Narrative of the recent difficulties in the Provincial Lunatic Asylum in Canada West : dedicated to the Christian community, and to the presiding officers of lunatic asylums in Europe and America.

  • Park, Geo. H. (George Hamilton)
Date:
1849
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Narrative of the recent difficulties in the Provincial Lunatic Asylum in Canada West : dedicated to the Christian community, and to the presiding officers of lunatic asylums in Europe and America. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)

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    ExceTlen.dOCUmeUreintem5ed,0 'mpeaC'1 *e Medicil1 Supsrintondent Mb* HI. I have therefore without delay addressed myself to you on the subject, and request the IllS«e lZ::nTU* l° WHl8 SXCe,„enCy my ,,e'feC1 re»dide* d »b'^ o m!e Vnd rVp, doing; Bu 8 Whe,,ever Hl8 Hellene, may be pleased te afford me an opportunity U attend 'JS^6 f'*.1 WM neiler apprised of ll,e receding of the Bonrd nor inri.ed to df • 7 ,,elr ' ersonu «»nos.iy is avowed us the ground lor denying me .he benefit o. thole rule* of .mpornal.iy and fairness, which dist.nguiah similar proeeedinf., affecting the re,u.! t.onot public or pr.vate men, in every country in the world that is tree and cml.Ud 'I h s mi^lln '■;,,.m,,,y r°,oW haVe bee ^',,d pooron 'or .he most scrupu.o,, regard o my just rights ol de-ence belore my accusers and jud^.-s ; but it tats as a reason for sum, ct 7LS Id ,q,eit0r11 •«*»* whw - osity could display its act v.,; KEJ a check and comminute i is purposes: in secret without the light of day. I make no comment on the witnesses thus brought against me. because His Excellency is already aware of the tacts bearing upon this point. No one charge against n e is n.ore untrue than another ; bu: may be permitted to adve, t to the cruelty of the allegation Sit 1 hadImproperly employed an ...competent Porter to make up the medicine for the patent. 1 he Cum.iMM.anfr. had allowed him (as his evidence shows) to discharge this duty for ]>' ^nf'.h ,W° >'t°rs' kw,,h ,he,r acquiescence; and during the earlier par. of his employ.* rncnt. there might have been room lor questioning bis capability. But it is not just to Wet their former license, ... order to make it now appear as a charge against me. /have onfr continued h.m in h.s duty, after his past employment had insured his fitness. The intimation in he evidence that he cannot read Latin, might induce a bel.ef that the prescriptions are written in that language, though it is known and is apparent that they were bv Dr Teller and are by me, written in English. If it was wrong in me to continue in the duty a nan who was once a gardinerand farmer, and ignorant ol Latin, it was still more objectionable to sanction it when he began. He was in Dr. Teller's time examined bv Dr. Beaumont and by him pronounced fit. ' na Mr. Cronynhas been a Medical Student for three years, and attended the Medical Lectures at the University ,n the winter of 1846 and 1847. He also fills the situation called the Assistant Steward, at the Branch. a I rely upon the justice of His Excellency to afford me the amplest justice which mv ease requires. r J »«-•« wy I have the honor to be, Sir, Your most obedient and humble servant, GEO. H. PARK. . Thc rea<Jer may contrast this insinuation to the government with the Reso- lution of the Board, of the 26th October, above given. Next to the atrocious acts already mentioned, is this most unprincipled proceeding. Although placed directly by the crown as Medical Superintend dent over the Asylum ; yet the Board of Commissioners, without any previous communication, with or from the Government, erect themselves into a secret tribunal to try me for mal-practice in my surgery, and for hazarding the pois- oning of the patients through the porter and head-keeper. Reputation ia justly valued by eveiy man —professional reputation is doubly so : for its loss involves not only general fame, but worldly fortune; the very means of living. Conceive, then, Christian Ministers joining, I ought to say seducing, otheis of the Board to conspire in a seeret act basely calculated to ruin me in charac- ter as a man, and as a physician. To this most presumptuous assumption of jurisdiction is added the crim- inal mode of proceeding. The Commissioners take the evidence of the keepers, even of Hungerford and Craig, the two discharged keepers: and if I am not bound to give them credit for more refinement in their moral sense than is herein displayed by the Board itself, a man's reputation stands in fearful hazard—1 am not allowed an opportunity of hearing the evidence or cross- examining the witnesses. The evidence is not given under the sanction of an