Montana labor news., 1950-05-04
Your State Hospital
AT Warm Springs
By TED r. ~SCHOENBORN


The Montana State Hospital ~
Warm spring, has long been accus
toned t. being treated like d step
child in State institutional affairs.
even il i, never has been happy about
II. and i, growing m>istent on
is rights. When state departments
and institutions have oyer-eNpendcd
their budgets when good hubsinc>>
practice requires cooperation he
tween state NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
the State Hospital iinds itself jock
eyed in such 4 position tina, ii i, re-
quired to pick up the check.
Ny iirst months as manager were
eye-openers. There wasn't enough
ii anything at the hospital-noi
enough toilet papcr-nai enough iood
no, enough covers ior cold nights
When the laundry did not get around
TO the wards III time there were not
enough sheets and not enough pillow
cases. There wasn't enough ii any
thing hut patients.
That a situation like ihi> should
exist was without excuse or l%us,iii-
cation-a check oi the liberal allo-
cation made b, the legislature. To-
ee,her with dl>eou,inuiue the special
privileges and practices OF certain
groups OF employees these practices
will be explained in future articles
made i, possible to correct the above
situation. And II j. the %concensus
that now the patients have better
food and living conditions the, seem
10 walk with a lighter >tep-hccau>e
like normal people their stations and
dignity have been raised.
Kindness Is a Must"
Your hospital hal all the latest
equipment and modern drugs. what
ever can be done successfully iur the
patient IN most eases /, done last and
we'll but without a jar on the
pharmacy she'll labelled 'kindnes>-
without this one calelylig. most ol the
drugs are valueless.
During my nine months at Warm
Springs | read many case histories Of
these uniortunates and with lew eN
ceptions ! found these people defeat
ed and depressed. found a sense OF
insecurity a sense OF iear Of what
ma, happen To them ii by chance
they offend in any way. That is the
lear that bothers me most because
fear can take away even from normal
people the courage 10 be individuals.
One need noi be a psychiatrist to UNI
derstand. tina, the unwanted children,
the people that had a bad star, in
life. broken homes, or that mis-
fortune pile on misfortune until they
broke under the strain, need synl-
paihy and understanding. So, it
seems 10 me that every one oil us have
an individual responsibility 10 see
that these people are given kind
treatment. free from insecurity and
fear. Only BY a proper understand
ing and healthful environment can
they be brought back to normal.
! learned many things regarding
the reactions and moods OF mental
patients-hundreds OF them worked
in the physical plant OF the institu-
ton, which was under my direction
and responsibility
These workers were OF all types.
] soon came to understand that the
vicious residue were merely sick in
mind rather than evil in spirit.
Many Of YOU have seen mild temp
crate people i'll every day lie made
vicious by harshness. You have also
seen the toughest specimens OF what
we term bad eggs" softencd and
made gentle, by a kind word. by ,hr
touch Of a friendly hand That IS
why they have taken the clubs away
from the attendants and are train
ing them to treat the patients like
normal human bcings-that is Why
modern medical technique insists on
intelligent. kindly and socially CON
scious attendants and employees.
Public Leaves Matter Up To
Politicians
The public act, a il mental illness
did not exist. They leave il entirely
&c the politician There is a lot ,oi
whoopala for tuberculosis and cancer
and infantile paralysis but to he'll
with the increasing number OF mental
cases. Yet ! know | am right when
! say the State Hospital has the best