Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1903-06-29
Minority Report of e. v. Chaves Agrees With the
Majority Report Except as to Matron and
Superintendent Residing at Asylum.
BELIEVES TREATMENT OF
FEMALE PATIENTS TO HAVE
BEEN UNNECESSARILY HARSH

them to the floor; nor We're they draeg.
ed by the hair; nor were enfeebled pa
'iehts subject to improper exertions
They We're occasionally strapped to the
door as a proper measure of restraint
pnt without unnecessary violence. "
And they also find, "The present ma
iron Is In nowise open to censure or
n criticism in her official capacity"
10 this finding of the majority 1 can
not subscribe, nor can agree with
them.
The evidence shows that the present
matron of the insane asylum, who is
at the head of the female department
ana only second in authority to the
medical superintendent, not only sane
toned the unusual, cruel and inhuman
treatment of some of the female pa
tents, but in many cases she was pre-
sent and directed and ordered her in
ferior attendants to administer such
treatment to patients These treat
ments consists:
!. In placing a patient "Felicita" in a
cell bare foot, with no other clothing on
than an under garment, tying her with
her back to the cell door with a strap
| about her chest and raising the win
| dow of her cell to the outside so as to
| let the cold air blow upon her while
tied in that condition. This treatment
of "Felcita" lasted for about from one
hour to an hour and a half every even
| ing for from two to six weeks, and un-
til short time before her death.
2. In throwing patients down and
requiring several of the attendants or
tame patients, to sit on the patient un-
til she promised to be good.
g. In striking and beating patients in
one instance striking the patient with
a bunch of keys and chain used for
carrying said keys.
4. In placing the knee on the patient
while down on the floor, at the same
time taking the patient by the throat
and choking her with the hand
5. In administering cold shower
baths and plunge baths as a punish
ment for some past offence, such as
the throwing Of a piece of apple by the
patient on the floor, and then rubbing
it on the floor with the foot, or for
talking too much.
6. In using on a girl patient, about
1S years old, what a witness called a
"bridle,' being a piece of buckram or
canvas put in the mouth and tied back
of the neck, because the patient was
talking too much.
1t was shown by several of the at
tendants that they left the institution
because they could not stand the cruei-
treament the female patients received
at the hands of the matron, or by her
orders.
This being matter about which l
differ from the other members
Of the. committee, l have been tempted
to cite the evidence of several Witness
as, whose Testimony has not been i'm
peached, in support of these charges.
were 1t not for the fact that were to
10 so my report would be entirely too
l will, however, cite the
names of some of the witnesses whose
testimony support these different
charges, as may be seen by referring
o their testimony, and whose evidence
las not been impeached. These wit
1esses are: Mrs. Ella Schlott, Miss
Kate Ground, F. j. Gehring, Manuela
Chavez de Jaramillo, Cornelia Calm
lro, Virginia Maestas, and others.
VIII.
That the body of one. Mary Leonard,
patient. was opened BY DR.. Mohlau,
With the consent Of DIR. Upton. the
medical superintendent. the object for
loing so being to ascertain whether or
lot the patient was pregnant, and al
10 to have an articulated skeleton in
he institution for scientific purposes.
The flesh of the body was removed.
placed in soap box and buried in the
graveyard Of the institution. The bones
we're placed by DR.. Mohlau in bar
'el Water was placed in this barrel
or some time, but eventually the bones
md the barrel were forgotten and no
more water was put in it, and finally
he barrel itself went to pieces for the
rant of water the bones fell to the
round. and a patient seeing them
brew them over the fence surrounding
he institution. One DR.. DaCosta. who
yas then acting as assistant superin-
endent, found these bones about two
lonths ago-a period of about three
ears after they were first placed in
arrel. Two Of the members of the
oard of directors Of the asylum, then
licked the bones up.
In this instance of Mary Leonard
reat carelessness is shown both in the
,edical superintendent, who had
Of this matter, and in the
ther employees, who being on the
rounds daily could by very little ef-
ort (almost none at ally have discov-
red the human bones OF this unfortu-
ate woman, who at least was entitled
Continued on Fourth Pare.