Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1903-02-12

hcFeons oluictSu WIN any lOrm VI
insanity"-this is the sole qualification,
II | may so term it. But | am told the
high and mighty governors OF these
institutions, maintained at the cost OF
the Taxpayers. have CT rtain ''rules and
regulations" made by themselves, and
that this patient is excluded by one of
the rules" Strange as it may seem
to the superintendent and the boards
OF managers OF the Asylums, | have
no reverence or respect for their
"rules" except such as are made in ac-
cordance witt law.
To me the case in question demands
peculiarly the care OF the State. The
condition of this patient renders her
doubly helpless and dependent-nay,
more, involves another life. Surely If
there a be an instance where the
duty of the State is plain and un-
equivocal, this is one. 1t is the pride
of every citizen that the State is able
and willing to provide for her and
make such amelioratiou of her deplor-
able condition as is bumanly possible.
He cheerfully pays the axe necessary
to this end. and he has enacted laws
that his humane purpose shall be
carried out. Have the boards Of man
ayers OF the institutions he has built
and paid for-these his Sci wants, work
ing for stipulated hire-the power by
rule or bylaw to nullify the law, TO
set at naught the provisions under
which their brief authority has been
given themP Must the ease and com
fort of doctors, assistants, nurses, and
attaches generally, take precedence OF
the very purpose which gives these in
situations being?
The ''ruling" above referred TO
seems preposterous, not to say bar
barous. Is there no remedy? Is there
no power in the State to overrule such
heartless "ruiing"P
What is TO be done with the patientp
How is che to be cared forp Must she,
because of the autocratic rulings" of
Asylum managers be turned loose up
on the world, to freeze, to starye, TO
die in childbirth of non-attention, and
the offspring mayhap be made food for
brutesP | dislike to annoy our self
sufficient public servants, whose zeal
IN behalf of their calling is no doubt in
evidence every day of the week, with
these plebian questions; but, really,
there are some people who would like
to have them answered. For, if the
Jaw j%ustiies the arbitrary "ruling" re-
ferred to in this article, the law itself
must be revised until 1t enforces the
| / VI puO CltlLOub.
1t must be done, else where are
these "rulings" to find boundary If
a board OF managers can lawfully re-
fuse admission to a patient because of
bis or her physical condition-except
u case of contagious disease--to what
ends may not those "rulings" extendP
If the discretion OF the boards and
superintendent is to be exercised
without limit by statute, the legisla-
ture might better wipe out all law
governing these institutions and let
them be run subject only to the sweet
will of their officers. Practically, that
seems to be the rule now. II it is
good, let there be lawful. u%nequivocal
warrant for it, If it is not good, the
rule must be set at naught and made
of no avail.
Are the asylums instituted to care
for the insane or to provide acceptable
| places for their managers and a~ttachesP
On the answer to this query depends
the further inquiry as to whether law
or bylaw ought to govern.