The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1907-09-21
Now Examine Patients.

betas. was examined for vermin. and
according to the records none vas
found.
Now Examine Patients.
since Tie first investigation Of the
Washington Asylum Hospital. special
attention has been paid to preventing
vermin on the persons Of patients. &C
I cordng 10 the statements Of the doctors
there, and the rule rnat each patient
should be examined before being allowed
to 20 out Of the hospital has been put
I into effect since the FIRST investigation.
I When the doctors were asked today
/ how it WAS possible tor tho records OF
/ the two institutions TO differ so mate
rally in regard 10 the 5ndirg OF yermIn
on The pauents' persons, Iney replied
/ they were sure their records were cor
rect when the patients left their insu-
( tuition.
That the conditions at the Washington
: Asylum Hospital are inadequate, and
/ especially 50 for the reception and OBJ
! servation Of insane or alleged insane,
! persons. is freely admitted az the nos
pital, and even advanced as excuse for
I any shortcomings that may be found
/ there.
/ So far as the nurses are concerned.
\ the situation IS lamentable. The ply
! slcians claim that they simply cannot
/ secure nurses Cor the salaries authorized
7 for them by Congress, which are S. and
: s. month. Entitled TO twanty-fOUr al
/ the wages mentioned, they have only
] twelve. They claim they nave adver-
I tised in other cities and have sent out
Z circulars, but that they cannot get
I the component or young women neces-
sary for looking after the patients.
/ W men Il was suggested TO-DAY that this
} shortage In the force OF muses. and at
; tendanJs might be responsible for the
condiuons complained OF. Il was denied
1 on the ground that vermin WAS the
/ thing especially warred on in the hos
pitdi s.nce the recent investigation.
/ Commissioner Nacfarland said he diG
/ not understand why the Government
/ Hospital for the Insane had not notified
/ the Board OF Charities Of the patients
/ being received there with vermin on
( them, as the institution had been asked
/ 10 take such action so that the condi-
{ tioiIs complained Of could be Obviated a.
/ once.
] Referring to the statement that the
! news Of the first investigation Of the
\ Asylum Hospital had been unnecessarily
! suppressed and all knowledge OF il kept
/ from the public, Commissioner Macfar-
/ land said,
The new charge having been publicly
! made. the report Of the new Investigation
/ viii. Of course. be published The report
/ OF the former Investigation was not pub
| lished because there had been no public
! charges and beCa use Il exonerated the
{ Washington Asylum people and there
/ fore. no action was taken by the Com
] mlssioners. None Of the Commissioners
/ suggested that any action should be
taken or that the report should be
! published
/ Personally. I accepted without ones
! ton the results Of the detailed investi-
/ gotlCn made by d. Neil and Dr.. Kober
! IN three months hard work. as I would
accent any report that they made after
such an inquiry, I have learned moth
J Ing since 10 shake my belief in the cor
sctness Of their conclusions on the
contrary, from time to time I have had
! information showing that the sUperin-
Iendent OF the Washington Asylum. Mr.
| Llnkhan, who is the responsible person
is maintaining conditions in the hospital
as elsewhere as satisfactory as those
reported.
Only yesterday, John JOY Edison.
1 president; Myer Cohen member. and
george ) Wilson. secretary. OF the
Board or CHARITIES. In the morning. and
! Wlthout' OF course. any knowledge that
mere would De any publication on the
SUBJECT In the evening. made one of
! their unexpected official visits to the
| w asnlngton Asylum. and found the
! hospltal. as ! am informed. in excellent
conditlon- But Of course the charges
must be investigated, and il any dis
cipline is needed it will be promptly
81 ought to add that the Government
Hospital for the Insane. although asked
by the Board Of Charities at the time
of the last investigation to notify ii
promptly Of any new case Of a patient
| arriving in bad condition. has sent no
notice Of any such occurrence
Building New Wing.
50 unsatisfactory are the conditions
! surrounding the insane and alleged in
sane patients at the asylum hospital
that even now SUperintedent Zinkhan is
having a wing OF the old almshouse
| fixed up as a ward for them, but he said
this morning that il would be a long
time before the ward won be ready
for occupancy. owing TO deli 8
In addition to the discrepancy between
the records Of the Washington Asylum
Hospital and St. Elizabeth's concerning
vermin on the patients. there is still an.
other
Commissioner HacfarIand the Board
or Charities. and DR.. Hickling. visit
ing physician Of the Washington Asy-
lum Hospital. say the authorities at ST
/ LILA beth's were asked to notify the
/ Board of Charities II any cases OF YER
min were found
Acting Superintendent Of the Govern