The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1917-08-02
Hospital For Insane

IEDITOh The TIMES
Salient facts concerning the
present management of the West
ern Washington Hospital for In
sane at Fort Steilacoom:
The Remington Code, 1915, Sec
ton 1896, states explicitly: 1T
shall be the duty of the board to
appoint a chief executive officer
for each of the institutions who
shall devote his entire time to the
duties of his office
DIR. Keller, superintendent, did
not give up his private practice in
Tacoma when taking up this Of
flee. This is a matter of common
knowledge. He continued his ex-
tensive operations in the hospi-
tails assurance of this fact has
been given by the management of
the Tacoma General, but data re-
garding it was withheld fearing it
might get the hospital into prom
inence in the matter though
there must be some way to get
such records) and he has appear
of lawsuits in Tacoma since he
went to Steilacoom, cases which
had nothing whatever to do with
the institution.
Thus he gives long hours of his
time to work outside of the hospi-
tai; so much so that he has kept
his office force working late at
night to take his dictation after
they had been there all day. Some
of them have resigned on account
of overwork.
The management of the insti-
tuition has been left to under
lings. who in their turn have been
negligent.
DR.. Keller made a cut of $40
a month on all salaries of attend
ants and nurses on the amount
allowed them in the state budget.
Their full salaries are paid by the
state. but they do not receive
them. This money has been taken
to build a concrete rubble fence
along the road for a display. to
the public-while it is the attend
ants who pay for this fence. They
cannot "'get back at the insti-
tuition, so they take 1t out on the
poor inmates. Thus woman
nurse who used to draw a salary of
$40 a month now gets $50, while
the $40 is still paid her by the
state.
The state board of control says
that If more funds were available
they would provide more attend
ants for the care of the insane.
Yet they must know that a num-
Der of people listed as attendants
on the pay roll are not present
taking care of the insane but doing
private work, such as Mckee. DR..
Keller's private chauffeur, who
often drives the board of control,
and they are surely cognizant that
he is paid as an attendant. There
are also a number of women in
DR.. Keller's private apartment,
such as a nursemaid for this little
daughter. etc. :,
All last winter, in the sleet and
slush and snow, the patients from
] the mems wards were forced to
work on the public roads near the
hospital in utter disregard to- their
health. This gang can be seen
there any day at work, but the
conditions are not as bad as they
were last winter. This work has
been presented free to the county
ommissioners-a feather in Dr.
Keller's cap with them.
1t is surprising the number oil
deaths which are due to "acciden-
tai fall" give the idea of suicidal
intent" on the part Of the inmates.
Such a report of death individu-
ally places the friends and rela-
tives of the deceased in helpless
position-when they are taken
collectively, the matter is rather
appalling.
1t is agreeable to note, as re-
suit of the investigation started