son examined her, confirming the suspicion ant
Jiadposis Of Snperinterden Giddinos On Nov
3, While in a closet the membrane gave wa
and the amniotic fluid was discharged. D1
Hooker was called and advised to wait.
On Saturday, Nov. 9TH j., she was taken witt
hemorrhage, DIR. Hooker was notified and afte
examination of patient advised waiting. On
the night of the 9TH she suffered from chills
vomiting, etc. Dr. Hooker had charge of TIN
patient, and his orders and instructions wer
followed. During the forenoon of Nov, 9TH
she was delivered OF a sjill-bom foetus
hemorrhages continued proiu3ely and she dice
about two o'clock p. NJ. of be 9th. Oversee
of Pawlet and her mother were telegraphed to
but the message was not delivered to the latter
BY direction of tie oversetr of Pawlet sh,
was buried at Waterbury Nov. ), 1893
| find that the superintendent did all tina
could be done to discover the auther of thu
woman's condition, but it was not possible tt
obtain any information from the patient
Every clue has been followed to the end, bu
nothing definite has been developed.
The condition of the woman, being a mute
rendered it impossible to obtain any name o.
description of the offender The woman wa
deaf and dumb, was of lecherous disposition
and temperament was fecble-minded. unattrac
tive and nauseating. 1t seems more probable
that it might have been done by some one o
the patients employed about the kitchen o.
laundry. She certainly was not liable to caus,
any lustful desire ON the part of any health.
minded person.
NO INQUIRY MADE.
There is no evidence to show that the snper
visors instituted any enquiry or made an!