The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1910-02-10
MANY CHANGES SUGGESTED
Board in the Main However Holds
That the Institution is Conducted in
Good Manner and Formal Complaint
is Found Untrue in Parts.

DOdTQ OIL cUuGIOI OHs INC IAVootlS dtlOAA
of the Racine county asylum for the
insane has been made public. On
account of the fact that all the chronic
insane of Kenosha county are at the
Racine county institution the report
of the state board is given in full as
follows:
The report of the state board which
held meetings at the asylum January
10 and IL and heard charges made by
DIR. Sorenson and which were pub
lished December 81, is as follows:
Upon the first specification of mis-
management, to-wit, the striking of
one Of the patients by an employee.
From the evidence taken at the in
vestigation, it is plainly apparent that
Dr. Serenson refers to the case of
one Mary Monahan, an inmate of the
Racine county asylum, who is en-
ployed in the kitchen and dining
room. There is no dispute in the evi.
dence but what DIR. Sorenson refers to
this particular patient in his first
specification. If DIR. Sorenson IS testi-
mony were the only testimony avail.
able upon this particular subject, the
board would have no hesitancy in
condemning the act of the employe
and recommending not only her dis
missal, but her prosecution for assault
and battery However, we are able
to find no corroborating evidence of
the doctorIs statement, but on the
other hand, it is met by a specific de-
NAL on the part of Mrs. Kreuger. Mrs.
Kreuger insists that the entire accur-
renee between herself and the inmate,
Mary Monahan, consisted of an effort
on the part of Mrs. KreugeG~ to pre-
vent the inmates from following the
board of trustees from the kitchen in
to the dining room and that her only
attempt at restraint consisted in push
ing the inmate through another door
into the basement. Mrs. Kreuger
has been an employe in the asylum at
Gatliff for number aof years and
aside from this charge has never been
accused of any act Of cruelty or abuse
but on the other hand has borne an
excellent reputation as careful, in
dustriops and humane employee.
In respect to the charges contained
in the second specification, regarding
the insuficiency of heat in certain
wards. it is the judgment and conclu-
sion of the board that the manage
ment of this asylum has been some
what negligent il. it's attention to the
question of the temperature of the diff
ferent wards. No thermometers have
been maintained in the wards by
which the patients or attendants can
ascertain the temperature and there is
no method in vogue in the asylum
whereby the engineer in charge Of the
heating plant can inform himself of
its suficiency or insuffeiency. To
this extent, the allegation contained
in specification No. 2 is sustained by
the board and it is recommended that
the board of trustees have thermome-
tiers placed in all the wards and that
the attendants in charge take regu-
lar observations of the temperature
at least every four hours and that
such records be filed with the superin-
tendent. They should also promptly
report to the engineer when such tenn
perature exceeds .seventy-two degrees
or falls below seventy degrees during
the day time.
With respect to charges contained in
the third specification, it is the judg-
ment of the board that the ventilating
system in this institution, if properly
operated is sufficient to provide a
healthful atmosphere in all the rooms
and wards, but it is insufficient if the
fans are only operated a period of
about two hours, in the morning as is
now the practice. During the night
time, when perfect ventilation is most
essential, these fans are not operated
at all.
This condition should not be tolerat.
ed by the asylum management and ii
is advised that these fans be operated
constantly during the night time and
no less than half the time during the
day.
/ With respect to the fourth specified.
ton, regarding the alleged obstruction
placed in the way of the parole of
patients from the asylum, it is the
Judgment and findings of the board
that the methods and means provided
by law for the parole of patients are
plain and must be followed by not only
the superintendent, matron and trus
tees, but by the physician himself and
these laws provide that superinten
dent may parole patients from such in
stitutions only upon the written rec
ommendation of the physician In
the particular cases. complained Of by
DR.. Sorenson in his testimony, it is
Apparent that ne such written rec