The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1914-02-28


To the General Assembly OF the state
Of South Carolina:
The undersigned committee has sr
s0scrdanoe with your instructions
contained In concurrent resolution
house No. 7ss. senate No. 57l: thor.
eughly gone into the actual and cup.
posed troubles existing at the State
Hospital for the Insane.
The evidence. which ID voiuminous
IN attached hereto--herewith reported
~ the basis OF our findings with the
request that II be printed along with
this report Tn permanent form.
We nnd the cause OF much OF the
discord. trouble and friction leading
up 40 and resulting In this investi-
gntion 10 be fundamcntal:
State constitution. 1895. article ~.
paragraph z.
The regents for the state Hospital
for the Insane and the superintendent
thereof. who shall be q physician.
shaii be appointed by the governor.
BY and with the advice and consent of
the senate. All other physicians.
omcers and employees Of the hospital
shsil be appointed by the regents. un-
iess 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 ad-
vice 10 sought. and has no elective
control or authority. resulting In such
condition that effective work and
labor of q unified stan 10 impossible.
In our opinion the stan should be
selected by the superintendent by and
with the eonsent OF tho board OF re-
gents. thereby insurins full harmony
between the superintendent and hi.
star and all acceptable 70 the board
Of regenta
The superintendent TO enforce duty
and discipline should also have the
power and authority to suspend any
member OF his star for cause. sub
ject to appeal. to the board OF regents
where such suspended stan officer
should have available ell the rights
of trial guaranteed to persons &C.
ensed In the courts Of this state.
The committee finds tho administra-
uon OF the colored wards (male and
famie) inefficient The physicians
employed to look after these wards
live. and are resident physicians In the
city of Columbia and engage In gen.
eral practice On December 81
isis. there were +is oolored males In
that ward. and there were treated
during the year 1913 S72. At the
same date. December 81. 1919. there
were sl5 eolored females In the ward
and there were treated during tn.
year lsl3 te3.
The stan officers In charge Of thes,
two wards live In the city OF Colum
oia. and they spend from one hour I,
four hours (more frequently one hou
than four hours) per day at the hos
pital for the insane. and this cover
tho timo spent In answering CORE
spondence relative to- their depart
ment and patients: hcnce 1t is man
ifsst that such u supervision and in
spection can be only perfunctory
with the evident result that the car
Of these unfortunate patients is large
~ left TO ignorant colored nurses IL
charge.
II Ia our opinion that tho staff OF
feers In charge Of any ward depart
ment In the state Hospital for tn
Insane should live and reside within
the inclosuro and be on duty an,
quickly available at any time boil
day and night and give his undivide,
time and attention to the heiples
unfortunates entrusted TO his care AN,
sussaianshie,