The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1919-12-16

ence and results. Note how he mis-
quoted me after having read my sug
gestions. had said specifically tina
! would allow no triflers and no ex
perimenting, but that when. tn
friends or relatives of a patient mad
a request for the privilege of tryin,
a licensed practitioner of any othe
kind than of the medical school,
would allow it; that l would ilav,
them sign an agreement releasin;
the medical superintendent from al
responsibility in case of malpractice
and would allow the relatives ant
their chosen practitioner to enter tn,
room or cell or to have the patien
where there was room to operate
and they could try out their treat
ment, at such hours of the day a.
the medical superintendent might
direct.
l Repeat My Challenge
said considerable more than
that, that ! want to repeat. | said
that Governor Davis and the others
were friends of mine and that l had
heard some of them talking about
the woes arising from bolshevism. |
said that if had friend in the
asylum who was not being success
fully treated to bring about cure,
and | wanted to have some other
kind of treatment used, would
make the request for it, and if
were told that this was a medical
institution and that if my friend did
not get we'll under medical treat
ment that there was no other way
under heaven to relieve him, l
should feel a deep resentment in not
being allowed to try anything else
while he languished> among the in
sane. said that such restraint ap-
piled to me and my affairs would
develop in me something akin to
bolshevism, and that | did not be-
lieve that under such circumstances
should ever again be as good citi-
zen as If they had allowed me to
bring the practitioner of my choice
and make the effort. l said, and
repeat it, that this whole board of
control from the governor down, in
dealing with such cases in such
way, would be developing and in
creasing bo1shevism in mems bosoms,
and this conviction was sufficiently
deep, that if l shall hear any of
them speaking against bolshevism in
public address or otherwise | shall
arise at the moment and accuse them
of being inconsistent by doing just
what they condemn in others. Boil
shevism, or the spirit of opposition
to constituted authority and govern
ment, is just as bad when cultivated
by the governor or any department
If his administration or by medical
superintendent of an asylum as when
stirred up by soap-box orator or by
those planning sabotage and strikes.
The only difference is in the degree.
Going On Record
| am aware that in saying these
things am taking advanced ground
md that it will take time to vindi-
cate my position. But this is not the
first time l have taken advanced
regarding matters at the
asylum and been vindicat-
ed. In February and March, 1918,
published sixteen chapters to show
that the management of the asylum
was incompetent from the medical
down thru the board-l
Of directors to and including most
Of the attendants, and | suggested,
md later demanded. the resignation
)r removal of all members of the |
board and the superintendent. The |
ignored and defended,
challenged them to stay on at the |
,eril of proving their incompetence |
till further by future blunders, and
within a year the whole outfit was
'roven dismal failure and removal |!
all thru the year till it
nded in what was called cleanup.
1t the present time the largest
ewspapers in the state are publish
ng articles to prove the claims l
yas making in the articles l was
publishing then. They are also prov
lg what l have been saying in ear
er chapters of this series, and II
lake my Judgment against that of
lie governor and the whole asylum
Management, that if they continue
leir opposition to all kinds of cur
i've treatment excepting what is
nown as medical treatment, that
thin five years they will have
oven themselves unprogressive
Id a hindrance to the best inter-
It's of the insane for these days of
llightenment, and that the press of
e state will be publishing matter
nphasizing their present blunders
is now being done to show up the
unders of the management | was
iticising two years ago
And in all this l am not opposing
e medical doctors at all. am
ly asking that others be allowed
cure what the medical doctors
mot or do not cure. l do oppose
yone who takes the view that a
rson must be cured medically or
main insane. I oppose every one
10 takes the view that the state
s any right to direct what kind of
shall be given to a de-
ented person against the wishes Of
3 relatives and friends. l consider
is matter Of choosing doctors and
rative treatment for the sick and
e demented, very nearly on a par
tn religious beliefs. So long as
Y state lays down the rule that
Il