The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1874-09-19 00:00:00

(4e 3tourbribge Obserbtr.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 1874.

THE UNBALANCED MIND.

When the Empress of Austria was in London
a little while ago one of the visits paid by her
Majesty was to an institution the chronicles
whereof contain but few records of the attentions
of Royalty. The Empress. one day, left the
north, or aristocratic side of the Thames, and
drove to the southern shores of the river, aregion
often contemptuously spoken of as lying" away
over the water." In one of the busiest and
most crowded parts of the Surrey side is Beth-
lehem Hospital—a huge home for the insane,
and it Was here that the Imperial lady made stay
of two hours. She traversed the wards, was
conducted through the corridors, Was SiIOWII the
day-rows and the dormitories, tasted the food
supplied to the inmates, and saw that kindness
and humanity reigned in a place formerly
synonymous with crnelty and terror. rruly it
was &kindly feeling which ituaim awl the Empress
when she turned aside front the Palace and Vie
mansion to visit the domicile of those who have
lost their reason. With most of us there is a
melancholy interest surrounding those who, in
the course of life's struggle, find theroselvea
beaten in the strife and fall out of the rinks,
not through any failure of the physical powers,
but because the mind has lost is balance—the
result of that severe mental tension at the cost
of which we purchase the present advanced stage
of our civilization. Yet to look at Bethlehem,
with its gardens, its lawns, and its well-kept
flower beds; to watch the air of contentment
with which the inmates of the place stroll to and
Ire under the long shadows of the yenta alde
Env.) ; and to contrast all this wit:, the eterniC
harry leg up and down of the entAicie world wad
the looks of anxiety upon thi• f ice,: of the cow*
one might almost be tempted to suppose that the
mad people where those of the streets, awl that
those were the sane who took life so warily and
calmly within the boundary walla and the iron
gateways of the asylum.
A study of the annual report of the Lunacy
Commissioners furnishes some facts which are
iateresting and suggestive. The high pressure
speed at which the brain is worked in the pre-
sent day, is exemplified in the fact that there
was an appreciable increase in the number of
cases dealt with during the past twelve mouths.
The total number of persons of unsound mind in
England and Wales, registered as such on the
let of January last, was 62,027—equal to the
poptalatiou of many a flourishing city. The
average annual increase during the last ten years
has been 1,723. What a tale does this tell of the
wear and tear of brain involved in the race of
life? Yet one cause of this increase has been
suggested which we should be glad to believe
was the correct one. Patting aside the anvance
in the population, which would partly account
for the augmenting number of cases, it is pointed
out that this description of infirmity every year
receives more care and attention ; consequently
a large proportion of cases come limier treat-
ment. This reflection is, after all, more cense-
latory than that the segmentation is attributable
to the fact that a larger number of sane persons
are annually incarcerated improperly. This
hypothesis, if it posseased a substantial found-
ation, who show a deplorable state of things. it
would be worse than the existence of too much
brain work, producing a loss of reason--worse
even than the transmission of hereditary mental
disease.

llt is evident that there is no longer room for
those sensational recitals of asylum life which
have enlivened the pages of more than one ima-
ginative novelist. There may be isolated in-
. stances of hardship and oppreasiou, but taking
the genera body of the deranged, their treatment
'is kiud and considerate. At the same timo a
wholesome supervision is exercised which pro-
tects life and preserves property. There is one
point, however, worthy of more notice than it
has yet received. That is the lack of 111.001111130
dation for the patients who, thoogli b big in u
superior condi.ion of life, yet etti•iot o Uri tne
stun neci Beery for to.•intettauee in a private ice.
lulu. To meet the "it, of thi. vies, t Ir. Hoi
loway is building a hospital for 200 patients near
Virginia Water, this act of munificence being
carried out under the (superintendence of the
Lunacy Board. May this example foil imita.
tors all over the country I No section of lathe,.
ted humanity more urgently requires the atteu.
lion of the charitable than those who suffer from
a clouded intellect. With them life is indeed
" total eclipse—no sun, no Moon." The bright
and happy sunlight, the soft effulgence of the
lunar rays, the innumerable gifts of providence
to the children of men—have no interests for
the demented. Life's page, so full of records
with the majority, is with them an utter and a
hopeless blank. It is feared that the class of
whom we hove just spoken—those standing upon
the border line between comfort and indigence
to a great extent cumber the hospitals intended
for a lower grade of patients than themselves.
It, has been reckoned that a payment of a guinea
a week will reutli-r the Hellovay Asylum self-
sipporting ; and one can scarcely imagine a
nobler outlet for that munifieienee which never
fails in the hour of need. We are justly proud
, of the long list of institutions supported by the
voluntary offerings of the public. These are the
, wonder of the foreigner, alid the cause of per.lott-
.%ble admiration in our own people. No class of
the nfilleted require care and attention morethan
' those of our fellow creatures who suffer from
imbecility. If the attack is hopeless, then let
their lot tie comforted as long as life's flame shrol
tucker in its sockot ; if there is a ehmice of re-
covery, let no exertion be spared to promote it.
I °eked at frem any point of slew, the responsi-
bility of dealing with this matter in the best pos-
, gible way is a serious one, and the duty imposed
upon the individual as well as upon the nation is
obvious. There are many calls upon the purses
of the charitable, and upon the efforts of the phi-
lanthropic, but assuredly there is no word worthy
, object either for the one or for the other. The
full-arowe man is then uiore helpless than a
child I lie his lost the power of coinpreliending
the most simple axle.... ttie: he is ten t, red total-
ly ineapable of ful,fiiiin4 the S -riptural iujunc-
tion—t• Whatsoever thy hand findetti to do, dolt
' with thy might."

HoMoray' s (Kwaoe,r, und Pi 1c --Rheumatism, Noy-
rAg. —lt !It ~1111t1111,0 &reknit hi .ieterinine which of
stn. 'iii it the sud.rer, but such sneer-
talnty will be • min.q.•ral if Hi, r.queklis be etleti.
They alleviate and cure all mnivillar all Deeeollll pales,
In hereditary rheumatism, tier bathing the affected
part itit warm snit Water. Holl,iwave Ointment should
be well robbed upon the 9iol that it may penetrate and
exert its soothing and regniatieg properties on the drap-
er ....eels and nervoa which being ntidn'y tilted, cause
both pain and saelling. Holloway'e teratment has tthe
merii I rein,vii, the di-ea+o without .iiln,itsting the
constituti-m which *a+ the ii,eviLahle result of the bleed-
: '• • sty, SI colchicum Lima:Lice furnisrl adopted
IS these complaints.

BIRMINHA, Thursday.

The general tone of business continues
healthier, although the degree of uncertainty
which appears to prevail with regard to the
coarse of prices for next quitter somewhat
interferes with current trananctiona in the better
qualities both of rig and finished iron. That
much change can take place in the price of the
ooninioner classes of iron, whether pig or fim,
ished, seems well high impossible, but in the
better and medium qualities the relief in tae
costs of fuel and wages which will be afforded at
the commencement of the new quarter, will af-
ford some margin fur a moderate reduction. It '
was rumoured on 'Cuangeto.day that the leading
ironmasters were divided in opinion as to what
course should be taken with regard to prices.
It is no secret that at least three firms of influ-
ence and position in the district are in favour
of such a reduction as will restore trade to a
condition of vitality, but this v:ew is Ili t shared
by others of equal standing, who declare that
there is nothing to justify a reduction of £.2 per
ton on finished iron, and that any less reduction
would not meet the wants of those who are
clamouring for it, and would, moreover, have
the effect of unsetting trade. The fact that
London girder makers are underselling those of
Routh Staffordshire by 15s. per ton from iron
obtained either from Belgium on the North of
England, is a fact which should not be over-
looked during the consideration of the question
of prices for the new quarter. The prevalent
opinion this afternoon was that a reduction of at
least £1 per ton would he declared in the stand-
ard of finished iron, and that the rate for best
pigs would be proportionately reduced. The re-
duction in the wages of blast-furnacemen will be
simultaneous with that in the wages of the col-
liers, for which notice had been previously
given. The wages of finished ironworkers will
also be reduced at the commencement of the
quarter, in accordance with the existing arrange-
ment adjusting the rate upon the basis of the
gelling prices daring the previous three mouth,
so that with the reduction in coal substantial re-
lief will be afforded to the iron producer in all
departments of the trade. Stocks of pig-iron in
the district are heavy, and .t. 5 per ton is being
accepted for very fair quality of all-mine. Cinder
pig is without much change, but if anything a
degree firmer than quoted a fortnight ago. The
selling price of unmarked iron is £lO for bars,
and t:l3 for sheets tviugles). The mills and
forges throughout the district are in very fair
operation, and arrangements continue to be
made for the relighting of additional blast fur-
naces

,1

•
TfiE STOTTEP.RIPGF_ OPSFTITFR.
THE IRON TRADE. coal off the defendant, put it on the bank and took I
hold of the woman. Defendant pleaded guilty,
and in defence said she had no fire in the house,
and that her husband had been ill for six yeara.
Sentenced to 14 days' hard labour.
STEALING • WAlSTCOAT.—Frederick Hughes, a
youth, was charged with stealing a waistcoat, the
property of hid father. Richard Hughes, painter,
said that his son had been locked up for several
nights, and he did not wish to -press the case
against him as he had got a good job of work for
him. Prisener was severely cautioned and dis-
missed.
CHARGE AGAINST A LICENSED VICTUALLER.
Ann Taylor, landlady of the Crown Inn, Lye, was
charged by Superintendent Freeman with keeping
her house open on the 6th last, during prohibited
hours. Police-constable Harrison proved that he
saw a man come out of the house with a gallon of
ale, about two o'clock on Sunday morning. Mr.
Clulow appeared for the defendant, and expressed
his sincere regret for the offence, and hoped the
Bench would give her another chance. She is a
widow with a family. Police-sergeant Jones
proved a former conviction against the defendant.
Mr. Freeman said there was also a second convic-
tion. Colonel Fletcher said it was a very clear
ease, and selling ale on a Sunday morning was a
very bad offence, and he should tine the defendant
£5 and costs, and endorse the license.—William
Turner was charged with being on the premises
of Ann Taylor, during prohibited hours. Police-
constable Harrison proved the case, and said that
the defendant put a half-crown into his hand to
say nothing about it. Colonel Fletcher: What did
you do with the half-crown Witness Kept it,
sir—(laughter). Mr. Freeman said that the offi-
cer reported the case to hhu at the time, and that
he told him he had received a half-crown. The
defendant was fined los and Costs.
CHESS —& friendly contest between the Stourbridge
Christian Young Men's Association, and the Kiddermin-
ster Club., took plus on &turd ly craning, at tho Vine
Hotcl Assembly Room. It being arranged that play
should cesso at half-past nine o'clock, one game was left
undecided. The following is the result :
STOUBBRIDOR. Won. KIDDERMINSTEII Won. Drawn.
Dr. Roddington .... 2 Mr. H. Vicarage 2
Mr. H. Wooldridge.. 2 Mr. G. Penney 1
Mr. J. Doughty .... 2 Mr. D. F-vans 1
Mr. Beddow's 2 Mr. F. Staneir 1
Mr. A. Freer
Mr. G. Boles 1 Mr. J. Howard .... 2
Mr B. White
Mr. W. Fiddian
Mr. Twigg
Mr. Maybury
10 I