The Penn's Grove record., 1923-11-23

Skillman Village for Epileptics, vas
Il treated and permitted to remain in
continuous bath unattended, Is made
by Commissioner Burdette G.. Lewis
If the Department of Institutions and
Agencies In a report TO Governor Sill
ter. Mr.. Lewis says that the records
and evidence give the institution a
clean bill OF health. He recommends
that, II possible, the girl, who is seven
teen ear old, be brought back to the
village from Hoboken, readmitted and
re-examined as a person having A
definite p~sychosis equivalent to in
sanity"
Not a little criticism Is cast by Mr..
Lewis upon Harry L. Barck, superin.
tendent OF charities of Hoboken who
filed the complaint with Governor
Silzer. The later insisted that Mr..
Barck allowed his official position -
be used as a means of giving credence
to the unsupported and wildly IRE
sponstble statements of a sick and
unfortunate fellow human being, with
out attempting any v~erifcation Of her
statements, when he undoubtedly
knew that the press would never pub
lish the statements of a patient Of this
type unless they were given the
weight of official authority.
This loan of official authority and
the inevitable and consequent public
ity has brought pain and suffering
m rannU 20 m t1foc ho wing noffnnfE Mt
Skillman, has brought unwarranted
and unjustif1able criticism upon many
Of the Qyerworked and conscientious
officers and employees and physicians
Of the institution, has injured unjustly
the standing of the Village for Epi
leptics, the superintendent, its board
Of managers and the State Board Of
paper reading public in New York.
New Jersey and Pennsylvania"
Says Girl Was Abusive
The definite record system Of the
village, said Commissioner Lewis, dis
closed the girl to be unbelievably
difficult to deal with; that her Ian
guage has been most profane and
abusive and her attitude toward
fellow patients has been characterized
by violence. both OF action and Of
tude toward the physicians and at
tendsnts has been characterized by
frequent episodes OF physical violence
which the records show have been
met by patient consideration, sym
pathetic care and extensive medical
treatment.
Speaking of the charge that on Sen
TENDER % last the Segatto girl was
left alone in the continuous bath. Com
missioner Lewis declared that, on the
contrary. the dav supervisor remained
at her side during the day and part Of
the evening, and was relieved by the
night attendant. He adds that the
physician made frequent visits to the
girl and administered to her in an
effort to quiet her nerves. Shortly
after she was put in the tub in the
morning the Segatto girl started to
beat up one Of to patients and bit
she broke seventeen panes Of glass
with a chair. the report declares.
although no blame can justly be
attached to any official or officer Of
Skillman VillaPe for their care and
treatment Of this patient" said Com
missioner Lewis. "the shortage Of HELM
and other prevailing conditions has
been such that 1t has only been a
miracle which has prevented NOR
serious abuse of patients by othpr
patients"
In reiterating previous recommend
tions having to do with segregation
facilities for these patients, Commi@
sioner Lewis said there should b.
some way of drafting a statute which
the courts will hold to be constitu-
tional, which would permit the in.
voluntary segregation OF patients Of
the type OF Tessie Segatto. 1T seems
to the department" he concluded.
that many people and many public
off cials do not appreciate fully the
serious nature of epilepsy as a dis
ease"
Howe After Sp~eakershIp
Assemblyman John c. Howe of Fs-
sex appeared as q possible VI pro-
mise for the speakership of the 1924
house. Neither Herbert ]. Pascoa
OF Union nor Joseph A.. Corio Of At
lantic, the present active ~contenders
for the place. has been able as yet
to obtain the support Of a majority
Of the f)rty-two Republicans who will
sit in the next house.
Friends Of Mr.. Howe have obtained
virtual pledges that the two Repub.
licans from Middlesex, the five from
Passaic. the four from Bergen and
the two from Atlantic will support
him In tn organization caucus, and it
Is understood that Camden %county's
delegation of three may give him Its
backing. II order to win. however.
It will be necessary for Mr.. Howe to
go into the caucus with the support
of the Essex delegation. or at least
a substantial majority Of 1t, and an
effort is now being made to obtain
these votes.