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Astounding Disclosures! Three Years In A Mad House

Creator: Isaac H. Hunt (author)
Date: 1851
Publisher: Isaac H. Hunt
Source: Patricia Deegan Collection
Figures From This Artifact: Figure 2  Figure 3

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173  

MR. HART was fiercely abused by the hired man, who threw him down and then jumped upon him with his knees.

174  

MR. HINCKLEY was similarly used by the same person. I rely upon the correctness of these two cases from the statements of a person who was a patient at that time. I have no other proof, but I firmly believe it to be true.

175  

An attendant was ordered to tie up a patient by the thumb to the grates, for spitting upon the floor! Dr. Bates came in and said -- "Well, my lad, how do you like that?" -- thus sanctioning that course of medical treatment.

176  

MR. FLINT, of Bridgeton, has been to the Hospital and complains of being abused in a shameful manner, and begs of his friends to chain him any where, rather than send him there again, should he ever be deprived of reason.

177  

A lady who was visiting the Hospital last winter or spring, to see her husband, saw as she was passing, some of the patients out sawing wood, and she also saw one of them whipped or beat with some kind of a stick, about the size of a broomstick; and probably that incident might have had some influence with her to induce her to steal away her husband in the manner she did, thinking the same medicine might be administered to him as well as other patients.

178  

A crazy negro was placed in charge of some crazy white men, at work in the garden, and was kicked and otherways shamefully abused and maltreated by them: another bit of the precious evidence of the philosophy of the humane and kind treatment of those controlling this Institution.

179  

A young Irishman was brutally abused by the attendant in the galleries, and so poor Pat had to take the kicks and cuffs of oppressive barbarity, in this sweet land of liberty.

180  

MRS. EMERY, of Augusta, an insane patient, was put in a strong chair, confined, in a state of complete nudity! The argument may have been for this shameful treatment, that Mrs. Emery would tear her clothes if they were left upon her, but confined in that chair, the act would be impossible! Ladies, what think you of such kindness in Dr. Bates.

181  

SARAH ALEXANDER, another female patient, was confined in the Cottage. She was severely afflicted with a complaint to which debilitated females are more or less subjected. She also was kept in an entire state of nudity, and was shamefully and brutally neglected by Dr. Bates. Her situation, it is said, was awful in the extreme.

182  

A female has told at Gen. Redington's, that she had seen Dr. Bates choke a female patient until she was black in the face. Was not that very humane? Dr. Bates, some two or more years since, discharged a female attendant, because she choked a patient. This attendant replied to Dr. Bates, "I have only followed your example, in so doing!" whereupon Dr. Bates gave her a first rate certificate of good moral character.

183  

MISS PHILOMELA HALL, of Hallowell, was shamefully abused by Dr. Bates, who ordered her into the "Cottage" for some trivial offence, and there, divested of all her garments, was kept in a state of nudity for some days! Miss Hall was a delicate women, tenderly brought up, and lady like in her deportment. With Capt. Smith, her brother-in-law, and her sister, the Captain's wife, she had been a voyage at sea, which was the cause of her insanity! He heard of her situation, and applied for her discharge, which was peremptorily refused by Dr. Bates. Smith then said that if his demands were not compiled with, he would take her out if he had to level the Institution to the earth, to obtain her! He appealed to the Trustees, and after much trouble finally affected her release.

184  

MRS. BAKER, of Orrington, had her arm dislocated, and has since lost its entire use. When before the committee of investigation the matron was asked how this occurred; her response was, she did not know. But I have since learned that it was done by the attendants forcing her into the bathing tub; of course only to allay excitement, and leave her maimed for life. Oh! humanity where hast thou fled; hast thou departed from this abode of sin, suffering, and woe.

185  

CAPT. LUCKLY, an insane man, confined in the hospital, by neglect in leaving the washroom door open to him, entered and turned the hot water facet, until the bathing tub was partially full, then jumping into this boiling bath, he was so scalded about the feet that he died in course of two or three days. The report was, Capt. Luckly died of congestion -- I suppose of scalded feet.

186  

About a month after Dr. Bates took charge of the Hospital a female patient refused to swallow her medicine; whereupon Dr. Bates took a hard wood wedge, and bending her head across his knees, so forced it into her mouth as to cause the blood to run down upon the floor, and told her he would learn her to take her medicine. That was undoubtedly a very kind way to show her that he was her benevolent and humane friend.

187  

I saw Mr. Coan of Dexter, one Sunday morning shamefully abused by Dr. Harlow, so that he was made a cripple for life. Well, to speak seriously, is a man to blame if the God of nature has not endowed him with reason, judgment and understanding, so that he does not know what treatment an insane man should receive? If a man is to be held accountable for what he does not know, then he is and should be held responsible for that abuse. And, also, if he did know better, then he is accountable for maiming him as he did. I say that Mr. Coan was shamefully and inhumanly neglected, before he was injured, and afterwards, by Dr. Bates.

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