Byline: Pawnee County Mental Health Association; 1974-02-27; Great Bend Tribune (KS); pages A16
Tags: asylum, Betty Wells, Larned State Hospital, mental health, Wichita Eagle
Article Links"We are writing in response to the recent articles on the Larned State Hospital in the Wichita Eagle written by Betty Wells. We realize that Miss Wells thought she was writing an expose but she lacked the experience and training to judge what was taking place around her at the hospital."It is the opinion of this organization that Miss Wells has caused great damage with her articles to the patients in the hospital with an invasion of privacy, and disruption of treatment, discouragement and fear for those seeking treatment, and for the destruction of the image of the mental health program. Several patients have been removed from the hospital against medical advice and are still sick. Their chances of recovery have been hindered because of these articles and the way they were written. This would be a terrible burden to realize that one person had denied sick people the opportunity for recovery and for a normal life for personal gain and to sell newspapers. . . ."
Description:From the editors note: "The following report was prepared by the Pawnee County Medical Health Association. The Report seeks to clarify misconceptions that may have arisen from a series of stories written for the Wichita Eagle."
Rights: Copyrighted, used with permission.
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