The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-09-08
Institution One of the Greatest and Most Valuable of Its
 Kind in the South
GREATER VARIETY NEEDED
 IN FOOD FOR PATIENTS
Appropriation Should Be $4 Week Instead of $3 for Each Patient. Full Text of the
 Report.

The report of the Bryce Insane asylum investigation commission was finished yesterday afternoon at Montgomery. It is pithy, but while it makes some sensa- tcnal charges of cruel and inhuman treat ment in certain cases, it says that the commission Is of the opinion that the in- stitutiop is one of the greatest and most valuable of it's kind in the south, and indeed a place where the people may carefully entrust their afflicted and un- fortunate
 The most sensational feature of the report is the recommendation that the grand jury of Tuscaloosa county fur ther investigate with a view of return ing indictments against the parties charged with the unlawful killing of Hines and Cornelius. Hines was the son of the sheriff of Lauderdale county and the people of that county as well as the whole northern part of Alabama are said to be very mucn wrought up, ,>over his death
 More Money Needed.
 The report criticises the state for only allowing the sum of $3 per week for each patient and recommends that this amount be increased to $4 per week. It also states that while the food at the time of the investigation appeared to be sufficient, still from testimony given by reliable witnesses-patients and nurses-it has not always been so. The employing of large number of ignorant nurses is also crit icised
 The report starts off with the charge that the institution is made the dump ing ground for the old, feeble and de- crept men and women afflicted with some mental and all sorts of physical ailments, and classed as "ndigent insane It states that there are several hundred of these patients at the hospital who should be taken back to the different almshouses throughout the state, thereby relieving the crowded condition of the hospital.
 The report was not finished until late hour yesterday afternoon and has not yet been given to the governor. It reads as fohows:
 Text of the Report.
 To His Excellency, Hon. B. B. Conner, Governor of Alabama.
 Sir:-The commission appointed under authority of a recent act of the lesisla- ture of Alabama to investigate the Ala bama Insane hospitals, beg leave to make the following report:
 The commission made an exhaustive investigation into the charges of cruelty and mstreatment of patients and the in- sufficeney of the food supply of the
  spection of the Mount Vernon Insane hos pital.
 The commission finds the Bryce Insane hospital the largest eleemosynary insti- tuition in the state, occupying many acres of ground, and having within it's confines, representing every class of so- clety, more than 1900 patients. It has a staff of about 15O officers and employees, including more than 100 nurses This in- stituton has tor many years been veritable dumping ground for the old, feeble and decrepll men and women af- ficted with some mental and all sorts of physical ailments and classed as ''in- digent insane" These people are main- taned at an enormous expense to the state and the commission is of the opin- ion that several hundred of these patients should be returned to the respective alms- houses of the state, there to be maintain ed and kept at the expense of the coun- ties. The patients here referred to are harmless and noffensive, but require some little help to care for themselves They are classified at the hospital as harmless dement's. No medical nor sys- tematic treatment is given to or needed by this class of patients, and they would require no professional treatment at the almshouses different from that given the indigent poor, other than the additional help and care on account of their help
 
 patients were returned to the aims houses of the several counties of the state, this institution would be much less crowded and q better and more efficient service could be rendered the inmates that are of right entitled to be maintained at said institution.
 Greater Variety of Food.
 The commission made careful study of the conditions relative to the food sup ply of the patients at the Bryce insane hospital, and at the time of making the examination find that the patients are given a sufficient supply of food, but would recommend a greater variety than is furnished by the authorities. There was testimony adduced before the com mission to the effect that the state patti ents had not been sufficiently fed prior to the appointment of the Investigating committee by the legislature at its recent seslson The evidence offered in support of these charges was from patients them selves, as well as nurses and other wit nesses whose sanity was not in ques- tion. There was some evidence before the commission that the food supply has been recently increased, a number of wit nesses testifying to this fact. The off cers and employees of the institution have denied these charges of insufficient food supply. and that there has been any in crease in the quantity furnished the pa- tients since this investigation was com menced.
 The commission is of the opinion that the state with all it's vast resources. should be liberal in the support and maintenance of these helpless and unfor- tunate people Life behind these dreary walls is pathetic enough at best, and no patient should ever have any cause to complain of hunger, and to this end the commission recommends that a more careful supervision shall be exercised to see that every patient shall receive greater variety of food than is furnished by the management of this institution at the time of making this report The commission recommends a better classif- cation of the patients in the dining rooms. 90 that the intelligent and cleanly shall not be forced to eat at the same table with those who are obiectionable on ac-