The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1941-03-19


ade to the house and adopted.
4The committee in its report ex-
pressed its appreciation of the
Incorporation of Senator Cotter
of Broadwater county, who
worked with the members of
the committee in the investiga-
ton.
The recommendation of the commit
tee was that superintendent who
is specialist in psychiatry be en-
ployed and that he should be given
full authority to employ sub-heads of
all departments and have them direct
ly responsible to him. The commit
tee also made specific recommends
tons concerning the necessary quail
fications the supervisor of the dairy
herd, the hog farm, the chicken farm
and the truck farm. Recommends
tions of change in the management of
the commissary were also made.
Absolving previous sessions of the
legislature from being entirely at
fault for not appropriating sufficient
funds for adequate and humanitarian
care of the unfortunate patients OF
the institution, the committee noted
that on June 30, 1899, the sum OF
$37 500 that had been previously ap-
propriated for the maintenance of
the institution was allowed to revert
to the general fund and the inmates
of the hospital deprived OF the food
that should have been purchased with
this money" AS this was at the end
of fiscal year when the Ayres adj
ministration pointed with pride" to
a balanced budget" ON that date, this
reverting of funds may be indicative
of how the result was achieved. Pre-
smably, in the estimation of Governor
Ayers this helped him to prove that
he had made good governor"
The committee reported as follows.
concerning the food provided for the
patients:
1.-THE QUALITY OF FOOD. In
order to stay within the abnormally
low cost per meal, per day, the in
stitution has furnished a sufficient
quantity but a very inferior quality
of food which is unseasoned and pro-
vides very unbalanced diet for per-
sons physically and mentally Ill. On
February 25, 1941, at o'clock, the
evening meal, as tasted and inspected
by the Committee, consisted of plain
cooked in water, baked pota-
toes which were cold and soggy, two
slices OF poor quality bread, cold tea
Or skim milk, and small dish OF
5tewed figs. This is a typical eve
ming meal for each day of the year,
except that beans, rice or barley are
substituted for macaronf- There was
no butter or sugar served at this
neal On one occasion the Commit
lee saw two pounds of butter served
10 las patients. There was some
testimony to the effect that the ordi-
nary patient is served meat once
week in the form of a stew, and like
wise, eggs are served once week
There is slight exception, however,
n the case of patients who are work
ng outside, who are served some sort
;losed that the only desert served is
)ie once week"
The committee recommended that a
lietitian should be employed to super
rise the preparation of the meals.
rhe report stated, I'VE believe that a
proper diet will bring about a recov-
ny of many patients and in this man.
- 10.
confined in the state hospital"
From so to go aged, senile but not
insane persons were found to be con-
ined in the institution. The commit
ee recommended the return of these
o their relatives or to the counties
rom which they were committed
accommodations
The following are all the recon-
lendations made by the committee
n the basis of its findings:
l. The employment of a male su-
trained and experienced
/ psychiatry and business admins
alton, who has had actual expert
nee in the management of an insti-
ltion of this kind.
2. That the superintendent have the
to employ all sub-ordinates
heads of departments throughout
lie institution and that they shall be
rectly responsible to the superin-
ndent.
8. That the quality of the food be
brought up to the stand
d of our recommendations in this
port and that an immediate suffi-
ent appropriation be made for this
nergency.
etitian SO that proper, balanced
eals will be served in this institu-
on.
S. The immediate removal of ap-
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