The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1914-02-27
DR.. ELEANORA B.
SAUNDERS INDICATED
Report is Made on the Investiga-
tion OF Hospital.
CAUSE OF THE DISCORD.
Woman Physician Exonerated OF
Every Charge in Connection With
Her Duties at State Hospital.

eating the charge against DR.. Flea
nora b. Saunders OF personal and
professional misconduct in her off,
cial connection as second assistant
physician in charge of the woman's
ward at the State Hospital for the
insane, made its report to the legis-
latiVe body today, entirely vindicat-
Ing DR.. Saunders of all the insinua-
tons, innuendoes, as we'll as the
more direct charges made against
her.
The following is the report OF the
committee:
To the General Assembly Of the state
OF South Carolina:
The undersigned committee has in
accordance with your instructions
contained In concurrent resolution,
house No. 1893, senate No. 571, thor
oughly gone into the actual and sup
posed troubles existing at the State
Hospital for the Insane.
The evidence which is voluminous.
Is attached hereto-nerewith report
ed as the basis of our findings with
the request that it be printed along
WIN thls report in permanent form.
CAUSD OF DISCORD.
We find the cause of much Of the
discord, trouble and friction leading
up to and resulting IN this investiga-
ton to be fundamental.
State constitution, 1895, article XII
Par. q:
The regents for the State Hospital
for the Insane and the superintend-
ent thereof, who shall be a physician
shall be appointed by the governor.
by and with the advice and consent
of the senate. All other physicians.
officers and employees OF the hospital
shall be appointed by the regents un-
less otherwise ordered by the general
assembly.
Hence, the superintendent has no
voice in the selection or dismissal OF
any subordinate. He becomes purely
an advisory officer only when advice
is sought, and has no effective control
or authority, resulting in such a con-
dition that effective work and labor
of united STAFF is impossible.
In our op lion, the staff should be
selected by g superintendent by and
with the consent of the board of re-
gents thereby insuring full harmony
between the superintendent and his
stan and all acceptable to the board
OF regents.
The superintendent to enforce duty
and discipline should also have the
power and authority to suspend any
member of his staff for cause. sub
ject to appeal, to the board of regents,
where such suspended staff officer
should have available all the rights
OF trial guaranteed TO persons ac-
cused In the courts of this state.
EFFICIENCY OF ADMINISTRA-
TION.
The committee finds the admins
tration of the colored wards (male
and fenaale) inefficient. The physi-
clans employed to look after these
wards live, and are resident physi-
clans, in the city of Columbia and en-
gage in general practice. On Decem-
Der 31st, 1913, there were four hun
dred and thirteen colored males in the
ward, and there were treated during
the year 1913 five hundred and seven
ty- two. At the same date, December
18th, 1912 there were three hundred
and fifteen colored females in the
ward, anC there were treated durinc
the wear iJ13, four hundred and sixty
three.
The staff officers i'm charge of these
two wards live in the city of Co
lumbia, and they spend from one hour
to four hours (more frequently one
hours than four hours) per day at the
Hospital for the Insane and this COW
ers the time spent in answering cor
respondencc relative TO their depart
ment and patients, hence, it is mani
fest that such a supervision qnd in
spection can be only perfunctory, with
the evident result that the care OF
these unfortunate patients is largely
left 20 ignorant colorod nurses In
charge.
II is our opinion that the staff Off
GER in charge of any ward department
ia the State Hospital for the Insane
should live and reside within the en-
closure and be on duty and quickly
available at any time both day and
night and give his undivided time and
attention to the helpless unfortun-
mates entrusted TO his care and
guardianship.
It appears from the evidence of
the physician of the coolred female
ward that no specific examination is
made as to the character of insanity
and the stage it has reached and the
physical condition of the patient on
her admission to the ward. The state
ment contained in the commitment
papers originating i'm the court of pro-
bate and the general conclusions OBJ
tained from looking them over" gen
orally determine the line OF treat
ment adopted. This policy ignores
the fact that the design OF the state
is TO restore all patients not incura-
sble and helpless, and that the first
step in reaching such q conclusion is