The Cairo bulletin., 1906-05-15
CARE OF INSANE
DR.. SAMUEL DoDDs GIVES INTER.
EsTlNG INTERVIEW ON SUB
JEcT TO THE BULLETIN.
Knew Fullilove, the Patient Who Es.
capped From Anna Asylum Where
Or Dodds Was Physician for
Number Of Years.

regarding the escape of Logan FULL
love, patient, from the Southern
Illinois Hospital for Insane at Anna
attracted the attention of Dr. Samuel
Dodds, Of this city, who for nearly
five years was physician al the Anna
asylum.
DR.. Dodis. whose vide experience
as an alienist is We'll known, was in.
terviewed by The Bulletin yesterday
regarding Fulliloye and gave much in
teresting information concerning the
treatment Of insane patients, their
symptoms. ana other relative sub
jects.
He said Il knew Fulilove well He
was under my care for over four years
az lhef Anna hospital. He was an
epleptic, and that spells a great deal
Speaking generally. the insane cpl
lontin's di position is a peculiar one
He has as rule. the most profound
egotism; he is representative. He
thinks only Of him elf and is indiffer-
emf To The lights OF those about him
Is extremely .ritable. asks innumer-
able questions, finds fault about the
most trivial matters-often imaginary,
and Away makes hi7 side of the case
as strong a possible, even 10 the (
poini Of stretching he truth The I
oftener he has commissions. the more |
his peeuliarities are emphasized. Att
the same time he may have sociable
qualities and may be very religious
In h.
insane epileptics can be gotten along
with best by being treated kindly and
being given a measure of little atten-
tions and privileges They wish to be
noticed, and in most cases they can be
handled best by allowing them to
think they are having their own way
when they are not In their selishness.
sensitiveness, or furious outbursts of
temper and posing as martyrs they
remind one very much Of badly
spoiled. children.
Concerning abuses IN hospitals, I'M {
fortunately abuses sometimes occur In
the best OF regulated asylums. sup
pose there l. MOI an insane asylum in. S
the world where there Is not at one I
time or another, an instance Of mis-
treatment Where there are so many
employees there win be one or more
with cruel streak in him or her. This
Is bouli TO be so. 1t is the case in any &
line Of employment, There are always
a few who make II necessary for rigid Il
rules to exist The only remedy for >,
cruelty in an asylum Is for the officer i
in charge Of department TO be con !
stantly ON The alert He should listen ;,
patiently to everything a patient has !,
to tel him. He win often learn thing !
that will surprise him. The least scar =
DR. mark on a patient should excite his "
and he ought not to stop IN
Ill he knows how Il occurred This is :
his duty. He hculd teach the patient :
right from the start that he Is his
friend and that he can tell him any Z
thing that ne Las to tell without fear :,
)f the results Sometimes this en- !,
,ourages n patient TO lie, Che is -
lumanl ana ne VIII tell the physician
very plausiblc s orie. about being mis-
reatcd bni after while he learns
hat b,s staiements are weighed fully ,
md that il pays 10 tell the truth. The
physician SHOULD listen just as care .
Mlly to what the attendant has to say,
Ind must learn 10 discriminate be-
ween truth and falsehood. and so deal
'ui ju ticc all around. "a
! have often known that an attend. .a
INT was being made decidedly unhappy
Nv ao on
If being mistreated-not because the p.
attendant was guilty but because ap
Feared 10 doubt his word by listening b,
O what the patient had 10 say But u,
he would stop 10 think he ought to p,
NOW Chat ! could not do him any
greater Kindness. Often. after listen \
ne 10 a patients story my faith in
he admirable qualities of the attend
mi has been IN further strength n
ned. and some of the worthiest peo- d,
lie I nave ever known we're employed
n this work. b
Fullilove may be recovered. hope
he Il. He IS good fellow al heart ! o.
ave not seen him for a number OF M
years. Such recoveries dc happen in Al
,ases like his hut not often. " he is
rot reeovoIed. tAe unfortunate man b
sill. after heing away from the routine
life and medical reatment of the hos
,ital for a while. have convulsions ii
more frequently. his mental condition
sill become worse and his friends "a
viii find thai they cannot keep him at
home O.
have gone into this rather fully TN
Decause sUch stories as Fullilove's
spre ad broadcast are o great source OF g.
to those who have NJ
riends or relatives who happen 10 be
q unfortunate as to have 10 be in "
mates of these Institutions ] can say n
hot with few exceptions the many 3
Ulcers Of the different asylums with
which have been cOnnac ell. and the u
aree number whose acquaintance vi
ave formed in this and other states.
re men and women of except onally r.
me characic- and atiainments. and fo
Tould not tolerate any misireaf meat
y word or act Of the mforunates vi