The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1905-03-16
Says Witness in Insane ASy-
lum Investigation.
IMPROPER TREATMENT
Former Inmates and Relatives Tell
What They Know or Believe About
the Conduct of Waterbury
Institution.

Montpelier, March 16.-The commit
tee appointed to investigate state in
stituti0ns met yesterday afternoon al
the State House. Among those present
We're Gov. G. j. Bell of Walden, G. II
A. Stafford of Morrisville, and H. II
Brigham Of Bakersfield, Of the commits.
sion, Atty. Gen. Clarke G. Fits and
George w. Wing for the trustees Of the
state hospital for the insane at Water
bury concerning which institution the
meeting was held. The hearing was at
tended by a large number Of persons
from Waterbury.
Mrs. Minnie Mansfield OF Essex juno
tion, tile wife of a former patient. tes.
titled Her husband was in the hospital
sixteen months and she said that he
often complained of insufficient bedding
and that he was kept out doors too
long after the snow had come; also that
the food was poor and that Doctor Was
son, one of the physicians, failed to
take notice Of a physical ailment from
which lie suffered. Mrs Mansfield said
when she talked to the doctor about
this complaint he told her he thought
it was oalt of her husbands delusion
and that there was nothing really the
trouble viii him. The patient also
complained that the water for his bath
was often too hot or too eo' a14 that
he was afraid of the attendants. Though
none Of them had ever done him violence
he had seen attendants treat other pa =
tients badly. Mrs. Mansfield said that
IN her opinion the attendants were too
immature for the position they held.
Mrs. Emily Rathhun Of Bristol a
former patient at the asylum, testi-
fed as to the incapaeity and careless
ness of the nurses. She said at one time
she would have been scalded in bath
# she had not absolutely refused to 20
into the tub or TO be put in. She test
ed the water with her foot and found
il SO hot that she could not endure
it. Mrs. Rathbun also testified as to
the general lack Of supervision in the
hospital and that the superintendent rare
II visited the wards.
Mrs. w ID. Berry Of Burlington, wife
Of former physician at the hospital,
who was married to DR.. Berry during
her service as nurse there. testified along
the same lines as did Mrs. Rathbun in
regard to the lack of supervision by
the superintendent. She testified as
to the friction between the superinten-
dent and herself and her husband and
that because of this lack of supervision
the nurses became careless and some
times did not treat the patients proper
y.
At the request Of Attorney General
Fits, Mrs. Berry is to prepare and
to him list of patients now
n the institution who are sufficiently
lear mentally to be able to testify be-
'ore the commission if they should be
wanted.
a despatch from Waterbm saws that
Mrs. Berry told Of a woman patient
gho, she said, was given post mortem
'ath before life was entinct. The pa
lent died during the bath.
The witnesses heard this morning
we're Everett A. Morse of Cabot. Nj
hazel Laughlin and Miss Josephine +.
lase, the first two being former -
mates and the latter supervisor Morse
hought the institution not properly
-overned, that the attendants were
'omg and boyish. He told Of what
e considered to be i'll treatment Of two
atients named Brusso and Kelley. The
Fitness was recently sent to the asy-
am for observation as to his insan-
ty.
Langhlin testified that Of the $40
uarts Of milk received az the institu-
ion 200 were skinned and the officials |
OF the cream. Another said that eight |
hickens were one day sent up to one
'ard. The wardens took three, one
piece, and left FIVE to be divided among |
Drty patients.