Daily Kennebec journal., 1914-01-12
Deaths

factured testimony that the patients at
the Augusta State Hospital were not get
ting proper treatment and life was of
little or no consequence at that place
When a physician gets so hardened
and Is so unfeeling that when the night
watch calls him to attend to patient
who is suffering severe pain and he re-
fuses to go and turns it off by saying
that it is only an hallucination, and in
another case. that of Mrs. Trask. with
which you are familiar, and the methods
of examining patients and questioning
them, it is time that the house cleaning
was extended little further and I
would recommend the removal of DIR.
Vosberg and DR.. Toomey from the medi-
cal staff.
I want to call your attention to the
punishment of a patient, John Hooper.
He was transferred to the upper pavilion
and made to walk up 40 steps or two
flights until he became very lame. l
called on him the last visit in December
and Dr. Miller saw me talking with Mr..
Hooper. The next day Hooper's parole
was taken away from him and he was
transferred to the lower ward in the
stone building. Now Mr.. Hooper was all
right until DR.. Miller commenced to
punish him for giving me information
and unless something is done to relieve
Mr.. Hooper and give him his parole
again he will be driven insane.
believe the State of Maine wants its
wards taken care of properly; that it
clans from the schools and colleges to
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State when experienced physicians can
be secured at little extra expense.
What we want is physicians who can
diagnose common diseases, and kind
nurses who will watch and care for
these unfortunates in a proper manner,
get the latest treatment and administer
1t with care. If these patients had re-
ceived this kind of care when first ad-
mitted, / have no doubt that hundreds
in our State institutions who are hope
lessly insane today could have been re-
stored TO their normal condition.
l would recommend paying the physi-
clans salary which would be attractive
SO to get the best and see if they can
not show results.
I would suggest putting IN bubblers on
every ward for the protection of the
health of the patients.
I believe every day should be a visit
ing day with the exception of Sunday so
the people would have confidence that
the institution was run properly. The
majority of the people think visiting
days means only that everything is put
in order for that day. Everything should
be done to get the confidence of the 742,-
tions are run properly.
Another important matter is that the
officers of the institution should be very
careful about keeping the friends of the
patients informed in regard to any
change which takes place in the condi-
ton of the patient. If the patient is a
Catholic, is sick and failing and death
seems to be certain, call the
priest in time for him to per-
form the rites of the church.
This has not always been done, but
should be. Friends should be advised of
the sickness of the patients in time for
them to see them before they die and
not wait until the patient is dead and in
the morgue and then write that the pa
tient is failing, and then follow with
of these things have happened the past
year. 1t is shameful that such condi-
tion should exist.
l would suggest that the new superin-
tendent devote his whole time and at
tention to the care of the patients; that
the business affairs of the institution, the
kitchen, laundry, farm, ETC., be under
the full charge of the steward and treas
urer. Mr.. Wight, who is an able and
capable business man and of great ad-
ministrative power, which is in accord
ance with the laws of the State.
1t was my intention If 1 had been al
lowed to remain on the board after l
finished investigating the Augusta Hospi-
tai (and since the decision of the Gov
ernor and Council have found out more
than / ever knew about the institution
to start in on the Bangor Hospital.
However. I am satisfied with the work |
have accomplished in the past FIVE
months. The saving of "a lives, as shown
by the table, is worth all the hard work
I have done and the money I have paid
out
1 truly hope by this housecleaning of
which 1 was the cause, with a new board
of trustees, new superintendent and as
sstant superintendent, with all the in
formation and records of abuse of pa
tients before them they will make radical
changes and see that our wards are
properly cared for and in the way the
people of the State of Maine want them
cared for. When this is done the people
of the State will have confidence in the
institution and we want them to feel that
when they send friends to our State in
stitutions they will have the best of
care and everything will be done for
them which modern science can do, and
this is what l have honestly worked for.
Respectfully submitted.
FRED r. SMITH,
Hospital Trustee.
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