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ITU HIM OF THESuperintendent of the Steila-coom Asylum Says He Was Badly Treated by Man He Served for Years as Doctor,ENTERTAINED JUST BEFORE DISMISSALInsane Desire of Executive for Economy and Idiotic Demands Upon Management Responsible for Failure/'* **«*«*«*««*«««#‘ 1 ftft BIG TELEGRAPH ftft SERVICE IN THE ft* MINER TOMORROW ftft ftft All the news of the world is ftft furnished the Morning Miner by ft ft the Associated Press. For the ft ft happenings of tonight and late ft ft this afternoon, see the Miner in ft ft the morning. ' «ft Dawson has two sensations to ft ft record. . The news arrived too ft ft fate for this issue, but will be in ft ft tomorrow morning’s Miner. ft* ftftftftftftftftftftftftftftftftftftPHYSICIAN FOR INSANE TELLS WHOLE STORYPolitics Seem to Enter Largely Into the Conduct of the Western Washington Insane Asylum,AND ’TWAS ALWAYS THUSGuardian of the Crazy Ones Seems to Have Troubles of His Own, All the Same as Patients,(By Associated Press.)SEATTLE.—The Times says: -Gov. Mead entertained Dr. E. Van Zandt and wife at his home two days before dismissing him as superintendent of the Steilacoom asylum.Former superintendent declares Mead's retrenchment ideas an insane desire.Gov. Mead forced employes upon the asylum to satisfy pin-headed politicians.Economy enforced at Steilacoom for political reasons at the expense of the patients.In a sensational letter to The Medical Sentinel of Portland. Dr. E. Van Zandt, former superintendent of the Western Washington Asylum for the Insane, accuses Governor A. E. Mead of treachery in ordering his dismissal, and serious mistreatment of patients at the asylum in dispensing with so many employes that proper attention had to be denied the inmates.Dr. Van Zandt’s letter was written in response to an inquiry for the facts, and is a most severe arraignment of. Mead's mismanagement of the state institution. He is accused of betraying a close personal friendship of fifteen years' standing, of delivering the asylum to “pin-headed politicians.' who demanded patronage, of permitting an insane desire for economy :o cripple the institution and of enforcing unjust and idiotic ideas in the management of the institution.Commenting editorially, the medical Journal says: The doctor is one of the oldest and most reputable practitioners in the state of Washington. He was for years on the state examining board and held other high official positions. There may be two sides to this question, but it is hard to see thai there is another side.”In a footnote to the communication of Hr. Van Zandt these criticisms on the control of the Steilacoom asylum are emphasized.Tendered Without Seeking.Dr. Van Zandt’s letter reads:“In the first place, the position was tendered me without ray seeking, and I was given to understand by Gov. Mead that be was prompted to offer me the position from his personal knowledge of my ability and fitness for it—he having known me intimately for the past firteen years, the latter years of which I.was his family physician and closest friend.I assumed full charge. Dr. A. H. McLeish retiring on January 19, 1905. Naturally, incident to the change of administration, many changes had to be made among the employes In the interest of harmony and efficiency of service. This was accomplished in the course of the first six months, and since that time I had loyalty and efficiency and the respect of every one of my employes: no inharmony or hurtful dissensions of any' kind whatever within the institution.Treachery of Mead.Up to the very day of my removal, never did I have a moment's warning of what was coming. 0nly two days before, I with my wife and friends from Bellingham, called socially at the governor's residence and the greetings were just as cordial as before.Passing the whole matter in review before me now, I can think of no excuse on the part of the governor for the treatment I have received.“He was not, from the very beginning, in harmony with the state board of control, and I understand antagonized them at -different times on mv an-Insane Retrenchment Idea.“In addition to this, the governor suddenly announced that marked retrenchments were needed at all of the state Institutions; that in order to do this he was going to abolish the offices of steward and accounant, which he did, and that this work could be done by the superintendent and his- wife, notwithstanding the already onerous uotl^s of the superintendent with nrly 1,000 patients on his hands with but-one assistant 'physiciam -“Anyone who knows of the responsibilities and hard work involved, well knows that his ideas in this were simply unjust in the extreme and idiotic. The medical treatment alone of 1,000 patients, with but one assistant, was little short of a burden, to say nothing of the countless executive duties resting upon the superintendent.I will also state that the governor In his insane desire to reduce expenses even denied me the services of a druggist for several months.Five Assistants Needed.It is a well known fact that throughout all this country, in institutions of this kind, with equal or less number of patients, the superintendent is furnished with from five to seven assistants, two matrons, two supervisors, druggist, stenographer and steward and accountant.He did not stop here, but later demanded of the board of control to abolish the office of matron, which they did, increasing thereby the al-rady heavy burden upon the superintendent and his assistant physician.Was it reasonable to expect the superintendent and one assistant to give the proper care and treatment to all the patients and at the same time perform the duties of the druggist, matron. steward and accountant?Placated Pinheaded Politicians.H Is worthy of mention just here that the governor forced upon me a number of employes without regard to their fitness or competency, but merely to quiet the political clamor of some plnhoaded politician, or to fulfill a campaign promise, holding me responsible for their Inefficiency and worthlessness.“For political reasons economy has been practiced at this institution at the expense of the unfortunate and afflicted souls within its walls.I wish to add that the last five superintendents, and during the past five years, .have met with the same fate that I have through politics.The past history of this institution since the closing career of the brilliant and noble Dr. Phillip'Waugh-op has been through political influence and domination an everlasting disgrace to the grand state of Washington.Denounced by Editor.To this letter of Dr. Van Zandt the editor of The Medical Sentinel. Dr. Henry Waldo Coe, adds a postscript denouncing the action of the governor and the state board of control. Dr. Coe writes:“It is no wonder, when one reads the foregoing letter, that the percentage of recoveries in public institutions for the insane is lamentably small! Think of the horror of the situation! One thousand invalids— sick in body and mind—and one physician and his assistant to look after them, and the principal so worried and harried by executive and other duties that he has but small time to give the Individual patients. How about the duty that the strong owe the weak? How i6 that duty being fulfilled in the state of Washington?“The situation, let us hope, is not as bad in other states, but it is bad enough everywhere. The politicians are clamoring for a lower per capita cost for the maintenance and care of these unfortunates whose minds are behind a cloud. There should be at least five well trained alienists to care for the 1,000 patients at Fort Steila-coom, in addition to a full complement of the most efficient officers that can be procured.“When will the people, in the interests of their afflicted brothers and sisters, demand that the politicians take their hands off the management of the state hospitals for the insane and insist further that common everyday humanity rule?GOES OUT AFTER TEN YEARS IN COUNTRYGeorge Fox, Lately Boarding Con-J tractor for Government, Says Alaska's Good Enough.George Ford who has been feeding the government men on Fox leaves today for the outside. He has been in Alaska ten years, and says the country is good enough for him. His trip out of is of a business nature and he will return over the ice in the early part of next spring.Critics are sentinels In the grand armv nf letters stationed at the cor-s
Newspaper Details
Fairbanks Evening News
Fairbanks, Alaska, US
Thu, Sep 13, 1906
Page 1
Full Page
Clipped by
Ellen G.
AK, USA 21 Dec 2017
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