Evening star., 1926-09-01
Calls Upon Five Heads of
ASyIums to Conduct Sweep
ing Inquiry Here.
WOULD. HAVE CONDITIONS
THOROUGHLY SURVEYED
Charges Board With Determining
if Hospital Is Up-to-Date
in Treating Men.

Declaring that the whole truth
about st. Elizabeth's Hospital as an
institution for dealing with mental
diseases should be the subject Of ex-
haustive inquiry, Secretary of the In
terror Work today issued invitations
to five experienced and prominent SUI
perintendents of insane hospitals to
serve on a special committee to con
duct a survey of that institution. His
announcement referred to the fact
that the management of the hospital
had been criticised in Congress dur
ing the past Winter.
Personnel of the proposed commit
tee to whom invitations were issued
today, include DIR. II. w. Mitchell.
superintendent Warren State Hos
pital. Warren, Pa: DR.. George NJ.
Kline, commissioner Massachusetts,
department of mental diseases. Bos-
ton; DR.. William l.. Russell. superiu-
tendent Bloomingdale Hospital. White
Plains. n. V; DIR. Owen Copp. consult
ant Pennsylvania Hospital. Philadel-
phia. Pa. and Dr. s. f. Smith. pro
vost Indiana University, India napolis.
Ind.
Text of Work Letter.
The letter sent by Secretary Work
to the proposed committee follows. in
part:
'The St. Eizabeth's Hospital for the
Insane, a Government institution
under the general supervision of the
Secretary of the Interior. has indi-
rectly been made the subject of con
gressOnal investigation during the
past Winter.
although the clstodial care and
medical treatment of patients has not
been publicly criticized nor investi-
gated by Congress. | wish TO know. as
the Governments representative
Whether or not medical treatment
there is recognized as scientifically
modern.
IF the medical staff is qualified.
eff the nursing personnel is suffi-
cient in number and competent.
IF the housing space is adequate
and sanitary.
'If the food is wholesome and lib
eral:
"If unnecessary mechanical re-
straints are employed; or.
In short. If st. Elizabeth's Hospital
is or is not in fact modern hospital
for the most humane care. custody
and curative treatment of those neces.
sarly secluded from society for the
primary purpose of restoring them to
their former positions in the com
munity.
Hopes Board Will Act.
Il very much hope that you may he
willing to serve the Government as one
of a committee of five eminently quail
flied. experienced superintendents of
hospitals for the insane. to make such
investigation as briefly indicated
"A survey of this institution as q
mental hospital can only he valuable
if made by men who are expert and
widely experienced in this department
of medicine and are familiar with the
problems of such institutions.
IL am. therefore. asking whether
you are willing to serve as a member
of medical committee To make this
investigation and report to me.
"The whole truth about the institu-
ton as a mental hospital and its eff
ficienCy in dealing with mental dis
eases. should be the vital part of the
record.
1T will be a Gratultous service.
am only permitted under the law to
reimburse you for your necessary
travelling expenses. You will be
lodged in the institution.
Asks Immediate Reply
Il very much hope you will find
yourself able to perform this public
service, and will appreciate a prompt
response indicating how soon you
could begin
A separate investigation of st. Eliza
beth's Hospital, dealing more with the
financial and administrative side of the
institution than with its medical eff
cency, conducted by the office of the
controller general. has been under way
at the direction of Congress for more
than d month. This inquiry was di-
rected by Congress following the hear
ings before the Gibson subcommittee
of the House District committee In
vestigating the administration Of for
mer Commissioner Fenning and the
veterans committee of the House.
About 40 employees Of the office OF the
controller general are at work on this
inquiry and will make a report early
in the coming Winter to Congress.