Sunday Washington globe., 1902-01-26
ST. ELIZABETH'S.
A Condition of Affairs Which
Calls for Investigation.
PRACTICING WITHOUT LICENSE,
Nymph0mania Patient Treated Alone
by o Young Physician--The Nepo-
tism Practiced - Even Uncle Joe
Cannon's Relatives are CHARTERED on
the Institution-The Grave Matters
Cited Calls for Immed late Action.

Cited Calls for Immed late Action.
The GLOBE is in receipt of the following,
which speaks for itself
Editor Sunday Globe:
DEAR SIR--I note with pleasure that you
are getting next to the Civil Service frauds
in the various departments. You have also
touched up the Government Asylum, and
as l am a wise guy l Will suggest few
pointers for you to verify, aud l hope you
will pardon the fact that I will take the
liberty to point out the method for your
accomplishment of this work.
First See the Health Office record and
note whether or not you 6nd the name of
DR. A. B. Richardson, Superintendent for
the Government Hospital for the Insane,
among the list Of physicians who are
licensed to practice medicine in the Dis
trict of Columbia, and if you ind that he is
not, ask the Police Department why they
do not enforce the law as passed by Con
gress and why they have made an excep-
tion in his case when the Act of Congress
does not.
Second Ask why it is that some of the
assistants who prescribe daily for the
patients do not go before the board of ex-
auiners and have their ability testedP II
may be that they are afraid to go up before
the examining board lest the board be
put to sleep by the brilliancy of intellect
of the Ohio delegation which consists of
DR.. Richardson, DR.. Clark and others who
may be practicing medicine in the District
of Columbia withouta license which is con
trary to law.
Third. Ask why the questions for the ex-
aminations of the Civil Service department
are prepared by the superintendent of the
institution, and why one of the assistant
physicians was a guest at the institution
prior to and during the time that he was
taking the examination
Fourth Ask the health office who II is
that signs the death certificates Of the I'M
stitution and why certain others who have
attended the female patients do not finish
up their work and certify to the cause of
death? Find out from the blue book
whether or not Doctor Cannon, nephew
of Uncle Joe, is carried on the rolls of the
institution as a fireman, and whether or not
his family is not also housed and fed at the
institution, and how many tons of coal if
any has been shoveled by DR.. Cannon
Thisis a hot one for the Civil Service Com
mission to look up. Ask President Roose-
welt why his predecessor issued special
order taking the superintendent out of the
Civil Service and Immediately appointed an
Ohio man? Ask him if it would not be a
good idea TO declare the place vacant, place
it back under Civil Service rule, and
mold a competitive examination to which
the superintendent Of all the state asylums
and assistant physicians of same would be
eligible to take the examination. Look
these things up carefully and let the public
have the truth. lremain,
Yours truly,
UNCLE JoE.
Some of the subject matter in this COM
munication was aired in these columns
some months ago and the fact authenticated
that DR.. Richardson any more than DR..
Clarke were practcing medicine in this
District in violation of law The attention
of the Board of Health was then called to
the matter, but in this District it entirely
depends on who you are in the little matter
Of the observance of law.
The other matters in the communication
are grave and we should think serious
enough to attract the attention of the Presi-
dent himself The manipulation by which
this great insanity expert from Ohio was
foisted upon the District over the heads Of
able and we'll known local practitioners was,
to say the least in violation of every prin-.
ciple of the Civil Service law
The abuses which have crept in under the
administration Of the insane hospital under
this gang Of Ohio physicians are scanda-
lous and call for investigation by Congress
It has come TO our knowledge that the
wife of well-knowu and distinguished
citizen afflicted with NYSrPHoNlAN1A has
=. - e iii E =
sane hospital confined by herself in room
where she has been visited in the NIGHT
time as well as in the day time by one Of
the young physicians alOne
Comment on this gross, indecent and sug-
gestive outrage wonld be culpable on our
part and we pass il without further refer
ence than TO point it out as a sample illus
tration of the methods practiced by the
Ohio physician and insanity expert I'd in
charge Of St. Elizabeth's But to emphasize
the matter complained Of the GLOBE desires
to state that the information touching this
afflicted lady comes from her own husband
The relatives Of "the watch dog" of the
Treasury quartered at St. Elizabeth's are in
good company as will be seen from the fol-
Loving list of whole families, published in
the GLOBE last July:
Evander French aud wife.
Oxford French and wife.
Mr.. Harnish and wife.
Mr.. Barr and wife.
Mr.. James Carter and wife.
John Thomas and wife.
Joseph Bond and wife.
Mr.. Neighbors and wife
Andrew Klug and wife.
Joe Klug aud wife.
Joe Boswell and wife.
Odie Ball and wife.
George Skidmore aud wife.
All of these ladies and gentlemen enjoy