The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-01-17


u Judge Iredwa5. In replying % Iase~=
lurh and Bland. said that the board
VA, ~ engaged In considering a matter
tons" a.
ro.I But his IS serious matter. too"
/ cleared up in justice 20 All the rnerrber-s
/ or the board For my own part I wien
tiial lhe matter be- looked into ty the
poard and determined here and now
. Following this statement Messrs Gil
nam, marlborough and -Tredvay arose 10,
Idrh and disclaimed all know1edee ~ anv
s. session ~ the board with refer
Colonel Lawless now arose and said
/ re neI no more Witnesses present. ex-
/ lunch hour. he asked for a recess srf
Ihe c0mmttec arose 10 meet again an
--5e p. n "'
DR.. Foster on Stand.
al Dr. Foster was sworn as soon as tho
S,,.sIi,HiCoon session convened. and was
t~@st l"neo by Colonel Lawless
The hrst charge and named
AGAINST YOU said Colonel Lawless rs
| that YOU have failed 10 carr,, 60.
| erect resolution of the board nasse9
/ ia lSV5, requiring night attendant
upon the wards. wish you TO explain
tu your own way n this resolution has
/ D"tn carried out and II not WIZ. NOT -
Df, roster said he found So would
s-4ul IT.. ffteen additional attendants.
mo the money was not available He
| reported this 70 the board and the
members agreed that # was not
feasible 70 execute the resolution
on the charge OF "duclSfnr" the s,-
| perintendent said he had seen IN tried
once; when a patient had struck him
| nut ne gave absolute instructions that
/ never repeated
The records viii show" he. went on
lhat nave disc harged a least thirty
employees. either for neglect of duty or
cruelty 70 patients. and I have made IL
rule 70 observe this course"
% "a 81.
naitreatment OF patients. Witness told
/ OF case where Or. Henderson had re
/ ported that patient had told him that
an attehdant nad slapped patient.
Or Henderson did not regard the mat
/ ter seriously. and witness was satisfied
| mat there had been no shaping. still
ne reported IL 10 the next meeting of
l the special board. The resolution Of
| the board on the ubiect was read and
u completely eNo1erated AN parties
from tue charge
Witness had never seen two patients
/ hathed IN the same water and II il was
| done II was done without his knowledge
or consent
| The next charge is that strait
/ jackets We're used. and that ON ono no.
! casion a man was strapped 20 "A bed
| and an electric battery applied 10 his
/ spine. What have you 10 say TO this?''
/ I found strait-Jackets !u use when
/ came here, but gave orders that they
I should be abandoned az rapidly as posi-
| DE They Were abandoned a. a rule
/ and ara now used only IN extreme ca ses
| Ihey We're never used as a means OF
| punishment"
Witness had given Dr. Henderson
| strict orders when he came here not to
use the Jackets" except I'm
| cases " necessity. He would NOT heqi-
! taAe 20 use a straight jacket" II he
| found IL necessary any more than he
! would 10 prescribe q drink OF whfslSe,
| for a patient whose condition demanded
He never knew anything Of the all
! legged use of "A battery on "a patient until
| II came out before the investigation Iasf
/ year. and he did not believe that me hat
/ terry was ever used as means OF pun
| ishmenr.
Coming 70 the charge about the food
| oelng Inferior In quality and inadequate
/ IL supply. witness fatty denied IT, and
| offered In evidence the general ration
/ list ia use ar the hospital He also
/ Introduced the reports OF the assistant
| physicians which showed that the food
/ was al right Ia both quality and Qurn-
/ THY. DR. Foster read the ration Ust
/ which he said was varied from day 10
1 day. and he read from II at length
! Witness spoke Of the lack OF kitchen
I facilities. and sald he had from tina
/ 10 time done all he could 10 improve
condition He had reported the facts
| Doth To tho board and 10 the Legisla-
ture.
Or. Foster was now asked as to the
/ charges concerning the bad construction
| OF the Montague building. and he de-
| clared that the board had employed "a
J competent architect. while he had given
! the work his personal supervision
IS Ule Montague building faulty IN
! construction" he was asked
'I think not" was the repiv.
Is II true that some green lumber
| was used on the building7"
Or. Foster said this was true and
explained under what conditions ft was
used. saying he had the advice 81 arcb{-
tects Oh the subject Or. Foster thought
! the matter could be remedlod by putting
IN steel ceiling.
Doctor" said Mr.. LawIoss. "tho next
branch or this charge is that the build
ings are badly lighted What have You
to say about that2'
u don't think so. sir We have ulent,-
OF them cut on.
Witness now came to the charge
that there was lack Of harmony be-
tween tho superintendent and his med
Zeal star. and ne said there had been
some dlnerences between himslf and
DR.. S0uthalI. but these were AM over
and their relations were now pleasant
As 20 the rule requiring the superin-
tendeut TO make daily visitations to
the wards. witness said the rule had
been observed as far as the exlgencies
not Followed up and watched his as
sistante 10 SEQ II they were doing their
duty. lie had too much confidence I'm
them FOR this, but he bad been IN some
wards Of the hospital every day and ia
some OF them several times day
Did you fail as these charges saw"
asked Colonel Lavsless. TO provide
offices for your. assistants In the execu-
y expect ! did" he replied
why"
Because 7 had not the money u
erect an additional building 1 think
the Ofioes ought to De there, and I
have repeatedly urged that the build
ing be enlarged.
II have, however. assigned the as
sistant physicians Offices IN other
buildings"
Witness denied the charge that he
was unfamiliar with the workings OF
the institution and said he wSs Ina
close personal touch with every
feature Of the work.
Or Foster explained the use OF
caustic IN certain cases. and hts tes-
timony on this line was practically that
given before The Investigating commit
tee.
witness testified as TO the charge
that be had criticised the special board
thereby creating friction.
He csclared that he had criticised
Messrs. Cloves and Coles for ordering
the Whiskey OF the institution to be