Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1903-06-22

and she said to the placing of a band
patient was sent 10 us by her family.
who feared she would kill the other
children. She had been taught to
read and write since coming to us"
In regard to abuses in general, Wit
ness said. There have always been
abuses in this institution and always
will be SO long as we have to employ
human beings as attendants. And 1t
Is the same in all other such institu-
tons. Some OF these abuses never
become known to the management, but
are kept secret by the attendants.
Some abuses are not malicious. but
are simply errors In Judgment. Tests
of judgment arise every day and ev-
cry hour. We are compelled to EN-
ploy inexperienced employees al times.
or anybody we can get, and these
have to learn by experience and are
liable to make Mistakes
In regard to the Ferris wheel bath,
witness said he was convinced it had
been used in the institution, but
absolutely without his knowledge un-
til one month ago. Witness charac-
terized 1t as trades secret" among
the attendants. Witness said a pa
tlent might receive slap or blow
J from an irritated attendant, and it
would never be known to the manage
ment. The management could only
be blameworthy where they knew of
abuses existing and failed to condemn
them and to discharge those respon-
sible for them.
In regard to Steward Ward, witness
said he had heen with the institution
since its doors were first opened. He
ssid he thought the public had an
exceptionally good servant in George
Ward. He is very capable, honest
and kind. In answer to questions.
witness stated that he had had an al
tercation with Benigno Romero about
the purchase OF drugs for the asylum.
ihls grew out OF the yearly contract
Tor drugs being awarded the Romero
Drug company, the specifications OF
which called for certain standard
grade OF drugs. Not long after the
contract was given rejected some OF
the drugs, and returned them TO Mr..
Romero. who was very much ,lls-
pleased. | had ordered Park Davis
q Co.'S tablets white tablets OF caIo-
mel), The tablets furnished us were
made by the Romero Drug company
and were nearly black In color. What
they were composed OF don't know.
They were neither the make nor the
color specified, and ! didn't care to
analyze them | was informed by
Mr.. Romero that | had no right 10
question the quality of the drugs. He
began to tell me the sort of drugs
required at the asylum, and said his
son had told him what was needed
there, and that | was to take what
he furnished, as that was what the
board had ordered. Later when the
Romero Drug company sold out, the
board entrusted to me to select wnat
we could make use of from them
Tor the asylum. didn't select as
much as Mr.. Romero thought should
and we had some words about that.
! spoke my mind very freely and
that ended the matter. We have had
no later disagreement"
Witness was asked II he approved
OF cold baths for restraint. punish
ment or treatment. He replied that
he didn't ordinarily approve of cold
baths for any reason, but In his five
years work at the asylum be had
permitted possibly score OF shower
baths In cases Of patients who were
vigorous and irritable and became
hard to handle. Witness said he had
positively forbidden attendants to
give these baths on their own respon
sibility. Witness said that in a few
cases he had prescribed dip baths, as
In the case Of very violent negro wo
man, who was very difficult 10 re
strain. but had dread of q cold dip.
and II had a very beneficial effect on
her.
Witness said he never permitted
the raising Of the feet and ducking
the head under water, nor did he nj.
low the patients to be kept In the
water any length Of time--just In and
out again.
In regard to Teofola Moya, witness
produced the daily records Of the
asylum To show that the treatment
testified to have been given her must
have been impossible.;. He said that
the first word he ever heard Of any
supposed abuse in this case was when
the investigation began; that The pa
tient could not have been dragged by
the hair, for her hair was clipped
short, nor by the ears, for he could