The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1909-05-13
The Asylum Investigation.

AL IuS uISt SSS6lOA VI luC SoAAA1S-
tee tor the investigation of the In
sane asylum three witnesses were
heard, two of them former patients
and the third a former keeper. TIE
first witness had been twice confined
in the asylum for insanity. He de-
clared that the cooking was poor,
though the food was plentiful. lie
reported that in some cases the nurse 5
cruelty or disrespectfully treated tbs
patients, one having been choked at
one time He declared that the
same water was often used for d
number of patients. He gave as his
opinion that out door sports were not
encouraged as they should be. He
spoke highly of DR.. Thompson, the
physician in attendance upon tAt,
ward in which he was confined, say
ing that DR.. Thompson was always
courteous and considerate.
The second witness was a former
inmate whose mental trouble had
been brought about by intestinal can
Ger. He claimed to have been neg
lected himself and to have seen 9TH
ers abused also The work at the
dairy and kitchen he condemned as
very unclean.
Every effort was made, however,
to keep the rooms clean and free
from vermin. He had seen as many
as IS patients bathed in the same wa
ter. He declared that he had con-
tracted tuberculosis while in the
asylum. Some of the nurses could
not read, he said, and he had often
read the directions on bottles OF
medicine.
The next witness examined was
Mr.. Fl. c. Wilson, of Columbia, a
former keeper. He had seen a nurse
strike an obsterprous patient and
had seen a patients legs badly cut
with a, strap used by one of the
nurses. Conditions would have been
better, in his opinion, had there been
more help. The attendants were
kept busy keeping down vermin. He
never allowed two patients to use the
same bathing water and knew OF no
such case. The attendants and pa
tients seemed to like DR.. Thompson
and Mr.. Mitchell, the supervisor.
DR.. J. L. Thompson, assistant su-
perintendent, was the first witness
examined on Thursday. He gave 1t
as his opinion that the nurses were
insufficient in number and some OF
them incompetent. The cooking was
in many cases unsanitary and was
attended to by the patients. He
thought a competent man should be
put at the head of that department.
in case of fire are In
ADEQUATE. He never permitted Ill use
of patients when he knew OF 1t. He
declared that DR.. Babcock had al
ways treated his suggestions with re-
spect and that there had never been
the slightest friction between them.
Supervisor J. NJ. Mitchell was the
next witness. He thought more
nurses were needed. In cases OF
nurses failing to carry out instruc-
tions he had always reported to DR..
Babcock or to DR.. Thompson. The
food was not palatable nor clean,
hence he had his meals sent from
home. He had never heard Of case
of two patients using the same bath
ing water.
On Friday the examination was
continued. Several previous wit
nesses were called, and DR.. E. D.
Saunders, who Is in charge OF the
white women's ward, was called
Judging from her reports the con-
ditions there are altogether better
than in the white male ward. She
spoke very highly of DR.. Babcock
and said she had never made a re-
quest that was not favorably con-
sidered.
The committee after her testimony
adjourned to meet again on May 18.