The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1914-03-04


the origin Of the present trouble was
III the effort to remove DR.. Eleanora
B. Saunders and on this DR.. Babcbck
entered his strongest and most Wig
orous protest.
The report, however, is quite
brief and will be read with intense
interest throughout the State. Lo-
cally the interest was SO great that
extras were out on the street a short
while after the report had been filed.
As soon as the report was read Mr..
Stevenson, Of the committee, ask
ed that the concurrent resolutions
that accompanied the report be read.
This was done and without a word Of
question. discussion, or inquiry, the
resolution which makes a new dis
pcnsation for the management Of the
Hospital for the Insane was adopted.
The committees report insofar as it
deals with Dr. Babcock ana d.
Saunders is given in full as follows:
DE-. ElcanOra b. Saunders.
Your committee won't fully and
mnutcly into tho complaints, insinu-
alton inucndocs inquiry and charges
against DR., INcanora H. Saunders. We
find no evidence to sustain any OF
them. She is not guilty Of any wrong
intention or wrong DOING. There is
no breath OF even . suspicion as to
her moral char&ctcr- mono against
her professional reputation and con
DUCT and carCcr--in her ethical de-
pertinent and in all Of hcr conduct in
Or out Of the institution State
Hospital for the Insane. The few
and insignificant acts on which com.
plants wore based were the direct re-
suits Of requests from the supcrin
tenGcnt-hcr superior officer, and
were executed in the DISCHARGE OF
duty to suffering humanity and are
to be commended ana praised rather
than condemned.
Her work and labors in the State
Hospital for the Insane bears clo-
qucnt tribute to the remarkable initia-
tive, aided ny tirolCss energy and dom
inGtcd by tho womanly woman's over
flowing love for unfortunate humanity
which love, energy and tirclcss de-
votion is manifested by her every
movement, Of which size has hccn the
handspring and which is shown in the
result in every department OF work,
which she has touched and which ev-
en- her critics in almost every instance
have admitted.
We condemn the method OF trial
Of Dr. Saunders adopted on Dccem-
Der 70, 1913, and hope that the re-
cords OF the State will never show a
repetition OF such procedure.
We refer to this merely to call the
attention Of the members OF the gcn-
erGl assembly to tho necessity Of pro-
viding against any repetition Of such
n procedure in the tuturc as under
. proper ana logical system Of rules
and regulations no such proceedings
Wolld have obtained. Irresponsible
Nowc- Is that power which is cXcr-
ciscd without rule or reason and
from which thcrc is no rcco"nizcd
method OF appeal. There should be
no such power vested in any person
or persons in the State OF South Car
olina, and there should be rules
carefully prepared, adopted and pass
ed to prevent another such occurrence.
DR.. j. w. BabcOck.
We commend the stand of the Su-
porintendcnt, DR.. J. w. Babcock in
this acute eXigcncy and throughout
the subsequent aftermath, when he
| championcd the right, not only OF his
loyal and true subordinate and staff
officer, DR.. Elcanora B. Saunders, but
Of woman whose every instinct is
shown to be for the right, the in
| terests of the unfortunate patients
under her care and the best interests
OF the institution.