The herald., 1896-02-27

sitting up in my bed and talking, an at
tendant or trusty knocked me down and
checked me, and another time was al
most strangled with wet towel, which is
there favorite mode of punishment. My
neck was sore for weeks. On another oc-
casion, l kicked one of the attendants, a
man weighing $50 pounds, while lying in
bed. The man promptly jumped on me,
almost crushing me, and administered an
Dr.. Campbell, but he only laughed at me-"
ION THE HALL"
Mr.. Golfer said that despite the ill-treat-
finally taken from the sick ward, and given
the liberty of the hall, with the other con-
valescents. But the abuse did not cease
here. Mr.. Golfer says that one of the at
tendants named Gaskey was particularly
abusive to the patients. The men sat
around the hall on benches, and Gaskey
would walk up and down, among them,
cutting and slapping them on the slightest
provocation. On one occasion, Golfer says
that Gaskey, in fit of passion, struck him
on the nose with his clenched fist, bringing
blood. Kicks and cuffs, with abusive Ian.
guage, was the general order of the day,
and but little consideration was shown for
the feelings of the unfortunates. They
were apparently looked upon as animals,
Oy tIle dtt6uudIlL5, dllu trebtou accordingly
TAKING NOTES
As MIR. Golfer improved he was allowed
more freedom, which he improved by tax
ing notes of what he saw for future use.
After awhile he, with the other patients
whose condition permitted it, were allowed
the freedom of the corral" This, Mr..
joining the asylum, and here the patients
were allowed to walk for couple Of hours
during the afternoon. There was no abuse
in this place, for the reason that there were
cracks in the fence, and there were always
people about peeping through. 1t was
against the rules for the patients to speak
to outsiders, however, and the regulation
was rieidly enforced, any infraction being
severely punished.
When he became strong enough, Golfer
was put to work in the garden and there he
remained for thirty-three days. He then
had some trouble with the attendants. when
he was again put back into the ward. He
reported the way in which he had been
treated to DR.. Campbell, but he refused to
take any notice of his complaint. Golfer
says that he refused to be snubbed, and in
sisted on a hearing, saying that he WAS
only telling the truth. DR.. Campbell re-
fused to give him his parole, saying: $50
long as you talk that way, just 80 long will
we keep you here"
Golfer was especially bitter against DR..
Dolan, one of the physicians, who, ,he said,
was very abusive. On one occasion, when
he had been given the liberty OF the
grounds, DR.. Dolan heard that he had been
talking about the management OF the asy-
lum, when he came to him and said: "Col-
ter, you are low-down, dirty rascal; you
are abusing the very men who have treated
you best, and if l hear another word out of
your mouth will put you out of the ward
and lock you up"
s.MEp1cAL TREATMENT
Golfer says the system of medical treat
ment is decidedly unique. On one occa-
sion, when he had talged back to one of
the physicians, DR.. Nolan, that gentleman
ordered one of the TRUSTEES to bring the
prescription book, and he was pronounced
sick and a decoction prepared for him. In
vain he protested that he was not sick. but
the doctor would not have it that way, his
dignity was hurt and Golfer had to take the
physic, although previously he had not
taken dose for nine months. The decoc-
ton, Golfer said. was merely tansy water,
a rather nauseating dose, and the bottle
was marked "once every hour" After
taking one or two draughts he protested,
and the trusty who was charged with adj
ministering it desisted and he was not
bothered any further. When medicine was
administered in any of the wards, only one
glass was used for all cases, and by the
time the last man was reached the medi-
cines were pretty well mixed.
CLOSING OBSERVATIONS
Mr.. Golfer says that while the food is
rough, there is plenty of it, and he got fat
on the diet. There is really no grounds
for complaint on that score.
Some of the attendants are humane men
and treat the patients as kindly as they
can. Others are brutal in the extreme, and
the slightest protest is met with kick, q
cuff or q slap in the face. In case patient
is noisy it is a frequent thing for him to be
knocked down, jumped on, and in extreme
cases the life is almost choked out of the
man with wet towel. The attention at
night is not what it should be, nor do the
really sick patients receive that prompt
care so essential in extreme cases.
The death rate Mr.. Golfer does not con-
slider excessive, az there were but six funer-
ais during the time that he was about tho