The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1914-02-27
ASYLUM INVESTIGATING
COMMITTEE REPORTS
SUGGESTS SET RULES FOR GOV
ERNMENT OF INSTITUTION.
EXOnerateS DIR. f. B. Saunders From
Any Blame Recommends Work
BE Continued at State Park.
special to Tne Herald and News.

Columbia, Feb. 26.-The committee
charged with the Investigation into af-
fairs at the State Hospital for the In
sane, which has attracted State wide
interest, Wednesday filed its report. 1t
was the unanimous conclusion Of the
entire committee which has spent .sey-
eral weeks in the investigation. The
report was accompanied by set of
concurrent resolutions which seek to
remedy as far as possible conditions
which permit the present difficulties.
The report together with the resolu-
tons was unanimously adopted by
the house without a single word Of
protest from any member The fol-
lowing is the report:
To tie General Assembly Of the State
of South Carolina:
TIE undersigned committee has in
accordance with your instructions
contained in concurrent resolution,
house No. 1913, senate No. 81, thor
oughly gone in,o the actual aid sup
posed troubles existing at the State
Hospital for the Insane.
The evidence which is voluminous,
is attached hereto, herewith report
ed as the basis of our findings with
the Iequest tAat it be printed along
with this report in permanent form.
Cause of DiscOrd.
+. We find the cause of much of the
d:scord. trouble and friction leading
up to and resulting in this ilvestiga-
ton to be fundamental
State constitution, 1895, article XII,
Par. .:
"The regents for the State Hospital
for the Insane and the supN'intend-
ent thereof, who shall be physician,
shall be appointed by the governor,
! by and with the advice and consent
Of the senate. All otaer 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 con-
dition that effective work and labor
of a unified staff is impossible.
In our opinion, the staff should be
selected by the superintendent by and
with the consent of the board of re-
gents, thereby insuring full harmony
between the superintendent and his
staff 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 Administration.
The committee finds the admins
tration of the colored wards (male
and female) 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 pratice. On Decem-
Der 31st, 1913, there were four hun
dred and thireen colored males in that
ward, and there were treated during
the year 1913 five hundred and seven
ty two. At the same date, December
18th, 1918, there were three hundred
and fifteen colored females in the
ward, and there were treated during
the year 1918, four hundred and sixty
three
The staff officers in charge of these
two wards live in the city OF Col
umbia, and they spend from one hour
to four hours (more frequently one
hour than four hours) per day at the
Hospital for the Insane, and this COW
ers the time spent in answering cor
respondence relative to their depart
ment and patients, hence, it is mani
fest that such a supervision and IN
spection can only be perfunctory, with
the evident result that the care Of
these unfortunate patients is largely
left to ignorant colored nurses in
charge