The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1909-03-20
CONDITIONS AT COUNTY HOSPITAL
DEMAND SEARCHING INVESTIGATION
ANOTHER MAN FILES
WITH
THE STAR.
Commissioner Do Nothing
to Alleviate Sufe erings
of Inmates.


What is WRONG with the KIM
county hospital 81 osoreetown1
Charges have been made BY
responsible citizens that the in
~&titution is run IN a manner
that demands an investigation.
~ haa been charged, and not
denied, hat one man very re-
Gently wal "raiiroaded" into the
insane asylum 81 ~Steilacoom from
fhta hospital, although he Nas
sane and had never shown the
slightest indications % mental
alteration, 90 far IS his relatives
knew.
The relatives Of this man tried
for several weeks 70 oct possess
sion Of money, watch and bank
book which had been kept a.
the hospital when he mas ship
ped over 20 the insane asylum,
but we're unsuccessful.
People who have visited the
hospital, not once, or even twice,
but a dozen times or more. de-
clare that things need a "thak-
ing up"
The county commissioners
have hearo these charges, and
TREY have done nothing; not
even % entering q general Or
specific denial.
E~mphasiziHg the charges o. J.
Watson Webb. published several
days ago, that the hospital authorfs
ties are careless and even neglected.
% many 81 the patients entrusted
70 Their care, comes a statement
from a resident ~ Georgetown. WIG
says he is thoroughly familiar vita
conditions existing In the snstitu@
ton, and who writes the following
letter.
One Mar Responsible.
The hospital appears 20 be undes
the complete dictatlnn ~ one man.
whose word ir law. This mar i
The head doctor according 20 the
inmates, whose maine for him Ia
The Gar II u said ina the county
commissioner give him a free rein
ever his domains, He IL yet a young
man. and this fact alone would seem
70 eisqualify him for such an i'm
porfant position. where experfenca.
knowledge, tenderness and compass
sion should BE combined IN the ons
physician.
There are two other physicians.
One ~ these f. a student and sell
dom Or never appears unless thero
IL an operation The other two
visit the hospital once each DAY.
They remain about 80 minutes
At infreauent times q little longer.
They pass up and down the aisieA
sometimes speaking TO a poor. un-
fortunate. and sometimes not.
II Is said that the salary Of each
Is $500 per month Csio0 FOR each
floor nf the ~busidingb.
Each has a private practices
which he attends 70.
Nurses Do Little.
cor the student little can bs
learned. save that he sometimes
Operates. II has been lmpossibis
90 learn the eNact n lumber Of nurses
employed. but the number Is va
.riously stated as from AZ 70 IS. There
are approximately zoo patients in
the institution.
The nurses are well paid. but do
little or no work possible to avoid.
They issue orders 90 the GONZALES
cents. who wait upon and admins
Ter 20 their more unfortunate fellow
sufferers. even 10 the giving q
medicines Sometimes they are or
dered 90 bandaRe injured limbs. al
though protesting hat they do not
know how 10 do f.
The nurses absolutely refuse 10
visit The tuberculosis ward. aud SOL
dom or never do 50.
There are three engineers or fire
men employed. az salaries, "a near
~ as can be learned. Of from $50
TO 800 per month.
Heat IN the building is turned
on about 9 a. M and Is turned of
at s p. m.
There IL no room where the con-
..yalesceHt patients can sit or read.
and they are compelled 10 go TO
bed In order 20 keep warm.
Food Furnished Is Poor.
Employees have a separate table
set fer them. and better food than
the convaiescents.
Coffee Is served three times per
day. apparently made by boiling
over the grounds Of the coffee serv-
ed 20 tho employees
no meat whatever Is served 10
lnmates-that Is. those who are able
10 be at the table, except hash
'muliigan stew. etc. apparently
ployes' tables, and once each week
three links Of what Is known as
weinerwurat sausage.
breakfast consists of bread. thu
boiled over coffe. and "A bowl Of
mush. no milk or sugar for either
coffee or mush.
"Diunsr-Bre8d, soup. sometimes
potatoes. same coffee. once a week
hash. and once mulligan; no milk
or sugar.
"supper-what Is left from din
ncri maybe beans. same coffee; no
milk or sugar.
Arbitrary and Unjust Rules.
Inmates who have money or
friends are allowed 10 eat whatever
they wish. and the man with money
may eat his steak or shops. while
the other eats his milkless and
sugarirss mush.
"The patient who refuses to work
when called on. whatever his reason,
is threatened with being thrown
out
zone inmate Is known to have
asked every day for "a single dose
Of an ordinary medicine, used IN
every home, II was nearly two weeks
before he got Il.
"Co~nxslcscents. however far add
vanced. are not allowed 20 leave the
institution, even for a short walk,
without permission from the ear.
Both the day and hour that vis-
itors or friends are permitted TO
enter are marked. and everything
IL put In order. Il Is next 20 im-
possible 20 gain entrance at any
other time