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

eSPcoss AEom tne eVluence OF the
phyncian OF the colored female ward
that no specific examination Is made
~ TO the character Of insanity and
the stage it has reached and the ply.
sical condition Of the patient on her
admission to the ward. The statement
contained in the commitment papers
originating In the court OF probate
and the general conclusions obtained d
from looking them over" generally
determine the line of treatment
adopted. This policy ignores the fact
that the design Of the state Is to re-
store all patients not incurable and
helpless, and that the first step In
reaching such a conclusion is to de-.
termine by painstaking diagnosis:
(a) The character OF insanity. tb) its
stage OF development, (c) violence of
attack, ld can a cure be- effected ?
(e) and the means.
Practical and efficient treatment
can only follow knowledge Of all
the causes and facts and such knowl-
edge cannot be obtained through COM
mitment papers and looking over the
patients"
The vast volume Of detail now de-
volved on the superintendent In hay
Ing oversight of all the business Of
this great and Heterogeneous institu-
tion and also in promoting and super
vising the great work at State
Park renders impossible in him to
give such close inspection to the su-
pervision OF the different wards, filed
as they are with patients. as is de-
sirable and necessary for the best in
terests Of the inmates and the dis
cipline OF the institution. He should
be relieved by q business manager,
whose duties should be other than OF
q medical nature. appointed By the
superintendent. by and with the con-
sent Of the board OF regents. and sub
ject to suspension and removal a.
herein recommended. The superin-
tendent would then have the time
with o sta1f officer to make thorough
inspection OF each ward OF the insti-
tuition at least once week and daily
advise and consult with his stan and
subordinatea and these duties he
should be required to do in preference
to all other duties and labors that
might be devolved upon him.
The members of the stan should
each have the authority and right to
select all subordinates In their re-
spective wards. subject to the ap-
prevail OF the superintendent, and
each staff officer should also have the
privilege and power to suspend or dis
charge subordinates under them by
and with the approval and consent of
the superintendent
We ffnd as u matter of fact that
all staff officers do not make reports
In writing to tl,s superintendent or
file them a. q record Of their de-
partments. Every member OF the
medical STAN should make a full and
complete report In writing to the
at least once a week.
and flle duplicate of tho same
among the records Of the general
office. and should suggest by way Of
recommendation such measures and
treatment az would be beneficial To
patients In tho treatment Of thei,
special meladie0 and for the good
OF the institution. We flnd az a mat
ter OF fact some stan officers make
their reports and recommendation
only once per annum and in such
general and synthetic terms al to
enable the superintendent to make
his annual report and recommenda-
tions to the general assembly.
There Is at present no licensed
pharmacist at the State Hospital for
the Insane TO compound drugs and
hll the presc riptions OF the superin-
tendent and staff officers.
There should be q most skillful
pharmacist at the State Hospital for
the Insane-one who IL licensed by
the pharmaceutical board of this
State--for many times prescription
filled ana administered means the
life or death. sanity or insanity of
the person to whom It Is administer
ed. and more especially to the help
iess patient. dependent only upon the
wisdom OF the physician and the pre-
scription compounded.
What La said of the pharmacist
may truly be applied to the dentist--
he should by ell means be a H.
censed one with some experience.
We ind for many years the du-
ties OF the chaplain have been faith
fully performed at q salary Of sa25