The record-union., 1898-11-22
A BRUTAL PRACTICE.


timely protest against the cruel viola
ton Of the privacy of the public
hospital. A country girl was
recently deceived by young
man, at least SO disappointed by him
as to lead her to go to San Francisco
and there shoot herself, possibly with
what may turn out to be fatal effect.
She was taken to the City Receiving
Hospital, and while there suffering
tortures upon the operating board, and
thereafter, while half supplied with
opiates necessarily administered, she
was surrounded by a swarm of news
paper reporters driven by their journals
TO wiring every possible word from the
poor creature, and to vie with each
other in filing pages of the papers
with the meanings and half-crazed
statements Of the wretched girl.
Even when all but unconscious from
drugs administered the reporters were
detailed to watch over her, describe
every pulse beat, the quivering of an
eyelid and the strained expulsion of
every grievous tear that stained the
cheek of the wretched child. When the
heart broken mother came to watch by
the side of her daughter the reporters
were still there, noting every detail, re-
cording, every bitter tear shed, every
agonized expression, each wall of woe
and every frantic appeal for mercy and
sympathy for her misguided child.
Our contemporary, the Republican, !"
says:
The reporters were not responsible,
{ for they obeyed orders, and perhaps
even the newspapers are not cuIpable,
for the story once made public was, in
newspaper jargon, good stuff but the
hospital authorities must have been
grossly negligent of their duty. If a
person rendered temporarily irrespon-
sible either through accident or his own
fault is not to be protected against
himself iB a hospital, what is hospital
for? Legitimate news should not be
concealed, of course, but no hospital
should permit a person to be inter-
viewed who Is not capable of under
standing what he is doing.
And the Record Union concurs.
There should be enough of decency in
the conduct of public as well as of
private hospital to secure protection to
the bnfortunates who are conveyed
there for treatment. Who shall say in
the event of the death of the girl whose
case is under consideration, whether
the bullet killed her or the nervous ten
sion due to the interviewing, poster
ing and rival watching over her by the
Jealous news gatherers?
Who shall say that the poor girl has
not been misrepresented by the report
of her half-crazed rawlings, and that
all her future may be ruined by pub
1ication of that which in her sensible
hours she would not have spoken. Who
shall say that what has been reported
of her is true, since during the whole
time it is admitted the wretched being
has been in no condition to intelligently
and nationally pass upon her own case?
We join in the protest of our Fresno
contemporary, public hospitals should
not be made sweat boxes for the use
of sensational newspapers. The un-
happy occupant Of a cot in public
hospital should have the same protec-
ton from intrusion and Paul Prying
that is assured a person who secures
bed in a well ordered private hospital,
where no patient is disturbed or his life
endangered by the swarning news
gatherers and merciless questioners
gathered about the couch of suffering.
Last August the WheatIand -Four
Corners suffered the loss of it's office
and plant in the conflagration that
swept over the town of Wheatland.
Since then, and until a few days ago,
the -Four Corners has been printed in
18th, however, comes to us in a six
column, four-page form, and is sent out
from the new office and plant Of the
paper. We congratulate our contem-
with which 1t has risen from its mis-
fortune The form of the paper is now
more convenient in all ways. It is no
longer a blanket sheet, nor is it now
5ndulging in such large type, but uses
a neat, compact, clear faced letter,
which is put up in good taste and with
excellent judgment. The -Four Corn
ers'' is Published atsthe junction of the
corners of four counties, Yuba,
Nevada, Placer and Sutter. 1t
therefore represents large ter
,ritorial interest and a clientage in four
distinct political subdivisions of the
State. Tt is one Of the most valued OF
our exchanges, since it is thoughtful.
vigorous. clean in all things and newsily
devoted to the interests of the large
and important section it represents.
VALUE OF WARNINGS AIFE.