New-York tribune., 1900-12-27
KELLER'S CHARGES READY
TESTIMONY AGAINST BELLEVUE NURSES
PREPARED-RADICAL CHANGES
DISCUSSED.

many witnesses put In sAape. EdiiouS SOni-
munica tions from DOCTORS annua! reports anu SWIM
statements from inmates Of the alcohohc and IN
sane pavilions al Bellevue were all maoe out, Gnu
Tomorrow morning DR.. Fowler, chairman oi cue
Governing Committee of the Mills Iralhhs ooiooi
for Male Nurses, will have the evidence cnaisins
bis nurses with improper care. neglect and brutal
ity their patients ,1 -
Commissioner Keller was also investigating the
increased mortality among the babies on Ranqans
Island. and is endeavoring TO hnd OUT i heeieN'
these unfortunate children is due TO the Inahaee-
ment and treatment of his subordlnates, Co'iian
sioner Keller said that Homer FOLKS. OF the o'a'e
Charities Aid Association, had assisted MIN TOT the
last two years in finding the best treatment Ior
foundlings and other children. 1t was nara
proposition. Homer Folks had been watching at
tentively the RandalPs Island institutions and had
made a record of every death. 1t was owing TO
Mr.. Folks's report that Commissioner Keller had
ordered the immediate investigation as to the
mortality in the childrens institutions.
Mrs. Dunphy superintendent of the institutions on
RandalPs Island, had been requested to make re-
port of the mortality the Commissioners. Yes
terday she began going over the books with stan
of clerks. under Mr.. Keer's and Mr. Folks's Juris-
diction. Mrs Dunphy reported that the mortality
for the year 1900 with the last three months out,
showed a percentage of 1867. The whole year OF
1899 put the mortality figures at 45O5 The IN
crease for 1900, Mrs. Dunphy declared was due TO
the epidemic of measles which occurred in Feb
ruary March and April. All morning the reports
and figures were being changed over the wire from
Randalrs Island, but in every instance 1t showed
that the mortality high
Commissioner Keller finally said that he wanted
to show that the transferring of foundings did not
prove successful Eight had been seized with con-
tagious diseases. Five of the foundings had died
at North Brother Island and two had been re-
turned to the Infants Hospital. but had died soon
afterward. Another had been sent 20 the Willard
Parker Hospital and had died at that institution.
So Of possible transfer of eight foundlings all
had died The Commissioner said the scheme of
boarding out children had proved to be the best.
hOor
ing. An association would take charge of all the
children, but the Catholic Church authorities OBJ
jected the ground that Catholic orphans and
children might be placed in Protestant families.
Mr.. Folks had agreed with the Commissioner on
the idea of boarding out the children. The scheme
may be adopted.
INSANE PAVILION AFFAIRS.
The probing of the insane pavilion affairs was
next discussed by the Commissioner and sugges-
tions from DR.. A. E. Macdonald of the Manhattan
State Hospital read. DR.. Macdonald sug-
gested that mode of transferring the INDECENT
insane direct to the Manhattan State Hospital
without the present roundabout way" could be
put in DR.. Macdonald said that the necessary
fee could be reduced to SO and various qualified
examiners about this city would gladly accept it.
An examiner could be called IN any neighborhood.
go direct to the house of the insane person. call IN
another consulting examiner and then give notice
TO the Manhattan State Hospital authorities direct
The Manhattan State Hospital would send its
immediate treatment at The person would go
direct to the Manhattan State Hospital. and not be
held for observation and long detention at Belle
Hospital.
Commissioner Keller approved the ideas of Dr.
Macdonald and emphasized the word fees" The
Commissioner in the morning had abolished the
fee system IN Bellevue Hospital and had issued a
order doing away with all fees in any of the
institutions under his Jurisdiction. He sent around
the order to all of the institutions and the
acceptance of fee by any person employed In the
department punishable by instant dismissal. The
Commissioner said the order did not cast any
reflection the Examiners in Lunacy at Bellevue
Hospital, DR.. Allen Fitch and DR.. Valentine Wild
He knew of several prominent physicians some
OF whom were connected with the visiting and
consulting staff OF Bellevue Hospital. who had
tered the insane pavilion and charged fees in
private cases for private hospitals In these cases
| 1t impossible for him to take action. the
aniners called In for consultation and
! not employed by Bellevue Hospital for that pur-
| pose. The law allowed this.
With the poor or pauper patient, the examiners
adjudged without fee. but after the case
had been determined 1t was doubtful If the Man
| haitian State Hospital would accept him
| proper inmate. Friends Of the would say he
| was destitute but the authorities of Wards Island
would make searching investigation and if they
found that the patient not INDECENT he would
! be sent back to the Bellevue authorities dis
| charged, to go where he pleased.
| The present method at Bellevue, said Commits
| soner Keller, would be remedied 1t a pavilion
| for the poor. and not for the rich. Patients for
| private hospitals should be sent to them direct.
In speaking Of the alleged ''railroadng'' of pa
| TENTS the Commissioner said the only possible
way that could be done was through negligence or
| cousion on the part Of the examiners who might
make mistake or be dishonest in their profession.
| The Commissioner thought every insane
should should be be disposed of in open court: If the
pital to have people committed they should take
their people to the private institutions.
THE CHARGES AGAINST THE NURSES.
After long explanation of the present mode and
the remedies that might be effected Commissioner
Keller dwelt the charges against the nurses
In the examination of fifteen of the inmates of the
alcoholic ward. when Thomas Wright and Dr.
Lent were inmates. eight had alleged that they
were treated with brutality and neglect. That was
why the nurses who in charge of the pa
vion had been dismissed. The eight patients had
made long statements. which were all prepared
typeWritten matter, as we'll long explanation
The matter was all made into neat parcel and
was sent by special messenger to the care of Mrs
meeting of the Board, after the inquest in the
be taken The governors have not taken action
and the discharged nurses are stil attending the
in the wards of Bellevue. The Commissioner SAYS
the Board OF Governors has tried hard to get the
knowledge of the alleged existing conditions
The inquest in the Hlliard case will be held to-
day at the Coroner's office, and various Bellevue
employees and officials have been summoned to an
In the course of the long and searching investi-
cation Edward A. Dunn, of No. 294 East Broadway
VINO was seized with an epileptic fit on Monday
Bellevue Hospital complained of the loss of 50 40
after his admission to that ward. Commissioner
yestgate 1t was found that the records Of the the
noSpital nos tai showed that Dunn had entered with s.
rules had been violated by Ira NJ. Chapman a