The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1909-05-28

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eating committee in Columbia on
Thursday. The following report of
his testimony is taken from the Co.
lumbia State:
DR.. Babcock's Testimony.
DR.. J. ". Babcock, the superinten-
dent, was next called. There was con-
siderable interest manifested by the
members in his testimony and every
word was listened to with closest at
tention.
He was questioned by Mr.. Carey.
He was born in Chester county in
1856. He had worked his way
through school and Harvard college,
graduated there in 1882 He after
wands worked in an asylum in Mass
achusetts. He worked there from
1885 to 1891. About July l, 1891,
Gov. Tillman wrote him and after
consultation he was offered the SUI
perintendency. He had experience in
the Massachusetts, asylum where he
was second assistant physician. He
had been superintendent ever since.
Receiving the Patients.
Dr.. Babcock then explained the re-
ceiving Of patients. The papers
came from the probate judge. There
was vaccination requirement in
case of a smallpox epidemic. Last
year the commitment except in emer-
gen:y physicians certificates attach
ed 20 the commitment except in emer-
gency cases.
Up to 1896 or 1897 the rule was
that pay patients could be committed
on the request of a relative or friend.
A law was then passed, at his request,
putting all patients on the same basis
and making the requirements more
rigid.
Questioned by Mr.. Carey, DR.. Bah
cock then explained the form Of COM
mitment. No patient was received
except under these conditions, said
DR.. Babcoek, for the last Is years.
The probate judges were instructed
to be particular and were particular.
The form was prepared by himself
and Mr.. A. ". Ray. at that time
Judge of probate of Richland county.
1t was taken from the New York law.
There were cases when a patient
Violently insane was brought here
without the papers. In these DR..
Babcock always wrote back calling
attention to the law.
A Peculiar Case. -.
DR.. Babcock told of a girl Is years
of age whose father was about to
die. She lost her mind and was Or
dered here by one physician. The
authorities protested. The brother
promised to get the necessary papers
later. The girl refused to eat and
she was fed with tube for five
months.
In the meanwhile DR.. Babcock
could not get the papers. Finally the
probate judge of that county got on
ly one signature to the papers. They
We're sent back as illegal, and he had
never been able to get them signed
up.
The girl was now recovering. He
could not turn her out after being
sent to him and would not have done
so.
AS to Inebriates.
This rule applied to inebriates and
none were taken unless the law was
carried out. The law. required that
they be received as pay patients.
He would like to receive orders to
refuse a patient when the asylum was
crowded as in other States. In JUS
tice to the probate judges and the
physicians he believed that in every
case careful and conscientious exam
nations were made. He would accept
the commitment as prima facie evi-
dence that the patient was insane. In
very rare cases he went behind the
official papers, but as rule these pa
pers were correct.
Of course the physicians examined
the patients when they were received
and observations We're taken from
time to time.
The law required that the inebri-
ates be pay patients. This was more
often honored in the breach than OBJ
servanee. Very often the counties re-
fused to pay as required. He had
never sued a county. A bond of $41.6O
was required from the county from
which the inebriate vas sent but OF