The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-05-07
THOROUGH
INVESTIGATION
IS MADE
Interior Department Official
Makes Report.
COVERS EVERY DETAIL
Practically the Same as Made
by Examining Board.

Guthrie, o. T. May 6.-Dr. a. B. Rich
ardson. superintendent of the government
hospital for the insane at Washington
acting for the department of the interior
has made thorough investigation of the
Oklahoma sanitarium, and yesterday filed
an exhaustive report with Governor T.
B. Ferguson The investigation was made
at the request of the governor, made to
department of the interior officials. Con
trary to the expectations OF many persons
the investigation was made, and as pre-
dicted, the report of the government in
spector is practically the same as made
by the board of examining physicians
named by Governor Ferguson to make
quarterly examinations. The report COW
ers every detail and shows htat the in
sane patients of the territory are as well
cared for as can be expected under pres
ent conditions. The report is as follows:
Guthrie, o. T.. May 8, 1903.
Hon. T. B. Ferguson, Governor of Okla
homa Territory
Dear Sir: Pursuant to the suggestion
of the honorable secretary of the interior
and on your request, 1 yesterday visited
the Oklahoma sanitarium at Norman,
Oklahoma, and spent the afternoon and
evening at the institution
Il met the resident physician, DR.. Grif-
fin, Immediately upon arrival and asked
to be shown the patients at once. We pro-
ceeded Immediately to visit each patient in
the institution. and l talked with quite a
number of them. I visited all of the
apartments, examined every room, exam
ined the bedding and later visited the
kitchen, dining room and place where
supplies are kept, and also examined into
the character of the meat and groceries
furnished. l also took note of the cloth
ing used by the patients, the ventilation
and plumbing the number of beds, the
water supply and the protection from fire.
1 inquired into the proportion of attend
ants to patients particularly with refer
ence to the night service. After carefully
reviewing all the circumstances, 1 beg to
report as follows:
Il found three or four patients who had
a good many complaints to make about
the character of the food and its insult
cient quantity, and about the character Of
the building 1 asked quite a number of
others as to the same matters, and the
very large preponderance of testimony
was that the food supply was sufficient
and of very good quality. I stayed to the
evening meal, saw all of the patients who
were able TO come to the general dining
room at their meal. and it seemed to be, I
should judge, sufficient and about what is
usually furnished for supper in the ordi
nary institution. 1t consisted of a very
good quality of bread and butter, which
was told was butterine, but seemed to be
a good grade: coffee. syrup and prunes.
There was also furnished to most of them
a cereal, or something like blanc mango.
/ also remained and saw the patients af-
ter they were in bed, going through
number of the wards and looking into the
rooms after the patients had retired.
u believe that the management is doing
as well as they could do with the equip
ment they have furnished them The
medical care is as good. I think, as could
be found in any institution OF like charac-
ter. The patients all spoke very kindly Of
DR.. Griffin. even those who had COM
plants to make otherwise.
Il found very few sick patients not
more than half a dozen. and the general
physicval condition of the patients was
very good. The entire equipment of the
hospital is quite cheap. The bedding is
not quite what I would suggest it should
be. The best mattresses furnished are of
excelsior, and there was usually one sheet
on each bed. The pillows were Of cotton
felt. and in number of instances had be-
come lumpy and d. l should judge. rather
uncomfortable. The bedding was all
sence of hospital odor about the wards.
In fact, 1 saw no evidence of uncleanli-
ness in any respect. There was a good
deal Of painting and calsomining going on
just at this time, which the management
stated was their usual custom each
spring The interior walls Of the building
were either stud partitions, or. in most
instances. simply plank partitions of very
plain character. Some of the stairways
were quite steep. and all of them, OF
course. wooden and not very safe in char
acter.
THE hospital is at present quite over
crowded. A. number Of the dornitories
had more beds IN them than they should
have. The officers recognize this. and
there was in process Of construction st
that time a frame building 70 accommo-
date about sixty patients. which they
stated would be completed within two or