The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-05-05

! question and had decided by nlnajorlty
vote to exclude witnesses. i3a-8
Senator Sadler then turned TO DR. Hem
derson and said: III.
..Dr. Henderson, do you-objcct to tes-
! .tifying before DR.. Foster ts III sf
II will testify before any one. do
not Object replied DR.. Henderson
Dr.. Foster then entered and took
seat next to his COUNSEL
Mr.. Lawless again protested against
| the ruling OF the committee regarding
| excluding witnesses.
Mr.. Guild then continued his exanlina"
ton OF Dr. Henderson.
THE witness stated that no. exanlirla-
ton was made Of dead patients. and
that II such was the case 1t was tho
exception and not the rule. @iSsf "A
He said that new patients were only
causllally examined on arrival and that
40 minute examination was gone into
Mr.. Guild here read from the rules,
showing that a proper examination should
be made. i5
Continuing. the witness said that
rev rule had been recently adopted re-
81, ding patients with suicidal tendency.
These patients are kept In certain ward;
special paper is prepared. describing
thr patient and the attendants are COM
Z
can be no chance OF the attendants not
Knowing or the suicidal tendency. lie
said that there had been no female
suicidal since he had charge of the fc-
male wards. There had been four male
suicides within that time
lii answer to q question: of why the
special rule had been adopted regarding
thosc Of suicidal tendency, witness said:
because Of the frequent suicides. I sup
pose.''' t,ee3i }sl 81 (5.
Suicide Of Bell.
He said that the rule was adopted by
the special board and he thought it was
enforced because of tho suicide of "a man
r; med Bell. who was not known to be
affected with suicidal mania. The suicidal
Patients were scattered all through the
male wards. but they wcer separated in
the female wards. Witness said that In
his opinion. the use of asstrnight Jacket
was not beneficial. f
II have always been opposed to them:
ISthinls theysdo the patients HARM l have
known patients to he confined in straight-.
Jackets a day and a night without in
sterruption--I mean In this hospital since
/ have been here
In answer to n question, witness said
that there were no night attendants, other
than the suicidal watch, and one that
went through four times night. 2&@
think that 1t would be of the greatest
advantage II there were night attendants
In case of sickness, Of epientic fits, when
patients turn over and die from lack OF
attention. I havo known this to occur.
In this hospital the only patients who
are not locked up are the female suicidal
ones-all tho others are locked up. In
Petersburg at the negro asylum. there
are no patients locked up The lights
are on all night and the attendants look
after the patients. Here the lights are
put out at midnight. think that patients
should be allowed to come out Of their
rooms at night. 1t would improve the
health Of the patients. Fights also occur
here, and these would not occur If there
were night atendants.'' "a,
Compared Two Hospitals. ,.ss.., ~
The witness drew comparison boz
tween Central State Hospital petersburg
negro asylum, and the Eastern State
Hospital, showing that the white hospital
ton.
Senator Sadlcr: 1.-THE state OF Virginia
Is providing comforts for the negros ut
Petersburg that are not enjoyed by the
white patients Nhere. Is this not so?"
DR. Henderson: 'That Is my opinion"
Witness then told OF the separate build
Ing for attendants at Petersburg and
stated that tho attendants here slept IN
the wards. FIe said that attendants had
often complained Of not being able to
secure sleep on account of noise IN tho
ward He stated that there were no