Year: 1859

these, viz: First, that Mr.. Otis Brett, being
constitutionally affected with cold feet, which
is produced by a want of circulation to the
| part affected, his disease was aggravated bv
his insanity, which in almost all cases pro-
| duces coldness or want of circulation of the
blood to the extremities The circulation of
| blood to his feet was almost entirely or quite
| impeded by the severe chill that his feet
must have suffered in his ride from Sonora to
Stockton, with these other causes and was
never restored until the parts died from the
want of that alone: and that the apartments
in which he was confined, although sufficient
| ly warm to prevent any suffering from cold
on the part of any well person, yet the warm
of the asphaltum floors, to which his naked
feet were exposed, was wholly insufficient to
produce a reaction or recirculation of blood
to his feet


And now comes the question, who is to
blame for this result? The symptoms. in a
case of this kind, might have been so similar
to those in case of frost bite, that DR.. Ken.
dali might be really excusable in mstaking
the affection of his feet and if he was mis-
taken, surely he is guilty Of no wrong. and
that he was mistaken, from the evidence,
can have no doubt DIR. Aylett was absent
about that time: this may be- to certain
extent, wrong in him, but l believe there is
nothing in the law prescribing his duties that
requires him to be there all the time although
the evidence concusively proves that he
spends nearly all of his time there, going his
rounds, regularly, morning, noon and night
| Owing to his absence, the treatment of the
case was left almost entirely with DR.. Ken
dali and conclude that if, when brought
there, he had received scrutinizing, person
nj H. .f "a
Kendall or Aylett, the condition of his feet
would have been discovered, and his calami-
ty prevented but his accomplishing man
ner his robust, healthy look and his walking
without apparent difficulty, seem sufficient
reason to excuse no examination in this case
therefore, cannot censure them for that
But, when the condition of his feet became
known to DIR. Kedall, and when we consider
that he was removed from there only in
time to save his life, and only after his feet
were in state of modification, nature having
already set up her mark designating where
amputation must take place; and that he
was in this awful condition for two DAYS
when he was sane, in the opinion of the
keepers (and in my opinion he was, from
the statements since made by himself, of
what transpired during that time, in which
he was corroborated by the keepers)


In view of these facts, l attribute the pres
ent position of Mr.. Otis Brett, to have been
caused by neglect, or rather want of proper
medical treatment whilst in the Asylum, for
[ believe that If, even after his feet began to
SWELL and attracted attention, even then, if
he had received a proper degree of treat
ment this calamity might have been preven-
ted, or to a certain extent prevented. If in
this opinion am in error, it will be sub
ject of deep regret to me; for would that
| could conscientiously draw any other con-
clusion, from the high regard l entertain for
those gentlemen, caused principally by the
most extraordinary care, attention and econ
omy, exhibited by them in the conduct of
that Asylum in all other particulars than
this. G. L. DELoNG.