The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1910-01-25

pay patient; but no such person shall
be received or retained in the hospi~
tai when the accommodations provid
ed for patients shall be inadequate
for the proper care and treatment of
lunatics and others lawfully commit
ted to the hospital The practice of
receiving such patients when the in
stitution was in crowded condition
did at one time prevail but has been
| discontinued for some time.
The commission submits through
{ Chairman Christensen a report from
DR.. Robert Wilson, Jr., chairman OF
the State board of health, who, un-
der date of Decembes 20, writes that
the sanitary conditions are very bad,
floors, defective, drainage bad, aport-
ments devoid of ventilation and light,
and "rooms filed with patients that
were never intended for human occu-
pation.' The manner Of handling
milk is particularly condemned by
DR.. Wilson. He adds:
GAS might be anticipated from the
crowding of 1900 people into restrict
ed and very unsanitary quarters a
reference to the mortality statistics
cf the institution show tuberculosis to
be the chief cause Of death. In 1907
the deaths from this disease constltu-
| ted 31.2 per cent of the total deaths
AMI in 1908 the proportion was 24.9
per cent of the total deaths. This
enormous death rate is about double
the average rate of civilized COM
nunities. It is due to the excessive
overcrowding and The promiscuous
,, mingling Of the tuberculous with the
neutrality-suspicious. in very imperfectly
ventilated apartments. Flies, which
are very abundant are 90 doubt i'm
portant factors in the transmission
Of the disease germs.
t. "This unsanitary sts,te Of affairs
and the uncleanly habits Of many of
the insane afford ideal conditions for
|! the spread Of typhoid fever likewise.
That this disease is not more preva-
! lent is striking evidence Of the
scientific skill and watchful care OF
the physicians and nurses in charge,
but however careful and watchful
they may be, if present conditions are
permitted to continue, the time will
! doubtless come when they will find it
! impossible to stay the progress of the
disease before it assumes the proper
tions Of an epidemic.
The bylaws adopted by the board
of regents set forth the duties Of the
superintendent under nine heads in
section 8.
The lack of system in the medical,
mechanical and financial departments
Of the hospital is discussed in detail
elsewhere in this report. There re-
mains to be considered in connection
with the section one of the bylaws
the morals of the Institution. Gen.
orally discipline is lax, but as in 9TH
er matters conditions are far better
lin TIE female departments. The as
tsistant physician and supervisor in
charge of the. white male department,
! both of whom have been connected
with the hospital for over Is years,
testified to lack of discipline in their
departments. They described ''an
atmosphere of disorganization,"
"want of cooperation with those in
authority,'' and ''feeling of apathy
and helplessness, all Of which e1-
tend to the other. departments in
greater or less degree" For several
years daily conferences of the staff
physicians were held, but they have
for some time been discontinued.
It is shown in another part Of this
report. that no daily reports are made
to the superintendent or Others, CAV
ing tha condition of Individual pa
tieuts. The superintendent makes ir-
regular visits to- the white women s
department and he has until the past
few months been in touch with the
colored women's department Of which