The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1915-06-01
Treat States Wards
With Modern Methods

under LOOK /. e uIItCl4OI4 VI t1t St'tN
hospital and its rehabilitation they
found in the building 81 different
heating units. There were, steam and
OF air furnaces, stoves Of every type,
gas, electric, wood and coal-fire-
places and CRATES Each one of these
units was a separate fire menace. 1t
is hard to imagine anything more hor-
rible than fire in one Of the old
buildings at the State hospital. The
central heating plant will reduce the
fire menace exactly Sc units, besides
promising an economy in the cost OF
fuel.
New Medical Stan.
Far reaching and important as the
improvements in tie physical plant OF
the State hospital are, they are really
secondary, as far as the patients are
concerned, to the changes in manage
ment which the new superintendent,
&c. F. Williams, NJ. D., has already put
into effect and intends to put into ef-
feet. Realizing fully that a disease OF
the mind requires treatment just as
does a disease of tie body, DR.. Will
liams is determined to make the State
hospital a hospital in reality as we'll
as in name.
"The percentage Of cures effected on
those diseased mentally is low," said
Dr.. Williams yesterday "but the State
hospital wants to cure wi en- it is pos
sibIe and when it is impossible then
to do the next best thing-make the
remainder of the life of the patient
just as pleasant as can be made"
Tie new medical staff will be headed
by W. C. Handy, NJ D., an alienist OF
ten years experience in institutional
work. He is a graduate of Cornell
university and of the College Of Ply
sician and Surgeons Of Columbia uni
versity. He has worked in the State
hospital for tie insane at Trenton, n.
J., and will come to Columbia from
the State hospital for the insane at
Kings Park, n. Y.
DR.. Sandy will be medical Inspector
of the South Carolina Hospital for the
Insane. He will take the position in
ten days.
Examine All Patients.
Besides the medical director, the
members of the medical staff will be
senior physician, woman physician,
a patti tologist, two junior physicians
and three internes. The internes will
be selected from the graduating class
of the South Carolina Medical college.
1t is the policy Of the management
of the hospital to employ as internes
graduates from TIE State college. In
this ways it expects to build up its
medical staff from physicians trained
in the State When the present bord
of regents took Charge they found
six physicians to care for the 1850 in
mates of the hospital. Manifestly, so
small staff was not enough for the
needs of the institution.
AS soon as the new medical staff is
chosen every patient in the hospital
will be carefully examined physically
as we'll as mentally. The patients Will
be classified for treatment according
to the type of disease of the mind from
Which they are suffering. This will
enblea the sufferers to be treated for
their mental ailments according to
the most advanced methods.
Diversional occupation is going to
be given henceforth a prominent part
in the lives of tee patients at the
State hospital. Alienists everywhere
have come to recognize that idleness
is one of the worst things for tie
insane. They need amusement and
recreation. One of the easiest and best
ways to furnish them is by providing
occupation which diverts the patienes'
minds.
Accordingly, a big work shop will
be built Immediately at the State
hospital. In this shop patients will do
repair jobs, make shoes, brooms, mat
tresses, socks and stockings. T2ere
will be no forced labor in the work
shops, but patients able and willing to