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

>ALD AND NEWS
clerical force to carry it out, would
result in 4 saving to the State in the
.sr!:eS .i;d for supplies.
Other Hospitals Visited.
The State Hospital for White In
SAT- / ..3rg. ii IL. n. =, VA visit
ed by Messrs. Carey, Harrison and
Ehristen,en; The Petersburg. Va,
Stale Hospital for the Colored In
sane Of Virginia was visited by
Messrs. Carey, Dick, Harrison and
Christensen; the Government Hospital
t,r i1i*;,!.r a: Washington, D. c.,
was visited by Messrs. Dick, Sawyer,
li@rri~.,- and Christensen; the State
hospitals at Wards Island, and
;>Ioo.ning1aIe, N. Y, were visited by
Messrs. Dick and Sawyer; and Can
louisville, Nd, by DR.. Dick. While
On other business and without ex-
pense to the committee, the State
hospital at Ciacinnati, Ohio, was
visited BY Messrs. Harrison and
Christensen, and the State hospital
at Philadelphia was likewise visited
by Mr.. Christensen. At these in
stitutions your committee were re-
ceived with every courtesy and the
several superintendent opened the
doors Of their institutions and dis
cussed all problems suggested.
Minority Report.
To the General Assembly:
We regret that the committee can
not agree upon a unanimous report.
The difference amongst its members
as to the proper scope Of the report,
the causes Of existing conditions, and
as to recommendations, render it
impossible.
The signers of this report do not
consider that, the general assembly
expects the committee to either man.
age or tell others how to manage the
hospital for the insane. We feel oursel-
YES utterly incompetent to do either.
Nor do We think it proper to enter
into the many intricate problems re-
lating to the medical treatment Of
the insane.
In our view the legislature expects
the report to set forth in as brief a
manner as possible the conditions Of
the institution, the needs Of the un-
fortunate insane who are the wards
of the State, and how they are cared
for, and to suggest such remedies as
may better their condition. We,
therefore, hope to set forth our
views in such way that the members
of the legislature may see matters as
they are and take such practical ac
ton as the situation demands.
We do so with feelings of sympa-
thy and love for the unfortunate in
mates of the institution and a
strong desire to help them in every
way possible, with fairness and JUS
tice to those whose duty it is to care
for them and with due regard to the
taxpayers Of the State upon whom
the burden of supporting them falls.
The Charges.
A number of charges were made
against the management of the hos
pital, which were reduced to specifca-
tins and our findings as to each:
l. That the board Of regents and
the superintendent act in violation Of
section 2249 of the code Of South
Carolina, which provides, ''th2; the
hospital shall be maintained solely Of
the support, custody and treatment of
insane perSons," and defining when a
sane persons, and defining when
person shall Be considered insane Or
fit to- be patient in the hospital, by
receiving persons not embraced in the,
said section, such as inebriates, do
tards, paupers and even cases of ner-
vous diseases.
AS. to this specification We find that
it has long been and still is, the Gus
tom to receive into the institution
idiots, epieptics, inebriates and do
tards. A broad spirit of charity and
section 2250 of the civil code seems
tc have controlled those in authority.
Section 2249 does provide that the
hospital ''shall be maintained solely
for the support, custody and treat
ment of insane persons.' But section
oOS0 olco ,,ro,-i3o- EE A7nonc those 10