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Mental patients' grim tales raise debate
By MARK W. GATES
Staff Reporter
Shortly after Margaret Osby, a Wichita resident, was committed to the state mental hospital at Larned, she says she was strapped naked to a table with her hands under her stomach on her stomach and forcibly injected with drugs.
one also says she was three months pregnant at the time.
Oshy, who was transferred to Topeka State Hospital three months ago, was released 10 days ago after what the doctors termed a "dramatic" recovery.
Obsy said her recovery came about after she stopped taking most of the drugs prescribed for her by her psychiatrist. She flushed them down the toilet to avoid discovery.
Obsy's case is not typical of most mental patients in Kangas. Not is her case unique.
Her complaints about treatment in Kansas mental hospitals are typical of the controversy surrounding psychiatric hospitals.
GEORGE GETZ, clinical director of Larned State Hospital, refused to discuss details of the case. However, he said Monday, "I feel that the hospital handled her case carefully and fairly. Her rights
were locked out for pretty aggressively. It is possible to have pregnant women given psychosexual drugs to avoid unwanted pregnancies.
Walter Meninger, clinical director of Topeka State Hospital, said yesterday that it wouldn't be proper to assume that Osby's quick recovery was sufficient. He did not take some drugs he had prescribed for her.
"Often we will give higher dosages and then reduce medication when a patient gets better," he said. "Her problems were quite pronounced and she was a rather dramatic turnaround."
CONTROVERSIES SURROUNDING patients such as Osby continue even though legislators passed several revisions to the Kansas Health Code in 2017. Mental illnesses were designed to protect the rights of patients.
The revisions include these rights:
- To communicate by telephone or letter without interference.
- To receive visitors each day.
- To have explained, if requested, the nature of all medications and treatments prescribed, the reasons for the prescription and the most common side effects.
- To be protected from such procedures as psychosurgery, electro-shock therapy, experimental medication, aversion therapy or hazardous treatment. Must have written consent and that of his parents or guardians.
- To be informed orally and in writing of his rights under this section upon admission to a treatment
SOME OF THE revisions have drawn the criticism of mental health professionals.
"Certain aspects of the law are unrealistic," Menninger said. "Sometimes the law stands in the way of proper treatment. It could be made more effective by softening parts of it."
However, State Rep. John Solach, D-Lawrence, who toured parts of Topeka State Hospital and talked with administrators about compliance with the law two weeks ago, said he approved of the 1976 revisions.
"I think it is a good law," he said. "I am interested in seeing the hospital respect the worth and dignity of people."
Although patients' rights activists think the law is a good start, they don't think it thinks far enough.
"Within the hospital, many staff members, not all, ignore the civil rights of patients, usually upon the request of the doctor."
THEY MAY BE well-intentioned, but by attempting to force help upon people who aren't seeking it or are not ready to accept them, they often unjustify their rights as human beings and clerics.
terest," Jerry McCee, attorney for the Legal Aid Society of Topeka, said.
When questioned by Solbach, Eberhard Burtzik, superintendent of Topека State Hospital, assured him that his institution was in compliance with the revised state law.
Burdik said the patients were informed of their rights upon admission and given a booklet outline.
McGee said he had seen that pamphlet and was not satisfied with its contents.
"The pamphlet is inadequate, as far as what the law intends," he said. "It is implicated in the pamphlet that all rights are suspendable. That simply isn't true."
The 1976 law states that any person willfully depriving any patient of the rights protected by the law shall be guilty of a class C misdemeanor. But there have been no test cases or prosecutions.
"WE'VE RECEIVED no formal complaints about violations of the law at Tawoe." Jeanne
Bertelson, assistant district attorney for Shawnee County, said that the county is a complex area of the law and the police.
The 1976 revisions also changed the requirements for involuntary commitment so that a court must be shown, beyond a reasonable doubt, that the person is dangerous to himself or to others.
Meninger and McGee agree the commitment process in Kansas is inconsistent.
"Both the bench and the bar do a bad job with commitment," McGee said. "There are widely differing standards for commitment from county to county, depending upon the discretion of the judge. Many people are sent there simply because their families are ill-equipped to deal with them."
IN ANY EVENT, Manninger said that because a person must be proved dangerous to be committed, there had been an upsurge of assaults and violence against staff and patients. This could be controlled better if there were more staff but, he said, sometimes seclusion was used in place of staff.
The law says a patient may not be placed in a wheelchair, and should not be confined to himself or others. The use of medication may not be permitted.
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
See MENTAL back page
The University of Kansas—Lawrence, Kansas
Vol. 89, No. 143
Wednesdav Mav 2.1979
Calgaard replacement announced
Rv BILL RIGGINS
Staff Reporter
Ralph Christoffersen has been chosen to replace Ron Calgaard as vice chancellor for academic affairs, it was announced yesterday. Christoffersen is currently associate vice chancellor for academic affairs.
Calgaard has resigned to become the president of Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas. Christofersen will take over the office July 1.
He was named assistant vice chancellor for academic affairs in 1974 and associate president.
Christofersen, 41, came to the University of Kansas in 1968 as an assistant professor of chemistry. He was named associate professor in 1968 and professor in 1972.
Christofensen said he "was 'very pleased' to have been chosen for the
"I HAVE HAD a pretty good chance to
Ralph Christofferson
observe the challenges of the job and I have had an extremely good mentor in Dr. Kavrian
In addition to his administrative duties.
Christlork森 has committed to teach im
tumidity and growth land use
But he said he was not certain whether he would be able to continue teaching after graduation.
"I'll try to arrange my schedule to give my full attention to the office," he said.
As vice chancellor for academic affairs,
Christofersen will be the chief academic
administrator for the Lawrence campus
and/or all academic programs and budgets.
HE ALSO will be responsible for the overall supervision of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and the professional schools.
the university and are pleased that he has accepted this position."
in announcing the decision, Chancellor Archie R. Dykes said, "We think that Chris is an outstanding choice for this important job." He added, "I'm very excellent leadership to this central office of
Del Shankel, executive vice chancellor,
Christopher Hodson had demonstrated a
commitment to teaching, teaching and research and strong interests in the sciences, the arts and all of our
"In addition, his knowledge of our programs and of higher education in Kansas will enable us to continue the momentum we have established."
CALGAARD SAID he was "delighted" that oathsufferers had been chosen to succeed him.
"I think very highly of Dr. Christofferson and I will sure he will do an excellent job," he
Calgaard said the fact that Christoffersen had worked in the academic affairs office for four years would lessen transition problems.
LA&S adopts academic standard
Students in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences might have to bear down soon.
The College Assembly passed academic standards requirements yesterday that could cause a student to be dropped from the College.
Under the policy, which will go into effect in fall 1808, a student will be placed on probation for a semester if his grade point average for the previous semester is below 1.0 for freshmen, 1.5 for sophomores and 2.0 for upperclassmen.
After a semester of probation, a student
could be dropped from the school if both his semester and cumulative GPA's were less than 3.5.
THE COLLEGE currently have no minimum GPA requirements, Robert Cobb, dean of the College, said. However, an extra $250 could be necessary for graduation from the College.
Cobb said the requirements had been abolished in the early 1970s. The new requirements are a result of an investigation made at the request of Cobb by
the committee on Undergraduate Studies and Advising.
Tom Beiseker, associate professor of speech and drama and chairman of the committee, said "In our study, we found that F's are more important for F's and the students could be enrolled.
Cobb said the studies differed on whether the College would lose students or whether the students' grades would improve under the new curriculum. But some students dropped from the College.
A STUDENT who was dismissed because
of poor grades would have to petition the College for readmission.
The College Assembly also passed a proposal that makes a final exam part of Western Civilization courses 104, 105, 114 and 123. It will allow credit hours from two to three hours for each.
A proposal for making it more difficult to graduate with departmental honors also was passed. The ruling raises overall the GPA for students from 3.0 to 3.25 and raises the minimum in the students' major from 3.25 to 3.5.
Retiree jams his jelly with original fixings
Loyd Hout
Staff photo by STEPHAN SPECTOF
By SHIRLEY SHOUP
Staff Reporter
Hout, in his late 60s, makes at least 18 different kinds of jellies and jams in his home at 94 Delaware St.
Corn cobs, coffee and sunflowers are perfect ingredients for jellies and jams, according to Lloyd Hout.
He said he first started making jelly about five years ago when he retired. He said the first time he and his late wife made jelly with sap sandhams, they found only noisy ivy.
"When people tell me I can't make jelly out of something, I do it anyway," he said.
His yard provides dandelions, and a vine at his kitchen door provides the roses that go into his lellies.
Although the dandelions and roses are not available year round, Hout cooks the flowers and cans the juice so he can make jelly from them at other times.
He said that when he made a recipe of jelly, "I take the first taste out and if it kills them, it then mk'till you."
Now he doesn't have to travel so far for his ingredients.
Only the petals of the roses are used, he said, and the dandelions have to be cut so that only the yellow part of the flower is left.
"That's what takes so much time," he said.
Although his product may take time, Hout is not stingy with it. Most of his jellies are given away to women at the flower shop or the bank, or to his friends.
One woman, in fact, who lives out of town, always stocks up on dandelion jelly when she is in Lawrence, he said.
Hout said he wasn't sure where he came up with so many ideas for jellies, but his curiosity always made him try.
Poised protester
A protester keeps a watchful eye on the surroundings as he intends to the anti-draft rally in front of Wesley Hall. The rally, sponsored by the Students for a Libertarian Society, was organized to protest the draft bill.
$256,000 bid accepted for Robinson roofing
By DAVID LEWIS
Staff Reporter
The University of Kansas yesterday unofficially accepted a $256,000 bid by BESL Roofing and Heating Co. , Leavenworth, to re-roof Robinson Gymnasium.
And work began yesterday on a $64,288 reproofing project for Summerfield Hall.
The bid to re-roof Robinson will be official after the necessary paperwork is completed, Harlan Counter, of the Kansas Department of Purchasing, said yesterday.
"It will take a minimum of two weeks," he said.
Counter said the company would have 100 calendar days to finish the re-roofing after it is given written notice to proceed with the re-roofing.
Counter said contractors in Kansas were swamped with re-profits jobs.
Besel Roofing and Heating completed a $141,060 re-roofing project at the KU building.
Wiechert said another problem was that there were few roofing contractors in the area. Vincent Roofing Co., Topека, is working on several KU projects, he said.
Alen Wiechert, director of facilities planning, agreed that roofing jobs were
"THE SECOND BIDDER for Robinson wanted 210 days and the third wanted 397 days to finish the project. This reflects how busy contractors are." he said.
"The University has an unusual number of roof projects going on right now," he said. "We don't have a budget account that a lot of these roofs have been under contract for some time. The winter months are the worst."
VINCENT ROOFING, which finished a $65,498 Lindley Hall re-roofing project last week, began replacing Summerfield Hall's rooftop吏师.
Robert Still, repair and improvement analyst for facilities planning, said the Summerfield re-roofing project was necessary.
"There have been massive leaks in the past few years," he said. "The University will benefit greatly when this roof is done. It is a 20-year roof that is 22 years old."
Problems, however, had to be ironed out before starting on Summerfield.
Mike Farrell, roofing superintendent for Invent Roofing, said the main problem was that the roof is not insulated.
"WE NEED ACCESSIBILITY to the main doorway," he said. "Students are right in the middle."
Farrall said the old roof would be cut into small squares and then thrown down a chute. A 45-foot long trash chute was placed under the window last week, perpendicular to the main entrance.
Gary Keeler, foreman of the project, said that the cylindrical, black chute would be moved further from the door and that a truck would be placed under it.
The truck carrying away the materials will have a plywood barrier to prevent puncture.