Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1905-03-17
HOSPITAL INVESTIGATION.
Testimony Given at Montpelier Before
Special Committee.


The committee appointed to investi-
gate state institutions met at Mont
pelier, Wednesday morning, March Is.
Among those present were Gov. G. j.
| Bell, OF Walden, G. III. A. Stafford, of
Morrisville, and II. +. Brigham, OF
Bakersfield, of the commission, At
| ty.-Gen. Clarke c. Fits. and Geo. w.
Wing for the trustees of the state hos
pital for the insane at Waterbury con-
cerning which institution the meeting
was held.
Mrs. Minnie Mansfield, Of Essex
junction, the wife OF a former patient,
| testified Wednesday morning Her
husband was In the hospital sixteen
months and she said that he often
complained of insufficient bedding and
that he was kept out of door too long
after the snow had come; also that
the food was poor and that Doctor
Wasson, one of the physicians, failed
to take notice Of physical ailment
from which he suffered. Mrs. Mans
field said when she talked to the doct-
or about this complaint he told her
he thought ii was part of her hus-
bands delusion and that there was
nothing really the trouble with him.
The patient also complained that the
water for his bath was often too hot
or too cold and that he was afraid of
the attendants Though none
of them had ever done him violence
he had seen attendants treat other
patients badly Mrs. Mansfield said
that in her opinion the attendants
We're too immature for the position
they held.
Mrs. Emily Rathburn of Bristol. an
inmate for is months and discharged
February 8, 1904 criticised the atten-
tion of the nurses and lack of general
She did not believe the
farmers who were paying the taxes
We're getting their moneys worth She
said person had to be in bed all of
the time or up all of the time. The
color of the milk furnished patients,
she said, was blue.
Mrs. Mary T.. Berry wife of DIR. Ber-
ry and former matron, criticised the
excess of cream furnished the execu-
tive department and complained of the
failure of the management to cooper
ate with her on matters of discipline.
She laid the blame for the trouble in
The institution to the management.
She said one patient was given the
post mortem bath by two nurses be-
fore her death. The patient was
stripped and laid upon a cloth on the
ioor. The unexpected approach of a
caused the nurses to throw
he patient back on the bed and when
he doctor arrived, the patient was
lead.
She could give no names as the af-
air did not come to her attention un-
il sometime after ii happened. When
,ressed by the attorney general to
rive the names of the nurses, she said
ne was a Miss Brown and that she
vas in the institution when she re-
igned. Mrs. Berry was asked to fur
ish the committee with list of nurs-
s and attendants in the asylum.
Yesterday Everett A. Morse of
,alais, who had been committed to
he state hospital for observation
ubsequent to arrest on the charge of
he chief complaint from the patients
was the lack of proper
iscipline Of the attendants. There
'ere many young boyish fellows who
-ere not properly governed. They
new when the officers would visit
heir respective wards and planned
heir abuses accordingly. He related
everal cases of the mistreatment,
V knocking down and kicking, and
lie wind cure" pressing with knees
n the chest of patients by the
yards. The patients feared the at
,ndants and dared not complain.
Michael Laughlin, a meat and vege-
lble cook, testified that 200 of the
10 quarts of milk were skinned
nd the cream used for the officers of
le hospital DIR. D. d. Grout praised
lie institution, but Orice Ballard, a
,rmer trustee severely criticised and
arraigned Supt. Hutchin-
ms administration.
The commissioners, when they have
nished with the asylum, will take up
lie penal institutions and try to find
1t why Keeper Harpin and son were
scharged from Windsor. 1t is re-
9rted that he was discharged be-
luse of his testimony before the leg
lative committee.