The Washington times., 1906-05-12
Comes to the Institution
About Once In Two.
Years.
ATTENDANTS ON STAND
Testimony Given That Civil
Service Has Done More
Harm Than Good.

The board of visitors of the Gov
ernment Hospital for the Insane
inspects the various wards OF the
asylum about once every two years,
and Dr. White, the superintendent,
inspects some of the wards every
Sunday, and other wards about once
a year, according to testimony
given today before the special Con-
gressionaI committee investigating
the institution.
Additional testimony was given
that the number of attendants in
charge of the insane people is
lamentably small. One witness said
that many Of the attendants are
mere boys.
Testimony was also given to the
effect that civil service has harmed
rather than bettered the conduct
at the asylum.
1t was also testified that owing TO
the recent order of the President
forbidding civil service employees TO
come before Congress in the effort
TO secure increases Of pay the at
tendants out there have been afraid
to ask for an Improvement in their
condition.
The committee will meet again
next Tuesday morning at 10 o'clock.
Testimony of Attendants.
James Albert Ogden. the first witness.
an employe at the asylum up 70 August
last said he had never seen any cruelty
80 patients there. although It was ncces-
sary at times to handle them a little
roughly He thought the food was all
right.
Winnie Frazier. colored employed In
the laundry at the asylum ever since
DR. White has had charge Of the institu-
tion. testified she had never seen Fore
man Maenche drunk or under the inhu-
ence Of liquor
She had seen Harry Satterheld. en-
plOyed IN the laundry, scufhing on the
floor She did not know how the diff
Guilty started She did not believe there
was cruelty 20 patients.
Lloyd Green, employed at the asylum
for six months in 1904 In a hospital ward.
said he never saw any maltreatment Of
patients.
He knew nothing OF the food given the
hospital patients. as the attendants did
not eat the same food as that given to
patients.
While he was on duy he thought Dr.
White visited the hospital ward about
once month" lie had never seen the
board OF visitors in his ward
Tho food we got" continued Mr.
Green. was what I had to complain or
1t was not cooked right
The witness said he had signed a Pc
tition to the board Of visitors in regard
to the food. DR.. Hummer had asked
him on one occasion why he had signed
Mrs Mary Mclaughlin. a nurse at the
asylum, said she has been at the insti-
tuition for the past twenty-five years.
She is now nurse in a male ward. She
thought there were too few attendants
IN that ward.
Il have never seen any cruelty in my
ward she said "The treatment is of
the very best. The physicians IN charge
give the patients a treatment which
do not think could be improved on.
''Our hours OF work." she said "are
exceedingly trying I go on my ward
at $50 o'clock In the morning Alter
mating I work one evening until and
the other evening until $50 o'clock.
Il think II we had better pay and
shorter hours. there would be a better
class OF attendants in the asylum. Some
OF them are too young to care for pa
tients with proper Judgment"
In reply 70 question by Mr. Wallace !
The witness said she had never seen an |
attendant named Thorne cruel to ma
tientS, but she had heard complaints of /
him.
How often does DIR. White come /
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