The Portland daily press., 1901-02-21

THE EYE AND EAR INFIRMAHN.
Representative Haskell OF Windham
made some very serious charges against
the Maine Eye and Ear InflrmAry in q
speech on the fi9or OF the House yestsr-
day. He alleged IN the first place that
the institution was extravagantly man
aged, was wnsteful OF something worse
Comparing the report Of last years work
with that of the Central Maine hospital
for the same period he showed that the
Lewiston hospital treated almost nve
times as many free in-patients as the Eye
and Ear IniirmAry and little more Shan
half as many full paying patients; that
it gave 1854 free days board to the In
tirmary's 23l0; yet its expenditures for
subsistence were 81, ,S53 o. less; its bill for
fuel, lights, water, etc., INA s6 less;
the charges for printing and stationery
over $500 less. MIR. Haskell related the
case of poor girl, which he said he had
personally Investigated, who went to the
Iniirmary for treatment for an affection
of the eyes and was told that they had
not the Instruments necessary to treat
her case, and directed her to go to the
office of the executive surgeon. Instead
she went to another ooCulist. who In
formed her that her trouble was OF the
simplest kind and fitted her with glasses
that entirely remedied the difficulty.
while he did not disclose the name of the
girl in his speech he offered TO furnish 1t
to anybody that desired 1t, and to prove
by testimony the truth OF his allegations,
he related the story of young hoy "a
story which bas been current here for
some time past) who, while at the In
Urinary was punished by one OF the house
surgeons and had his mouth covered with
an adhesive plaster, presumably to keep
him from crying. This boy, ne said, was
at the institution seven weeks without be-
ing given a bath, and when he got home
his head was full of vermin. Further
more he asserted that an effort was made
by the management OF the Infirmary TO
hush up this case and that is was only by
threats of prosecution that the discharge
of tue surgeon was brought about. One
OF the features OF the story as current
here was that the casa was laid before the
county alto rnsy. Nh. Haskell referred TO
the charges made by Dr. Bowers two
years ago and described the Investigation
made by the Board OF Trustees as farce,
a description which, we believe, every
impartial person VITO followed 1t will
recognize as accurate.
After listening to Mr.. Haskeli's speech
the nouse voted TO reoommit tbs blu to
the committee presumably for the pur-
pose OF investigation, 1t is to be hop
the investigation viii ne thorough and
impartial, and that It's purpose will be
simply to get at the truth. This institu-
tion has been the subject of much
criticism for several years past and many
damaging stories have been In circulation
in regard TO IL. Rightly or wrongly,
great many OF the citizens OF Portland
have felt that 1t has not been faithfully
living up to it's professions.
1t is not sufficient reply to these charges
to point, as one representative did, TO the
fact that the Governor is the presidsnt OF
the Board OF Trustees. 1t is easily con-
oeivable that he might be president Of
that body without knowing much of any
thing about It. Nor will 1t be satisfying
to say that certain well known ger tlemen
of Portland of high standing compose the
Board OF Trustees An open, thorough
and impartial Investigation alone will
satisfy the public.