The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1899-08-25
THE HARLAN CASE
Report on the st. Peter Asylum
Investigation.
Majority Report Criticises Hospital Off.
Gals for Their Alleged
Indifference.

The report of the majority of the board
of hospital trustees relative to the investi-
CATION of the case of Robert Harlan. OF
this county, who got broken rib while In
a scufle with nurse at the st. Peter
ASYLUM, has been made public. 1t is
signed by three members of the board.
while DIR. Daniels submits report OF his
own, generating Supt. Tomlinson' and
DIR, ZONES refused to sign either report.
The report says: 'Robert Harlan is
man sixty-three yeas old and weighs
about los pounds. He was committed to
the ST. Peter hospital on Friday, May IL
1900. When received he was bathed and
put to bed in the sick ward. There IS
nothing to show that Harlan, from the
time he was received up to the Sunday
afternoon following was not quiet and
orderly patient Sunday afternoon and
evening it appears that he was laxative
and from his bed in the sick ward inter-
fered somewhat with the peace OF the
other patients, but not to any serious ex-
tent. Otto Hughes is graduate nurse
and has been employed in the hospital
something over three years. On the night
of May IA last he was put on duty IN the
sick room where Harlan was. by IL
o'clock that night the nurse, Hughes, and
the patient, Harlan, had an alteration
and fight, resulting in breaking at least
one of Harlans ribs, and causing some
other slight injuries to his body and left
leg"
Continuing, the report says that the
usual report was made on the matter by
Hughes, but no physical examination OF
Harlan was made until the Tuesday fol-
lowing, when the extent of his inJurlas
was ascertained, No written report oil
this was made, and mo examination was
ever made or instituted by any oticer or
employe of the hospital to ascertain
further the nature of the fight between
Harlan and Hughes or to determine
whether or not the nurse waste blame or
whether Harlan was at fault IN the com
mencement of the fight. The fact that the
patients rib or ribs were broken seemed
no excite no particular interest and failed
to arouse any curiosity or inquiry IN the
minds of the superintendent or his sub
ordinates."
The board believes that Hughes is some
what incompetent and that he was to
blame in the first instance and responsible
for bringing on the fight. After the hight
began, he did not use more force than was
necessary. For bringing on the fight, the
board thinks that he should be discharged
from the service of the hospital at once.
The report continues Complaints OF
ill treatment at ST. Peter state hospital
have become so frequent of late as to ex-
cite in the minds of a great number OF
people a suspicion and belief that the
charges are not unfounded. For the injury
in this instance we think no direct blame
can be traced to DIR. Tomlinson, but his
seeming lndlHelenCe W tho hion ~ ~
learned of the injury seems to US repre-
hensble to very high degree and excltes
in our minds the inquiry if such indiffer-
ence may not in measure account for the
frequent charges of abuse of patients at
that institution. 1t seems to us that there
were sufficient facts within the knowledge
of DIR. Tomlinson to have caused at once
and peremptorily the discharge of Hughes
without waiting for such orders from the
board of trustees, In our judgment such
disciplinary measure would have been
much more salutary in its effect npon the
employees of the hospital than any amount
of talk about disciplinary measures"