The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-04-22
OsawatOmie Asylum in DeplOr-
able Shape, Says Report.
NiggardIy Policies of the State
Bring About Awful Results.
WET WITH BAD WASTE
Gray Rat Viewed Visitors From
Dining Room Chair.
Naked Patients in Small, I'm
heated, Unsanitary Rooms.

Buildings overcrowded.
One bath tub, two towels for thirty
Should cut hair violent female pa
tients.
Toilets depIorable
Men and women eat and sleep in un-
plastered rooms.
Floors wet from escaping toilet
waste.
Naked patients in small, unheated
strong rooms.
Kitchen unsanitary, badly arranged.
Large gray rat viewed visitors from
dining room chair.
Cottage B. toilet smelled of sewage
Attendants compelled to work Is
hours a day.
Common roller towel In use
Need more money and employees.
Breeding place for flies and rats in
in barrels of waste and huge manure
Laundry good-just dirty, insanitary
and foul smelling
Kitchen and dining room should be
torn down.
Food quality reduced through lack Of
Recommendations for revision state
laws.
In a report sent today to Governor
Capper, DR.. Lydia A. DeVilbis and DIR.
B. J. Alexander, a former member of
the state board of health, returned the
most blistering arraignment ever di-
rected against a state institution. The
report concerns the Osawatomie state
hospital. Criticism is not directed to
Superintendent Carmichael, but to the
niggardly policies of the state, in the
care of its charities.
The members of the committee were
sent to Osawatomie by the state board
OF health. Their findings constitute
a condemnation OF the institution and
the policies of the state Failure to
in Ga inf
in view of the increased cost OF living,
have resulted in a poorer quality of
food for inmates, 1t is charged Lack
of funds-the cutting down of appro-
priations by the 1915 house of repre-
sentatives under the governors direc-
tion--have resulted in insanitary sur
roundings for patients. Further lack
of funds has forced adoption of rule
which compels attendants to work Is
hours a day.
Follows Atchison Report.
Report of conditions at the Osawa-
tonne hospital are made by the same
COMMITTEES which recently found de-
pIorable conditions at the state or
phans' home, Atchison. 1t was fol-
lowing this report that DR.. Alexander
was dropped from the membership
of the state board of health and
successor was appointed by the gov
ernor.
Members of the investigating COM
mittee told their story in plain. simple
words MANY of the things which
thav recommend were provided in SER
ate appropriation bills during the re-
cent session of the legislature, DuI
were eliminated when the Legislature
deadlocked and forced adoption of the
state administrators economy pro-
gram.
the committee today sent to the gov
ernor and the state board of controls;
Because of crowded conditions.
one ward in each wing is located in
the basement On the women's side,
the walls are so damp it is impossible
TO keep them plastered, yet human
beings are confined in these wards
and must eat, sleep and live there
Only One Bath Tub.
"The bathing facilities are nowhere
ADEQUATE There is one bath tub and
two towels to the wards which con-
tain from thirty to fifty patients each.
Bath rooms are supplied with COM
mon roller towels, hair brush and
comb for daily use. Many OF the
combs were broken and dirty Many
of these patients are untidy in their
personal habits and require frequent
changing and bathing, so that the
present facilities work a hardship
both on patients and attendants.
"WOmen who Suffef from mama
frequently pull their long hair out by
the handfuls and those who suffer
from irritations of the scalp pick and
tear their heads making il difficult to
cure their condition. 1t would greatly
simplify matters and promote santa
ton to cut off long hair of women ex-
cept those who are able to care for
themselves.
"The toilet rooms adjoining the
bath rooms are deplorable The seats
are old stained and unsanitary. In
many rooms the stencil is unbearable
and the odor can be detected many
feet from the door.
Because of continued leaking Of
water. the joints are rotting and floors
are sagging. No patchwork will ever
remedy the condition. They need to
be torn out from basement to top
floor and entirely new plumbing and
sanitary floors substituted.
Naked Patients Seen.
Several naked patients were seen
confined in small strong rooms with
the windows open. which was neces-
ard no provision for heat One can
imagine the plight of these unfortu-
mates in extremely cold weather
Dangerous Fire Traps.
'In each wing are front and back
fire traps. If fire were to occur in
this main building, it is extremely
doubtful If any considerable number
of patients could be taken out
Conditions in the Knapp building
were similar or worse. A large grey
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