The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1910-01-22

NAoA"' JoH. 1S.-Ine reports of
the commission appointed to inyesti-
gate the affairs at the State Hospital
for the Insane have been made pub
lie. The majority report signed by
Senator'S Christensen and Bates and
Representatives Dick and Harrison
Is singing arraignment of the
board of regents for neglect Of their
duties, particularly those laid on
them by their own rules and regula-
tions, which require that they shall
report the conditions at the hospital
each month. The report is most tenn.
perate attaching blame to no one,
presenting the facts as they were
found, the laws Of the State and the
institution and the neglect of both
but worse than all, through the testi-
mony submitted showing the very
grossest violations of the ordinary
rules of sanitation and even decency,
such as the bathing Of Is patients of
one ward in the same water in a
bath tub, and some Of those probably
afflicted with syphilitic disease or tu-
berculosis. The location of the foul
est water closets, centres of wide pol
luton. within few steps of what is
practically an outdoor kitchen, the
absence Of screens and many other
| gross violations Of the commonest
| laws of health.
The committee seems. to have split
hopelessly on the scope that the in
vestigation should take. The majori-
ty report is from those who consider
ed 1t their duty to examine any and
| all conditions around the hospital,
the minority, signed by Senator Har-
din and Representatives Cary and
| Sawyer, contending for confining the
investigation within certain charges
brought before the commission. This
latter construction is the one con-
| tended for by the friends Of the SUI
perintendent and regents, who, sure
Of the fact that these gentlemen did
not see that they were neglecting
their duty. would have spared them
the unpleasantness Of the cruel ex-
posures made by the investigation.
No one would charge DR.. Babcock, one
Of the most eminent scientists in the
country, with intentional neglect Of
so great charge. but the evidence
submitted and the array Of photo
graphs OF the institution made under
the direction of the committee are
most damning.
The board Of regents Is composed
OF Aessrs. w. J. Gooding. Hampton:
]. Perry Glenn, Anderson; w. w.
Ray. Congaree; ]. H. Taylor, Colum-
bia. There are no better men in the
State than these. For their work
these regents receive a per diem Of
not more than $3.50 year and mile
age when they attend meetings. The
superintendent, who is also the chief
physician. receives $4,000 year
and a residence on the grounds.
The report points out that the reg
ulations Of the board were made IS
years ago, and been changed very
little since that time and no adoption
OF modern ideas in such institutions.
mot only" says the report. "have the
expenditures Of the appropriations
been In some cases wastefully man
aged, but not enough has been asked
for to maintain the proper standard
Of such an institution.
The report calls attention pointed
ly to the fact that the regents of the
institution, in their own minutes, ac-
knowledged that the State has al
ways given them all that. they asked
for for the maintenance Of the insti-
tuition, but that even in the matter
OF appropriations asked for for the
purchase of additional land, and the
buildings needed, when the legisla-
ture scaled them down the board
usually went ahead and had the work
contemplated done and the deficien-
cy, more than the iginal amount re-
quested, was "a up by the next
legislature. l. tegents complained
of nothing but the crowding Of the
institution, and yet the laws Of the
State. were specific to the effect that
the institution was to be for none ex-
cept insane persons. and the manage
ment had not refused to admit many
inebriates, weak minded persons and
idiots in violation of the law, when
the institution was admittedly over
crowded. The report shows on De-
cember 13. 1858 inmates-52O white