The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1917-04-03

| 10 find that death was the result of
| the alleged i'll treatment. We do find
that because the patient refused to
| remove his clothing, as quickly as de-
sired by an attendant, that he was
| knocked down and kicked several
times. The evidence as to the extent
| and character of the injuries inflicted
was indefinite. We find that on the
evening following this i'll treatment
Smith was removed from his room on
| the third ward TO room upon another
| ward and the record of this case at
| the Retreat shows. August IA. ID
Patient died today. cerebral effusion
| (hemorrhage) is given as the exact
cause of death. Meningitis was con-
| tributing cause"
Concerning the settlement made by
| the Retreat in the Guilford Adams
and Jones cases the committee find
| that the Retreat in each case dis
claimed liability for the damages
claimed but to avoid the expense of
suit and publicity, considered it for
| the best interests of the Retreat in
each case disclaimed liability for the
damages claimed but to avoid the
expense OF suit and publicity consid-
cred it for the best interests of the
Retreat to settle these claims.
The settlement of threatened law
| suit is often times a combination of
| expectancy, to save expense of liti-
| cation, to avoid publicity and TO avoid
| the possible miscarriage of justice.
An insane asylum cannot afford to
| settle a threatened law suit for any
| or all of the foregoing reasons, but
only when it is fully satisfied that
some OF its servants have been guilty
of such negligence or misconduct as
| may be actionable against the asylum
| and then the fullest publicity should
] be by it given TO the entire subject
| matter.
| The unfortunate Clement incident is
| the result of mistaken policy. The
| Retreat is not so equipped with iso-
| lated apartments that it can from any
aesthetic view point satisfactorily care
| for certain types Of insanity without
| recourse TO the usual restraint and
should have so advised in the case re-
| ferred to.
| The Beard of Trustees, who have
| the immediate oversight of the Re-
treat are known throughout the state
as men of the highest character and
of great ability.
| The State Board of Supervisors, up
On whom rests the duty of visiting
the Retreat once each month, is com
posed of DR. +. f. Steele, of Mont
1 w H.. 30 I'D
| and Dr. r. NJ. Pelton of Richford and
these eminent physicians have dis
charged the duty imposed upon them
| by the state.
We find that in some instances the
officers of the Retreat have known of
| the intended visits OF this Beard but
this has happened only occasionally
and from all the evidence We are I'M
able 10 find that unusual or special
preparation has beerS made in antici-
patton of these visits. The evidence
tended to show that the Supervisors
have investigated cases of claimed
abuse of patients by attendants. but
failed to find any ground for such
complaints. We find that the Board
have given careful attention 10 the
matter of investigating cases of State
patients that should ba discharged
and we are unable to find any in
stance where a patient has not been
discharged as soon as .heir condi-
ton warranted.
Your committee made no extensive
examination of the books of account
of the institution, but investigated
this system is modern and sufficient
in all respects.
Your committee find that owing to
the resignation OF Dr. Ernest l..
Tracy, an assistant physician at the
Retreat, that DR.. Lawton has. since
November, 1916. had but one assistant
physician; that this assistant physi-
clan is compelled to attend one hun
dred or more patients especially need |
ing the attention of a physician each |
day; that conditions demand that at
least two assistant physicians be en-
ployed for the proper care and vel |
ware of the patients and your Com |
mittee believe this to be the policy |
of the institution.
Your committee find that under |
present economic conditions the cost !
OF maintenance to the institution per |
week for each patient is 1884 $40. |
The Retreat is now under contract |
with the State to board clothe, care
for, and provide medical treatment |
and nursing for all state patients thatf
the necessities of the State require IT |
to take for the sum of $500 per week. |
For the past year there has been an
average of about three hundred state |
patients supported at the Retreat. |
The Retreat claims that the deficit |
arising therefrom not only precludes |
the institution from making needed |
changes and improvements but is in
volving it in debt Although this ques- |
ton is foreign to the duty imposed up |
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