New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-12-21
NEW SYSTEM AT BELLEVUE
COMMISSIONER KELLER DECIDES ON
CHANGES IN ALCOHOLIC AND
INSANE PAvILIONS-MoRE
NURSES SUSPENDED.

against the nurses from the school in the alco-
holic ward and insane pavilion of Bellevue Hos
| pital The governors of the school DR..
| George b. Fowler, president; DR.. Joseph D.
Bryant. DR.. Walter B. James. DR.. Fl. p Loon1is.
| Ogden Mills and John G. Mccullough. Mr.. Mills
was not present yesterday. Commissioner Keller.
! of the Charities Department, and Mrs Willard.
who has charge of the training school. were at
the meeting. Dean Marshall and Davis the
nurses accused in the Hilliard case, were ex-
amned. After the hearing Edward E. Harmer.
head nurse in the alcoholic ward; Joseph r.
Rafferty,, William L. S. Wilson, H. e. New
comber John D. Frederick and E. ]. McCracken
constituting the day and night forces of the alco-
holic ward. were suspended by Commissioner
| Keller.
! The governors of the training school in
session nearly an hour and half. Most of the
time was spent in reading typewriter testimony
presented by Commissioner Keller The Board
decided to hold another meeting TO consider
what action to take in the cases of the nurses
suspended.
The governors except DR., George B. Fowler,
declined to discuss the cases. DR. Fowler said
all that he had to say contained in a pre-
vious interview in which he defended the nurses
accused in the Hilliard and said that he
did not for moment believe the charges made
against the men, all of whom had good records.
DR.. Loomis said it would be premature to discuss
ward pending the full consideration of the
charges to be had at a future meeting of the
Board.
Commissioner Keller said regarding the sus-
pensions made yesterday:
These nurses were in charge of the alcoholic
ward during the occupancy of patients whom L
have found and who have testified to i'll treat,
ment while in that ward ] have suspended
them pending the action of the Mills Training
School, which means that, for the sake OF dis
ci yline of the Mills Training School, 1t is better
that the school should act in the matter tnan
that L should. When the school shall have
acted whatever conclusion it may come to,
will then take further action. +
There is no hostile feeling between the mem
bers of the Board of Governors and myself we
are in perfect accord. and are working for
started will be continued
TESTIMONY HEARD BY THE BOARD.
Among the statements of patients made at the
meeting was that of George f. Korner, IT., an
epileptic, who taken to the alcoholic ward
on December g. He said he was carried up
stairs thrown on a bed and his clothing torn
He had been compelled to take medicine, had
been strapped and called abusive names Five
or six nurses had jumped on him, so that
he could hardly breathe. He had been hit with
stick or with the elbows of the nurses. They
had thrown a pillow over his face. He had been
strangled with towel and fogged. Korner had
been an inmate in nearly every hospital In the
city He had had little rough treatment In
the Presbyterian Hospital, but nothing like that
he had received in Bellevue. He had no COM
plant to make about any other hospital.
Korner was taken over to the alcoholic ward,
and recognized the six nurses suspended yester-
day He said it was Harmer who had ordered
him TO be strapped; Rafferty, had jumped upon
him and treated him roughly; Wilson had
treated him worse than any of the Others had
used bad language about his mother and had
thrown something hard at him; McCracken had
not been so rough as the others; Fredericks had
not done much, and the patient had no fault to
find with Newcomer.
Each of the nurses was heard in reply TO
Korner's statements. Harmer said Korner had
tried to strike and bite him and the other
nurses, and had not been treated more roughly
than had been absolutely necessary. Rafferty,
said the patient had been abusive, and used |
foul language; that the nurses had not jumped
on him. but merely held him. Wilson said Kor !
ner had used the most abusive language he had
ever heard, and denied that he had touched
him. Herbert Carr. the night superintendent,
said that on his rounds he had seen Korner, |
and that the patient had used the most vile |
language he had ever heard.
Commissioner Keller in commenting Kor- |
per's testimony, said that the statement was
that of an epeptic he did not attach great
weight to it, except as other testimony tended |
to corroborate the existence Of conditions such |
as Korner described Mr.. Keller had sent his |
men to than hundred of the addresses
of the three hundred patients who had been in |
the alcoholic ward in the last month. They had
found twenty-five of these persons, twelve of
whom had commended the institution, while !
ten had made complaints of harsh treatment |
Their testimony. Mr. Keller said not sensa-
tional, showing chiefly that patients were tied
down to their cots and then grossly neglected.
that they struck when the nurses could |
not get off their clothing quickly. and that the
treatment of patients harsh rather than |
brutal. Nevertheless, Mr.. Keller felt that he |
had ascertained enough to make 1t imperative
for him to remove the nurses and change the |
system.
Commissioner Keller denied that he was TAX |
ing steps to have the insane pavilion removed
from his to that of the State Board of
Lunacy. He said the charge of bribery had not
been proved In speaking of the case. he con-
! tinued:
| When | obtained this evidence, il seemed 10 |
me TO be conclusive proof that the nurses of the
! abusive language and of unnecessary harshness !
to the patients. There is charge in any of the
! evidence Of fatality produced from any of the |
! treatment, but there is in every instance the
/ charge of either heartess abuse. reprehensibIe |
neglect or unwarranted violence.
SLOW TO ADMIT BRUTALITY.
Commissioner Keller spent most of yesterday |
ing physician at Bellevue, who is an enthusiast
quently had that assignment The Commits
sioner also examined Forester and Thompson |
nurses who at different times have been In |
charge of the ward and William 0ounine