The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1917-03-13
JAW NOT BROKEN
At THE RETREAT
DR.. Taylor Testifies He Had
Full Charge of Mrs.
GuilfOrd
HIGHLY IMPORTANT
TESTIMONY GIVEN

Investigating Committee Comes to Brat
tleboro Refutation of Charges by
Credible Witnesses =. Judge Tyler
Explains Settlement
BY way Of refutation of charges and
and previous testimony against tho
Brattleboro Retreat, some highly inter
estlng testimony was taken yesterday
afternoon and last evening, as we'll as
this morning before the legislative COM
mlttee which was appointed to investi
gate the institution as a result of reso-
luton introduced by Representative
Wilson of Pownal. The committee came
here on the 2 clock train from the
north yesterday and held afternoon and
evening sessions in the Office of Attor-
ney R. c. Bacon, counsel for the Retreat,
going to the Retreat this morning for
more testimony and returning to Mr..
Bacon s office
Such a mass of evidence was received
that it is impossible to print more than
the more essential parts of it, with spe-
eial reference to the treatment of Mrs.
Hattie Guilford of North Adams, Mass,
who alleged that while patient at the
Retreat she was abused, that her jaw
was broken by being struck by Mrs
Morrill,, an attendant, that she was
strapped to her bed. that she was
strapped up by her wrists, kept in a dun
geon two days, etc. 1t was largely on
account of this case that Mr.. Wilson in
trodueed the motion, Mrs. Guilford be-
ing former resident of Pownal
Henry c. Wyman of Bellows Falls
was the first witness. He cared for a
private patient from 1913 to 1915, never
knew of patients being abused and said
the rooms were kept clean and that the
food was ample and of good quality. He
never heard of any dungeon.
DR.. Ernest L. Tracy, who was second
assistant physician from jan /, 1914.
until buying out Dr. c. S. Pratt Is prac-
tice last November and who had charge
Of the mems department, sometimes re-
eeived complaints from patients because
VI uioottISidctioi, Dul never LOT dtlegeu
cruelties. The rooms were kept as clean
as possible and the food was of good
quality and plentiful and cleanly served
He regarded w. T. Haigh, supervisor, as
efficient and saw Night Attendant
Charles Hills frequently III the course of
his work. At none of those times was
Hills intoxicated. or he would not be
there now, DR.. Tracy added, meaning
that he would have been discharged.
DR.. Tracy denied altogether the pre-,
vious testimony of John Hogan, which
was that patient named Smith had
been knocked down and kicked by an
attendant named Omara and that Hogan
had made complaints about the abuse of
patients. Hogan, he said, was chronic
alcoholic patient impaired by the use of
alcohol over q period of 20 years. DIR.
Tracy said the patients were not handled
abusively, but that if they declined TO
take baths sufficient force was used to
make them do so. He denied that he
ever locked a patient in his room be-
cause he refused to work, adding that
no patient is obliged to work, that be-
ing optional with the patient.
DR.. Herbert W. Taylor, who was sec
ond assistant from July %, 1911, to Dee
10, 1912. and has been first assistant
since then, in charge of the women s de-
partment, went into detail about the
medical treatment of patients, the du-
ties of supervisors and attendants, and
said that no patient ever was put under
restraint without the knowledge of a su-
pervisor or physician. When asked by
Attorney f. W. Gibson of the Retreat
counsel, who conducted most of the ex-
animation of witnesses, what was meant
by restraint DIR. Taylor said it was some
times necessary, when a patient had a
tendency to harm herself or harm other
patients, to have her wear light cami.
sole, a short Jacket with long sleeves
that can be tied behind the patient s
back. He demonstrated its use. 1t docs
not interfere with the patient except to
keep her hand always in front, from
doing harm. The strait jacket never is
used at the Retreat. He showed also a
restraining sheet, sheet with cloth
straps which is tied over the bed cloth
ing to keep patient from rolling out
OF bed. 1t in no way interferes with the
patient.
There is no discrimination between
| private and state patients, DR.. Taylor
said, in fact some OF the state patients
are on the best halls. In some instances
he has no knowledge of whether pa
tient is paid tor by the state or private
~ as he has not looked on the record to
find out. DR.. Taylor made it clear that
any serious violation of the rules is al.
ways known to the supervisor or ply
sieian as there are always plenty of pa
tients in a condition to know and tell,
and any report that seems plausible is
investigated and the offender is dis
/