The Lamar register., 1898-12-14

OF the employees and attendants, 10 tho
serious detriment OF the institution.
u nat the superintendent has not
conducted any adequate. thorough and
suueieni examination TO determine tho
condition OF patients admitted 10 tbe
asylum. " 'ns
Fifth-That the asylum, ms copduct.
ed under present management has
been place OF detention. rather thon
a hospital for the treatment OF tho in.
sane. While we recognize the lInIta.
lions caused by lack OF funds, never
theless We ind that under proper
management a vcFy much better con.
dlti"n OF the institution could have
been secured. even with the funds at
disposal. The management of the In
sutution is derellct In the following
particulars.
g. There Is no regular or sufficient
medical examination or knowledge OF
the patients.
3. No amusements OF any sort are
furnished for the patients.
c. That the patients do not receive
proper exercise nor as nnch as could
be given by the help employed at pres
ent.
d That there has been no rcuuire-
n1eni as 10 daily ward reports ms TO
condition Of patients and the superir-
tendent hhs had no knowledge in re-
gard thereto except such rs he occa-
sionAly acquired by talking to at
iendants or by occasional visitations
on bis part.
No Aitsud.nt. At rtnsx
9. The testimony shows that from
three TO Eve hours out OF each twenty
four the patients In this asylum are
regularly left unattended. and that fire.
queniiy during the day time the wards
are left unattended for from one TO
three hours ht a time. In Illustration
of this. on the date OF the last official
visit OF this board. September -, 1SaS,
IN Inspecting the wards. members
came upon the llfrleSs body OF a male
patient lying on a pallet In one Of the
wards, where be had died unattended.
Sixth-We ind that there are unoc-
cupied rooms AZ the womanfs building
sufficient In site and suitable TO ac-
commodaie from forty TO fifty patients
II supplied with proper bedding and
equipment. Notwithstanding the fact
that the superintendent has persistent
~ reported 10 this board and to the
Beard OF Commissioners Of the Insane
Asylum that there was no additional
room that could BE- used for housing
patients Ia this connection Il may b.
stated that thesc rooms. according TO
the estimate OF the superintendent re-
eenly obtained, could have been fitted
up aud additional patients maintained
until the next appropriation is avail
able. at a cost OF not to exceed 5000.
cana Hsra to . Patient
seyeuth-w nnd that IN the month
nf Juiy. lsnT. a child was born to one
OF the patients as p result OF negli-
gene. on the part of an attendant In
permitting a patient from the male
department 10 associate with the pa
tienf first above named In the absence
OF others, the male patient having been
employed In and about the womau's
building for a number OF weeks In
making needed repairs under orders
coming from the superintendent, and
that this unfortunate afTair could have
happened only through the gross neg
llsence OF the attendant in charge.
We further ind that this child lived
for u period OF about two weeks from
the date OF It's birth. when 1t died and
was buried in the cemetery ON the asy-
lum grounds
The testimony OF the superintendent
shows that the child received unsutti
Client medical treatment. The law was
violated IN the fnilure OF the superin-
tendsut &c report the death and burial.
Eighth-we further find that the
superinteudent has been grossly care
less In permitting officers, attendants
and employees 20 absent themselves
from the institution ON vacation for MS
much as six weeks at time, and that
during such absence OF two of the at
tendants OF the woman's building at
different times, their duties We're look
Ell after and attended to in measure
by the laundTess OF the institution,
who WIS not trained nurse nor In
any sense qualified TO discharge the
duties Of attendant.
SoP Precautions Against Fire.
Ninth-we further find that during
the months OF July and August, 1898,
the night watch or attendant Of the
woUan's building was given six
weeks leave of absence, during which
time no one was employed or secured
10 attend to her duties, with the re
suit that from I o'clock in the evening
10 about In the following morning,
during all the time before mentioned,
the three wards In the wOman's build
ing were left entirely unattended, the
only precaution taken by the manage
ment against fire to the building was
that the night watt b OF the mile build
ing was instructed to keep an occas'
Ional eye on the woman's building;