The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-03-31
PHYSICIAN
WRITES OF
CONDITIONS
Of the Territorial Insane San
itarium as He Saw Them.
M A D { FIVE VISIT S
In the Last Year Under In
StruCtionS of Governor.

Guthrie. o. T.. March So.-The many
newspaper articles in metropolitan and
other newspapers expatiating upon con-
ditions at the Oklahoma ssnitarium az
Norman. charging corruption, which is
believed TO be without foundation, has
brought out a reply from DR.. E. II. Cooke
of Watonga. one of the board Of exam
iners Of the sanitarium, appointed by
Governor Ferguson. who states what the
conditions are at the sanitarium as he
saw them.
The Dispatch at Watonga published an
article relative to the sanitarium and Dr.
Cooke replies in the Watonga Herald of
this week. He says as follows:
The outrageous charges made by the
Dispatch of the sd inst. against the san
itarium company and the administration
regarding the care of the insane OF the
territory, calls for an answer from some
one who knows the conditions existing at
Norman. The commission OF three ply
sicians, appointed by the govsrnor. of
which / have the honor of being u mem
Der. has visited the asylum five times
within the last year. We have carefully
inspected every part of the Institution
and made. each time. written report
10 the governor as 10 the conditions found.
These reports have been published in the
papers OF the territory, Kansas and Kan
sas City papers. There is no reason why
any person who reads should not know
their contents.
With these and other sources OF au-
thentic information open before him. the
editor Of the Dispatch. with an energy
that would do credit 10 an honorable
undertaking. boldly disputes every part
of our report and places this commits
sion before the public as misrepresenting
the conditions existing at the sanitar-
ium. The fact is there is not an iota
of truth in the long list OF abuses
charged in the Dispatch. and there is
no reason why the editor should not have
known il.
There is not a house in the territory.
public or private. that is cleaner at All
times than that sanitarium. The inmates
are contented. healthy and well fed. with
good. wholesome food, we'll cooked and
plenty Of it. The attendants are com
petent men and women who carefully
lok after the welfare and comfort of the
patients There is absolutely no abuse Of
inmates. An employe who illtreats an in
mate would not hold his position an hour.
The medical attendance is as good as in
any institution OF the kind.
Il make these statements. not for the
enlightenment of the distributors OF these
scandals. but that the people may know
the exact conditions existing at the
asylum where their unfortunate friends
are detained.
Il do not wish to convey the idea that
the sanitsrium is all that could be de-
sired i'm an institution of this kind. but
l do say that il is as good as could be
expected under the contract system.
This committee has found occasion at
times to criticize the management and
recommended certain Improvements which
have promptly been adopted.
Now. in conclusion, IL the editor OF
the Dispatch wishes to disprove these
statements, I make this offer: II he Will
take the trouble to visit the sanitarium,
at his own convenience. and does not
find the conditions exactly as / have
stated. I will pay the expenses OF his
trip and he can put up at the best hotd>s
and ride in a sleeper. +. II. COOKE"