Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1896-11-26

do not find that the assault, if any was com
mitted upon him. was by consent OF, or with
the knowledge of the superintendent nor are
we certain that knowledge of the fact was
communicated to him, though one witness
testified in substance, that he told DIR. Giddngs
the facts, and at his request DIR. Giddings at
tended upon FitzsimmOns and gave him medl-
cine, and remarked to the witness that It was
very bad state of affairs, and that II 1t was
known he (Giddings) could not stay there ten
minutes" This was denied by DIR. Giddings,
and as to whether it, in fact, was said, the com
mittee are not agreed. The record OF kitz-
smmons's case taken from the asylum case
book is as follows;
October 9, 1892. Mr.. Fitzsimmons was re-
eeived in apparently good physical condition;
no nervous symptoms except mania; he has
delusOns, but appears satisfied with himself,
excepting 10 remaining IN the asy lum. lie Is
quiet and agreeable to meet land conyerses on
ordinary subjects, though not inclined 10 talk
without encouragement.
November The urine examined, shows
no albumen nor sugar; heart, no evidence OF
organic trouble; lungs apparently sound; mus
cular development, good; sleeps and eats
we'll. Signed, Graves.
December l1.-Mr. Fitsimmons has APP
peared duller than usual.
December l2-Mr Fitzsmmons went TO bed
sick yesterday and developed nephrytis rapidly.
He is under the care of Dr. Giddings; has re-
tentiye urine, which has to be drawn four times
per day; urine shows blood as well as albumen;
uyseropical examination not made.
December l3.-EitZsimmOns rapidly became
worse and his wife sent for. lie has no con-
vulsions, but is becoming cOmatose. Mrs.
FitzsimmOns with him.
December 14.-Mr. Fitzsimmons died at four
A. NJ Cause Of death, acute Bright's disease.
The evidence shows that Mrs. Fitzsimmons
arrived at the asylum before one o'clock on
the morning of December II, a very few hours
before her husbands deoease.
The attendant who WAS said TO have as
saulted Fitzsmmons remained in his position
after liitzsimmons' death for some weeks. and
left the employment Of the asylum Of his own
yolition.
A patient named Bertha Hall was a girl
about eleven years Of age, afflicted with epi-
lepsy, who came with the patients from BRAT
rlehuro; she was found one morning last sum
mer under the following circumstances: \
carpenter named Fife who worked IN finishing
some Of the rooms in the north wing, after the
patients had come from Biattlcboro. and We're
occupying the wing left his handbook OF tools
Ina a small closet in the hall ON leaving his work
al night and locked the door. On his return in
the morning, he went TO the closet for the pur-
pose OF getting his tools, unlocked and opened
the door and saw the girl lying upon the floor
perfectly nude and apparently unconscious
Her eyes were closed and she was very white
The witness could not state whether she was
asleep or unconscious.
The size of the closet was about two feet by
-four feet 1t was unyentilated. but there was
a crack under the bottom OF the door about
three-fourths Of an inch in width. There IS no
evidence to show how long the child remained
there ON this occasion. The workman locked
the door Of the closet and left her as he found
her.
The evidence further shows that on another
occasion the same child was by an attendant
locked in the same closet, peri city nude, eN-
cept that she was wrapped IN a blanket, white
crossing the hall from her room TO the closet
and left there while the wOrkmen went into the
room She was taken from and did some work.
which occupied twenty to thirty minutes.
There was no evidence 20 show that Or
Giddines knew Of the facts or consented to the
child's being so treated, or 10 show Why she
was SO treated.
A patient named Somerille, was being
bathed by one Of the attendants and ON being
directed to get out Of the bath tub did not
obey, whereupon the attendant remarked that
he had lifted his patient out of the bath tub
all that he was going 70, and he would see i he
could get out and turned the hot water faucet.
and allowed the hot water to run INTO the tub
The patient was scalded quite severely the
attendant seeing that did not bring him out,
shut the water off, got the patient out. and re-
ported 20 Dir. Giddngs, In substance, that tile
patient had accidentally been sCalded by slip
ming into the tub while the hot water was be
ing turned in. No investigation was made OF
the facts at the time it occurred; the patient
was confined to the bed two or three weeks by
the injury before he was able 10 be again about
the halls, The attendant was not discharged.
The facts Of the affair were established by au
eve witness aud probably might have been
learned az the time by careful Investigation.
The evidence did not show that any inyestlga-
ton was made but that ON the contrary the
statement Of the attendant was received ms
true.
In the female wards custom prevailed
among the attendants of sometimes applying
we cloth over the mouth and nostrils OF q pa
tent, If violent and obscene IN talk or protane
and indecent in language. The effect OF thus
application was to prevent breathing. and hav-
ing been once used afterwards terrorlzed the
patient so that at the sight of it they would
subside Ii was occasionally practced by at
PENDANTS without the presence and direction OF
any physician, but the practice was permitted
by the superintendent. IL was shown that the
act was dangerous to the life of anyone affected
with heart trouble and in the opinion Of the
committee the custom was unwarrantable and
ought not to have been permitted.
Several other instances of unnecessary vio-
lence and severity to patients were testified TO.
and without going into the circumstances OF
each we find that the attendants, at times, used
more violence in subduing refractory patients
than was necessary.
We are unable to state how much knowledge
of these practices actually came 10 the super
intendent The instructions 20 the attendants
required kind treatment of the patients and
prohibited acts of this character. We feel
that the supervision ought TO have been so
thorough as to have prevented the commission
of such acts without the knowledge OF the
superintendent.
Enquiry was made as 10 the character and
sufficiency of the clothing furnished TO the
patients The committee make no criticism
upon the clothing furnished the male patients,
except with reference TO some who were accus-
toned to 60 TO work on the farm, or in winter
time to the woods to chop. We find thai these
men were allowed TO go TO the woods IN cold
weather without sufficient protection Tor their
hands and feet and that in consequence there
were instances where their hands and feet were
frost bitten.
In the female wards some of the most vlo-
lent and destructive patients We're at times
secluded in their rooms without clothing, beds
or bedding, and since the north wing has been
occupied, some Of these female patients ave
been secluded in that manner in basement
rooms with cement floors. We think these
patients might and should have been supplied
with suits adapted,to their condition and needs,
and that the practice of so seeluding patients
especially in the basement rooms, should be
discontinued, and that measures should be