Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-02-19
BOARD TAKES ACTION
Recognition of Charges Against
st. Eiizabeth's Management.
HOSPITAL FOR THE INSANE
Serious Allegations by the Medico-
Legal Society of Washington.
NUMBER OF RECOMMENDATIONS
Gross Abuse Charged, Which the Com
mittee in It's Report Says
Should Be Remedied.
NUMBER OF RECOMMENDATION;

! meeting of the official board % visitors
! to the Government Hospital for the Insane
| is being held this afternoon to consider
serious charges that have been made
against that institution by a committee OF
| the Medico-Legal Society, composed of DR.
| Charles NJ. Emmons and Richard p. Evans
| an attorney.
Owing to the unavoidable detention OF
| two of the members of the board it was
| more than an hour late in getting together
| the time originally set being o'clock.
| The meeting is being held in the rooms
of the Spanish treaty claims commission
on Fl street near the Cosmos Club house
| The call for the assembling of the board
| was issued this forenoon by DR.. William
A. White superintendent of the hospital,
who is also secretary of the board Of
visitors
The visitors are appointed by the Presi-
dent and are SUPPOSED to represent the diff
ferent elements comprising the inmates of
the institution. Thus the board has as
members Dr. +. NJ. Gunnell surgeon gen
eral of the navy tretired). representing the
sailor inmates: Gen. John Moore, surgeon
general of the army tretired), presenting
the soldier inmates: Gen Walter Wyman,
surgeon general of the marine hospital
service, representing the merchant sailors:
LII u. L. MaSTuuer, Il lay physician. Mr.
s. II. Kaufman, representing the INDECENT
insane of the District of Columbia; Judge
w. A. Maury of the Spanish treaty claims
commission. who is the legal member of
the board: Rev. Teunis S Hamlin, Mrs. A.
NJ Gangewer and Mrs. Gardiner G.. Hub
bard
What the Board Will Consider.
The main duties of the board are to in
vestigate allegations made against the
hospital; to make official visits to the in
stitution every month; to audit the ac-
counts of Dr. White and to hold meet
ings twice every year.
AT the meeting in progress today the
board Will take up all the charges made
by the Medico-Legal Society, which en-
orsce allegations that strait-jackets, hand
cuffs, etc, are in frequent use; that
the feeding tube has been upon occa-
sions thrust through the nostril down the
throat as method of punishment and dis
ciplfne as We'll of alleged necessity Many
other like occurrences are reported. The
committee say it has no idea that these
practices, If they exist are known or per-
mltted by the superintendent, but he has
to leave all details of care and treatment
TO his subordinates. The committee state
that all criminals under charge or sentence
should be transferred elsewhere and that
the conditions surrounding many of the
eN-sodiers and sailors confined in St,
Elizabeth's reflects credit upon either
the hospital authorities or the govern
ment.
Reference is made TO the bull pen
where 1t is said, some five hundred are con-
fined, the management of which the COM
mittee condemns. AS to medical treat
ment these old soldiers receive the report
says there appears TO be no information OBJ
tainable from the reports, Juggling from
those examined under authority OF court
The committee refers to the report of the
superintendent OF the hospital regarding
autopsies and make this comments
Ea iIT IF .cia
of 236 deaths) occurring in our city hos
pitfalls would necessitate a large staff of
deputy coroners, especially if dissectons
were commended within three hours after
death, while the body was still warm as
has been authoritatively stated is done at
St. Elizabeths.'
Statement by DR.. White.
When DIR. White was seen by Star re-
porter today he said he would not attempt
to make specific denial Of the several allie
cations, as the entire matter would be
thoroughly gone over by the board of Wis
itors at its meeting this afternoon. Dr.
White said the Investigators of the Medico-
Legal Society wanted TO examine certain
records and patients Permission to do
this was refused them, Dr. White added,
because the records OF certain of the pa
tients are in no sense public records. For
instance, there are many persons whose
mothers, fathers wives and other rela-
they would not like to have their sad and
unfortunate condition exploited in any
manner whatever.
'' There are more than 5000 patients in
the Government Hospital for the IN
sane said DIR. White, land I can say with
out fear of contradiction that there are few
er cases of disorder and maltreatment in
this community of the insane than there is
in the average town of an equal number of
sane persons. The objectionable sin in this
institution is the i'll treatment of patients
by attendants or other employees Any en-
ploye, even though he be member of my
official staff who maltreats one of the I'M
fortunates under his care condones such
an offense will be instantly dismissed by
me-"
DR.. White said considerably more IN
juries, and frequently serious ones, were
Inflicted on attendants by the insane pa
tients than vice versa. He had several
times procured the arrest of attendants
for striking otherwise injuring the in
sand under their charge, and their dismiss
al from the institution was, of course
foregone conclusion
Has Never Tolerated Abuse.
II will not tolerate the abuse of the I'M
fortunate people under my care" said DR..
White emphatcally, land l have never
done SO. When such cases are brought to
my attention act decislyely. But / cannot
be expected to know of every detail of all
these buildings and their thousands of In
mates. | must trust some of these to my
assistants. AS 1T is l am governor. Pooh
Bah, mayor, financier and everything else
else here
''rhe committee of the Medico-Legal So
ciety has recommended that the executive
management of the institution should be
separated from the professional depart
ment," said the reporter.
'Fhe proposed separation of the alienist
from the administrative branch, replied
DR.. White, would simply be impracticable.
1t has been tried elsewhere and has proved
to be a failure. Its trial is in the nature
of ancient history. 1t is necessary to have
alienist in charge of the administration
of such an establishment as this In order to
determine what is needed, both as to ma
terials and measures. Yo- would not place
o paperhanger in charge Of machine shop,
would your"
His Conscience Clear
The superintendent declared that the
charges that have been made against the
institution do not disturb him, as his con-
science is clear as to Its mana cement so
far as he is concerned. He said abuse has
become ore OF the pedquisltes of the office,
which a noted French writer has referred
to as nartyrdoni. 1t is Dr. Whites epin-
ion that an institution such as the Govern
nent Hospital for the Insane should enjoy
the fullest confidence of the public, other