The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-08-31
VIVIAN PRAISES STATE HOSPITAL
 FOR TIE INSANE Thinks It One of the Best Managed Institutions
 in the South FORMER EMPLOY TELLS OF CRUELTY TO PATIENTS Two Ladies, Formerly Patients In the Hospital, Also Say Nurses Are
 Not Only Rough, But
 Are Cruel.

day to meet again in Tuscaloosa Monday afternoon at 2:3O o'clock, at which time the hospital authorities will present their side of the case. Yesterday mornings session was called to order at 10 o'clock and continued until 1 o'clock. Adjourn ment was then taken until o'clock, but on account of the failure of witnesses to appear nothing was done and adjourn ment was taken at 2:45.
 All of the members of the commission were present except Representative Gun ter who went to Montgomery Thursday evening on business for the commission.
 Four witnesses were examined yester day morning. A. M. Jenkins who was formerly employed as mechanic at the hospital; Dr. B. L. Wyman. who was connected with the institution for four and one-half years, and two discharged lady patients, whose names are withheld from publication by order of the com mission.
 The testimony was in line with that previously given. A. M. Jenkins was the first witness to testify.
 Former EnpIoye on the Stand. l the employ of the state, and was a guard of convicts at Pratt City. Said he was employed in the mechanical department at hospital for two years; that he went there in October or November. 1900, and was there until 1903, with the exception of few months during 1901.
 Witness said he went to bath room in ward : one day to work on gas fixtures, and while there several nurses brought in a patient. Nurses stripped patient and proceeded ot bathe him. The water was ice cold and patient objected to being bathed in 1t. The nurses then held pa tient's head under water until witness said. My God, are you going to drown him." The nurses then took patients head out of water, but continued to bathe him with cold water, and were bath ing him when witness left the room sev- eral minutes after. Said patient was man of frail appearance and did not re- sist the nurses. Nurses said patient had been brought to the hospital that day.
 Put Foot on Patients Neck.
 Witness told of how in lower ward ;3 Nurse Mills threw a patient down on the floor and put his foot on side of patient neck. Witness asked Mills why he want ed to do this, and Mills said 1t was his way of conquering the patients. This pa- tient had one eye knocked out by a threshing machine a week or two before this occurrence. Mills weighed about l5O or ITO pounds. and patient weighed about 1S5 pounds. This nurse was still at hos  pital when he left.
 Witness said he was in Hall 10, in which a large number of sick men were kept Said he was working on gas nx- lures and nurses were shaving patients. Said he had never seen an insane person shaved and out of mere curiosity looked OH. Said some of the patients were brought in stark naked and forced Into the chairs. The patients complained of the dull razors and witness took razor and tried it on his arm and found razor was so dull that 1t hurt his arm Witness told nurse that the razor wasn't fit to shave hogs with, but nurse said, Tt Is good enough to shave these Jackassos," !" and then told the helpers to bring him another "Jackass."
 Witness saw men taken out to cattle corral at a. m. during rain and extreme ly cold weather without any protection. Patients were also compelled to roll iron handled wheelbarrows during extremely cold weather without any gloves on their hands.
 Witness says he knows how convicts are handled by the state and that they are better fed than the insane patients.
 Heard Negro Curse Patient.
 Continuing witness said that negroes were employed as teamsters and to work in fields and that one patti ent would be sent along to assist each negro Said he heard a negro cursng one of the patients and witness took a hammer and told negro he would kill if he ever cursed or mistreated a pati- end again. Said patient was helplessly insane and did not resist.
 Upon cross examination witness said he was not summoned to appear before the commission. He knew investigation was being held and came in that morn- ing to see Mir. King. Said he had gone to see MT. King once before and ask ed when the investigation was to be held here. but MT. King did not know at that time, and that he simply came in on his own hook.
 Witnss said hospital building was steam heated, but that coal was scarce one winter Witness was discharged for complaining of the food said that he was discharged by Superintendent Kill gore by orders of Dr. Searcy. Said he ate in dining room with other em- ployes.
 Witness also said that he had seen patti ents pick crusts and other things out of slop barrels and carry them around in their shirt bosoms,
 pr. Wyman on the Stand.
 Dr. B. L. Wyman, dean of the Birming- ham medical college and president of the Jenerson County Medical association, was the next witness
 l Dr. Wyman said he was connected with the insane hospital from 1881 to 1885. That he spent the first year after his gradua- ton at the Blackwell Island. N Y, h. | sane hospital, after which he went to | Tuscaloosa. Said he had also visited l several other institutions and has visited the nospitl at Tuscaloosa at least once a year since he left there He has often | made more frequent trips than this, but l always makes at least one a year. at