The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1924-03-06
DENIES PATIENT
WAS MISTREATED
Declares Board Members
Were Prejudiced Before
Taking Any Action.
DRAKE NOT TO APPEAR

Heenan, "a, JaneSNAlle pdtlSAk ~ 80
state hospital for the insane who died
last week, was mistreated and an at
tack on the state board of control Tor
its methods in handling investigation
of the case are contained in a detailed
statement issued today by DR.. frank
/. Drake, hospital superintendent who
resigned following suspension as the
result of the case.
DR.. Drake declared that the control
board members were prejudiced in the
case before taking action and that
they "spent not over five minutes in
the sick room" investigating reports
of alleged mistreatment given young
Heenan.
81 declined to appear before the
board of control for hearing for the
reason that / do not propose to hui
initiate myself by appearing before
body of men who seem clearly to have
prejudiced the case even before
hearing is held, and whose course OF
action would make utterly futile any
attempt on my part to make salts
factory explanation" DR.. Drake de-
clared.
was declared lHShUe.
s'Louden Heenan was adjusted in-
sane by the county court of Rock coun-
ty and admitted to this institution
January IS. His commitment papers
state that he had suffered three or four
previous attacks, the last of which oc-
Cured last summer while he was
student at Appleton. In this last at
tack, he became extremely maniacal,
struck his attendant, scattered his
bedding about the room, and removed
his own apparel. On his first night
in the hospital, it became necessary
to seclude him. The statement that
he was thrown into a dark room is
not a statement of fact There are
two windows in this room, and an
electric light in the ceiling. At one
side, a steam pipe comes up through
the floor to supply radiator and pass
es thence up through the ceiling to a
room above. 1t was on this steam
pipe that he received his burns--on
the left side of his face, on one finger,
and on the elbow. While these burns
were painful, they in nowise contrib
uted to his death which occurred from
natural causes on February goth, In
his saner moments, the young man
said in answer to questions as to how
he was burned, that he was so excit-
ed he did not realize he was burning
himself. It was indeed an unfortunate
occurrence, distressing occurrence,
yet such as happens from time to time
in every hospital for the insane in the
county and I'll venture the statement
without fear of contradiction that the
Soldiers Memorial hospital is equally
as unfortunate in this respect as any
other hospital for the insane.
"The duties of an administrative of
ficer of a large institution render it
impossible for him to give personal.
attention to all cases of serious ILL
ness. For that reason, the state has
wisely and generously provided ward
physicians whose sole duty is to attend
the wants of the physically and mem
tally Ill. In this instance, / congratu-
lated myself that had found ply
stefan admirably equipped by educa-
ton, experience, and temperament TO
perform these duties, and / think that
no one acquainted with the facts will
deny the assertion that he was fully
measured up to requirements Of the
situation.
"The diagnosis Of this patients ply
steal condition as made by the ward
physician who visited him two or three
times daily for a month cannot be cast
aside fippantly as absolutely wrong.
Honest doctors may have honest diff
ferences of opinion and in the absence
- 80
is infallibly right and the other posi-
lively wrong.
Received Good Care.
''If the facts are as ! have stated,
and it is within the power of any in
telligent citizen to ascertain the facts,
then what prompted the paniky rush
into the press on the part Of the board
of control before it had devoted FIVE
minutes to such an investigation as
the case demanded? / am confident
that this boy received careful, con-
scientious, and the tenderest consider
alton at the hands Of the ward ply
clan, and nothing was left undone in
the way of nursing, as we'll, to add to
his comfort.
"On complaint from relatives of this
boy, the board Of control came to the
hospital to investigate the situation.
They spent not over five minutes in
the sick room, and then visited the
room where he received his injuries.
They did not ask for the attending
physician to get direct first hand in
formation and give him a chance to
explain the case, nor did they ques-
tion single nurse or attendant about
the young mans case. This was a
serious case. 1t called for the atten-
ton of one of the administrative bod
les of the state. Why didn't that body
probe the affair to the bottom? Why
didn't they question all those whom
they knew had direct knowledge Of
the case? Why this haste? E
''The public can draw it's own con-
illusions from the actions of the board
of control in carrying on its investi-
cation through the press rather than
on tha nrapoisar