The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1916-01-18
SPEAKS IN PERSON
BEFORE JOINT ASSEMBLY
MANNING EXPLAINS POLICY AT
ASYLUM.
Discusses Question of Williams Salary.
Increase Not SO Large as Might
Be Expected.

Governor Manning's address to the
general assembly, reviewing the con-
dition of the insane asylum, delivered
on Friday, follows:
Gentlemen of the General Assembly.
In my annual message l stated that
l would transmit to you a special mes
sage dealing with the State Hospital
for the Insane. You have courteously
invited me to deliver this message in
person. Permit me to thank you for
this privilege.
At the outset, I wish to state clearly
that in referring to the conditions
which found there when became
governor, it must not be regarded as
a personal criticism, but rather a
statement of facts and conditions as
l found them. l would be disengen-
uous if l did not make full state
ment to you of this whole situation,
and its needs.
Former Conditions IntOlerable.
From personal observation 1 found,
last year, the physical condition of this
institution to be intolefable, if we are
to consider the treatment of these un-
fortunates as solemn duty and as an
act of humaneness and charity. The
treatment of those patients was Gus
todial, rather than that of giving skill
ed treatment to improve their condition
Of mind, as we'll as of body.
This condition was fully revealed to
you in an exhaustive report made by
.Dr. Herring, last year. through me to
you. I feel that 1T is necessary to re-
peat mere what was stated in that doc
ument, You, in a body, at my invita-
ton, visited that ihs tuition then, and
the condition as shown by that report,
and by what you found there, con-
vinced you of the necessity for reor-
ganzation of the institution, and
change in the treatment the inmates.
am sure that you recall viyidly the
picture of what you saw then.
Yesterday I invited you to visit again
this institution so that you could see
Ser yourselves, in measure at least,
what has been done, and is being done,
under the acts which you so wisely
passed at the last session Of the leg
isaature. The Improvements in the
physical property are being carried on
in thorough and efficient manner, and
wnen this work is completed feel that
it will be an enduring monument to
your wisdom and humaneness in pro-
viding for the comfort and the i'm
proved treatment Of these unfortunate
citizens of our state.
Last year you saw the wretched con-
Gition, the discomforts and dirt in the
cells in which these people were con-
Sfined. saw, and you saw, how tle
meals served were cold and unpa1at-
able You saw in the woman's depart
ynent, which was then the best depart
men in that institution, the silent wit
nesses-that straps that were around
the walls, that were used to restrain
violent patients.
Mechanical Restraint
Gentlemen, the temptation to me is
to so on and euumerate the different
things that were revolving, but l have
promised you not to do so. But can
not refrain from saying that In that
Women's ward and as the ward that
vas then in the best condition. you will
Geean that in that ward for violent
patients, there were 92 Of those violent
subjects. They were confined in cells.
We found tnat the first protection was
absolutely inadequate and imperative;
We found the fire hose could not be at
taehed to the hydrant, because they
did not fit; and it simply is appalling
TO tnink what a terrible disaster would
have occurred had fire broken out. If
that fire had occurred in the might
time. with two nurses only. in charge
OF the go patients, does not require
any description from the to tell you
What would have happened.
Il want to say to you that under the
changed treatment that restraint for
violent subjects is no longer resorted
20; but instead the kinder and more
effective treatment by soothing meth
DDS; where they are put, in baths, and
created in simple ways, we find as the
result those patients showed improve
msent both in mind and in body
Gentlemen, these changes that have
been inaugurated there, are a result Of
your wisdom in enacting laws which
made the. change possible; and 1