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TREASURY DEPARTMENT

J UNITED STATES
PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE

  

OFFICE OF
MEDICAL OFFICER IN CHARGE

Oct. 13.1919,

To, Surgeon General, |
U.S.P.HSERVICE, | | ~
Washington. 3 De C €

Attention Miss Lucy Minnieg¢rode ©

7

Sir, (thru Medical Officer in Charge)

For some weeks we have been under a great strain eat this hospital,
due to the lack of discipline and the lack of authority to in any wey
restrain patients. I have not written before in regard to this meUEE:,
because I felt conditions might be improved.

We have, as you know, Psychoneuroses cases, but that seems to embody
so many varieties of cases that this hospital is far worse than an insane
hospital could be, We have dope-fiends, denentis. praecox, Epilepsy,
hysterie in all forms; men who drink and are made crazy by liquor; those
with violent tempers ete etc,

Dr Kolb, our Medical Officer in Charge, is not allowed to enforee
discipline or to restrain the patients in any wey. The result is that
the patients are running this hospital and we have absolutely no come back,

We have had mmerous nights of trouble with patients, byt lest night
things reached a climax, and I am enclosing a copy of the night report ,which
will give you some idea of what we must put up with, |

The obscene language, insults etc,that the nurses receive from time
to time and especially the night force,are such that I have taken my nurses
off night duty, and refuse to put them on again until the discipline of this
place is such that I consider it safe and advisable to do so.

Every nurse I have feels exactly as I do in this matter of necessity
of discipline and restraint for petients, and unless the ‘conditions change
in a very short time we will feel obliged ~o ask for a transfer or release
from duty here.

You say in your letter to my nurse ,lfiss Woods, that"no nurse shovld
have fear of petients ,and certainly not those sent to this U.S.P.1.S.Hospital",

I cannot agree with you, knowing the class of petients here, and I
feel very certain you would feel the same as we do =- no protection, no come=
-back, no discipline, no restraint. ‘It is very necessary to enforee the
strictest discipline and restraint for some of these patients,
TREASURY DEPARTMENT

UNITED STATES
PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE

 

OFFICE OF
MEDICAL OFFICER IN CHARGE

continuation t=

The Commanding Officer of this Institution must be given absolute
authority to discipline these men and restrein them at all times if necessary,

My nurses, who have received part or all of their training with
the insane, say there is no comparison, and they, like the reat,live in constant
fear of these men, I do wish you could make a trip out here, for I want
you to be absolutely certain that I am correct in my statements.

This place has such wonderful possibilities, I would like to make
it all you desire, but some very redical changes must be made at once,

Hoping this matter can have your immediate attention,

I anm,.
Very sincerely

Vabel K, Adams .
Chief Nurse,