The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-10-24

49,
it almost Impossible for him to spend a.
great deal of time looking after patients
personally and that ne left those duties to
the house physicians.
Much time was taken up last night by
the testimony of the house physicians, who
appeared before the board to rebut the tes-
tilnony of the nurses. Dr.. Nichols himself
was given an opportunity to refute or ex-
plain the serious charges of cruelty made
against him by Miss Wicks and other
nurses, Thursday.
A BR GEZY SCENE.
DR.. Morrison admitted that there had
been a breezy time during the afternoon
session of the board, when Mrs. Sayles
testified that he had urged the managers
of the Indiana School of Nursing to con-
ceal the charges of cruelty and maltreat-
ment, but would not discuss the testimony
given. He said that the trouble between
himself and Mrs. Sayles arose over her tes-
timony that certain words had been used
at a conference between the Board of
Health and the managers. DIR. Cline, a
member of the board, and DR.. Ferguson, its
Mrs. Sayles. They did rot intimate that
she was testifying falsely, but declared
that she had misunderstood or miscon-
strued what was said on that occasion.
Considerable feeling developed, DR.. Morri-
son admitted, and he said that the ladies
but afterward returned. DR.. Morrison re-
fused TO repeat the words that had been
used on the occasion in question. Mr..
Mr.. Bicknell, when questioned as to the
nature of the testimony given by DR..
had not paid close attention to it, and
did not remember just what was said. 1t
was his impression that the question in
volved related to a previous meeting of
the Board of Health and the managers of
the nurses school,.
The Board OF Health has laid great stress
on a charge OF cruelty that was made
against one Of the nurses, who held a
1iGn1n6I3nf iii hnn6 md rr1 n Il, or vvo-
ter. The child is a poor walt that knows
not It's parents, and has no friends. He
otherwise is of a very healthy nature. He
is not a patient at the hospital. but vir-
When the managers of the school defend
ed the boys punishment as perfectly prop
er the Board of Health commended that the
the nurses had no right to punish patients.
TIL four-year-old comes and goes at will,
and is a general favorite with the nurses,
whom he seems to love, judging from the
affectionate manner in which he runs to
their sides. 1t is said that as the child's
parents take no interest in him. the nurses
that they would not think of hurting him.
punish him as any other child is punished,
in order to keep him from running wild.
n~iicance when compared with the charges
made against DR.. Nichols.
REPORT TO THE GOVERNOR.
John r. Elder, one of the member of
the Sldle bCdIQ Oh oHdTlCleS ,dIlu COIT6S-
ton, was unwilling to express any opinion
last night upon the evidence. He said that
it would not be proper to do so until the
entire investigation was closed. Mr.. Elder
said that it would propably be two or three
days before the board would be ready to
submit its report to the Governor, possibly
that it would not do SO until the regular
quarterly meeting, which is to be held on
Tuesday of next week. Until the evidence
has been written out by the official stenog-
rapher and has been reviewed by the board
it is likely that no recommendations will
be made as to what should be done in the
premises; 1t IS even possible that the board
will not indicate what steps should be TAX
en- by the Board of Health. but will SIM
ply sum up the evidence and allow the
Board of Health to be governed by it.
1t is well known that the present SUI
a political henchman of Mayor Taggart's.
1t is said that the Board of Health Sc
riousiy doubted the ACCESSIBILITY of appoint
ing him to a position involving such grave
responsibilities as deyolve upon the super
intendent of a large hospital. At the time
that his youth and inexperience might well
make them question ho Ibis his fitness nInd;s+d for such
np resnlts assert That the utter lack
of executive ability, which is largely re-
sponsible for the present demoralized con-
dition of the hospital, shows the folly of
strated executive ability to care for the
hospital. When DR.. Nichols was appointed
his friends claimed that he would be kept
from making, serious mistakes by the pres
ence of his mother, who, it was explained,
would be with him.
The Board of Health, it is shown, cannot
mislead anyone by bringing counter charges
against the nurses school. The managers
of the school are ladies who are well
lie confidence and they object to having
the work they have SO faithfully labored to
a mere political machine. Tn proposition
of the Board of Health to establish a
training school as an integral part of the
hospital is without precedent. One of the
strongest ~umen advanced against the
proposition is the fact that it will remove
the safeguard which the hospital has had
against m~ismanagement. 1t is said that the
presence of a of ladies of high
character operates as a strong safeguard.
as TO the charges of cruelty and maltreat-
ment made against him by Miss Wicks and
woman, who it was alleged, he held down
with his knee and placed a tongue forcep-
on her tongue, threatening to tear it by
the roots, DR.. Nichols's testimony was
greatly at V rance with others. He said
that the woman was a morphine iend and
outcries and could not be quieted.
An effort was made 20 admin
lister a small quantity of morphine,
but she spat it from her mouth. Then DR..
Nichols said that he suggested that she
might be .%subdued if she were threatened
mouth, telling her that he would use them
if she did not keep quiet. He said that he
placed MS knee on ner arm, put did not
touch her breast. and he denied emphati-
cally the statement that he placed the in
Strument in her mouth.
As to the insane woman DR.. Nichols adj
mitted that he did laugh at some of her
expressions. as they were SO odd that he
could not help being amused by them. He
denied having done anything to excite her
or enrage her into using protane language.
He says that he did everything possible to
quiet the woman, shook her gently to
arouse her attention, and even slapped her
gently on the cheeks. He said that even
that was not sufficient. when he turned to
a nurse and directed her to bring him a
glass of water. He dipped his fingers into
the water and Tipped a few drops into her
face. All this was simply done to arouse
her attention and get her mind directed to-
wards himself.
DR.. Nichols said that Miss Wicks was not
present when this happened.