The Waterbury Democrat., 1941-04-15
COMPETENT HELP NEEDED TO SUPPLEMENT FINE INsTI- TUTIONAL BLDGS.
Editor, Waterbury Democrat:

Editor, Waterbury Democrat:
 Coroner Hersch of Philadelphia took another slap at the admins tration of the Philadelphia State Hospital at Byberry recently as he held four attendants without bail for Grand Jury on charges growing out of the death of a patient last month. Hersch declared that If the State appropriated funds for a competent personnel instead of spending money on fancy buildings" all concerned would benefit. T do not hold the heads Of the institu- ton responsible in a general way for the conditions leading to the death of this man. But the whole trouble at Byberry Is that they do not have sufficient money to erl- ploy capable help. The attendants are much too young and not suff- ciently experienced. feel sorry for these men, but all the new build ings planned by the State authori- ties will never remery conditions un- til enough money is appropriated to employ efficient help. That comes before fancy buildings"
 These are words well applicable to Connecticut, Massachusetts, all States. Pretty lawns, nice waxed floors. potted palms in the exe- cutive offices of State Hospital, even a big personnel avails nothing If the highest welfare of the men, tally i'll is not the chief considera- ton of all concerned. Young whip persnappers recruited from the street corners of a big city, or the more mature adult with no previous experience in upholding the dictates of humanity, are hardly qualified1 for the exacting work of mental hospital attendant. A patient in Q Connecticut State Hospital once evaluated the ward employe when he said: T am Q man sixty years of age who has spent eleven of these years as @ patient at this hospital. During this time I have seen attendants come and go. Some of these should not have been allowed to come at all and the sooner they went the better for everybody except the departing help themselves who, being unat- tached and with no real respon- abilities in life, found hospital grub and comfortable living quarters much to be preferred to what they lhad in the community. All they were Interested in were the food and place to sleep and as far as caring for the patients was concerned they ldid not overinterest themselves Often when the opportunity was ripe a patient was walloped and more timid patients kept their mouths closed for fear of reprisals Today, however, conditions are much improved although there is still plenty of room for added improve ment. Speaking from the standpoint Iof the patient, many attendants are too young and take the job just tc tide them over unemployment irl the community. No person should be allowed to go to work in 6 State Hospital unless that person Intends to devote his or her hft Ito nursing the mentally Ill.,"
 Is 1t any wonder. that 1t is diff. Ificult to get efficient ward helr when we reflect the conditions un- der which hospital help functionsi Low wages with long hours ars hardly calculated to attract a higf type of personnel. Here in Massa. chusetts. for instance, Q lot oi money has been spent in pretty hospital buildings, hospital fioori lare highly polished and long agt