The Sun.
London, England, 1830-01-05 00:00:00

THE LATE LUNACY CASE.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.
SlR,—The late proceedings relative to Mr. Davies
have aroused, as they were well calculated to do, the
indignation of the public and the severe animadver-
sions of the periodical Press. As a member of the
medical profession, as a practitioner who has treat;
a very large number of insane persons, and who
has done his utmost, and is ready to do his utmost,
to alleviate this most helpless, most destitute, most
unfortunate class of our fellow-creatures; as one who
has, in the best manner he could, submitted the re-
sults of his experience to a discerning and liberal
public ; as one, Sir, thus circumstanced, I cannot
but view the late proceedings in Mr. Davies's case
with a feeling of melancholy regret; and the more
so, as the daily Press evince a desire to cast a stigma
en those practitioners who have devoted their more
particular attention to this, the most difficult depart-
ment of medical practice. Dr. Morrison has a quo-
tation from the learned Jaubius, which rays that
"the care of the human mind belongs to the prac-
titioner of medicine. It is the most noble branch
of our office." If this be so, surely it is desirable
that the most talented and best men in theprofession
should be induced to exercise it ; and if this be con-
ceded to me, I ask, is it by endeavouring to fix a
stigma on this " noble branch," that the best men
and most talented physicians may he induced to
follow it ? On the contrary, is not this the mo, t
likely- means to force the unhappy lunatic into ig-
norant, cruel, and avaricious hands ; has it not here-
tofore done so for the most part ? By stigmatising
this department of medical practice, who suffers and
who will suffer—the lunatic! and the honourable,
and therefore sensitive practitioner, who will either
abandon, or refrain from, this line of practice.
Its
my late " Observations on the Causes, Symptoms,
and Treatment of the Derangement of the Mind,"
I entered pretty fully into this question in theseventh
page of the Preface; and as this work has received
the warm commendations of all the numerous Critics
who have done me the honour to review it, amongst
whom I have the pleasure, Sir, to rank yourself, I
venture to conclude, that my view of that part of
the subject is not only just, but has the advantage
of being recognised to be so by many talented and
learned persons. It is then the abuse of this
most difficult, as well as "most noble blanch of our
Office," that should call down the severe castigation
of the Press, and, on the other hand, the judicious
and truly upright -exercise of it, should ensure the
practitioner a proportionate distinction; has it ever
done so? I have been led into these observations
b 7 the following extract from your comments on
the subject :—" In England, the boasted land of
law and liberty, the fiat of two Mad Doctors
(assuming to adopt the language cf our
contem-
orary of the Morning, Herald the double office of
magistrate and
gaoler, and both for his own profit),
is all that is required to incarcerate him (the lunatic,
or supposed lunatic
g) foe ever ; a power
honest man perhaps
which no man ouht to possess, and with which no
would desire to be entrusted." In this
we fully Agree • but Sir,M the term " ad
Do t '"
c orficate
of lunacy a.fter proper examination. Are Mr.
Lawrence, Dr. Blundell, Dr. Davis, and many
eas
others who gave their evidence in Mr. Davies's
('s Mad Doctors ? Certainly not, as the term is
generally understood.
Every one now seems to feel that something more
must be done, not only to secure the liberty and
e
Property of an imputed lunatic, but to secure the
bst aid for him who is undoubtedly insane; and
"lay not this latter be effected by the powers of the
Commissioners of Lunatics ? Did the Commis-
sioners see Mr Davies pending his imputed lunacy ?
I-4°es this form' any part of their official duties
Not •
withstanding the remonstrance I have had the
temerity to make, I believe, Sir, that I have the
itth.atlige to be in accordance with yourself, as well
48
the
whole periodical Press : our object is the
4iiittlelioration and prevention of insanity ; this has
iZetnhetni Ystoxious study for many years, and I can-
With P leeling a very great interest on the subject.
this
obedienrib myself your most Pekgn
t and obliged humble servant,
PAUL SLADE KNIGHT, M.D.
Gloss!),
Nor Manchester, Jan. 4, 1830

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(I,desPatehes Were .sent off from the Forvign
cnmicere yesterday eveniog for Mr. DAWKINS, our Residentd
ercP• They were sent by a messenger who was es-
Kited from the Colonial Office to Ancona, with des-
Patch „.
Jor it
FREDT:RICK ADAM, the Lord High Corn-
lonian Islands.
The Nen) Monthly ?Magazine of the present
monthq,_ has
much to its credit, ne-i'ade the anaemic honour-
!:
~‘,...701r. AnTutta BROOKE, the talented Editor of the
A in. 7 Herald._a It appears thas a correspondent front Kent,
: Meal to Mr. B had wilfully misled the New Monthly
Ale in' ot • of that Paper,
ottia Tuary notice of the late Proprietor
ttly tio scribed to the latter Gentleman " writings and exer•
o'7 1,41',,"„ in the cause of liberality," which were performed
(sir/ uuy by Mr. BROOKE
. A y,
s. I'LEMING, Esq his. M.P., ataudit at
r ,rJ„
neh
. tr" • et, 'hi, on the 21. th ult., made a reduction of 15 per
ft,(/ of
ion his rents and tithes ; which, with an abundance
;JO' sl::_,English fare, and an assurance that his liberality
111117. be repeated as frequently as circumstances would
4444., gave the highest satisfaction to our worthy Member's
wits --1-lampshire Advertiser.
r "W-
hen GEORGE COLMAN was the manager
,7
the M ~01:heatr! Royal, Haymarket, one of the useful classo Rhin ,
applied to him for an engagement, to do any
'PC, " Can }-ou,", said the wag, undertake to double
Gratiano, Salario, and Salarino."---"1
irne the first three, stud the poor actor, " very.,
3'D'u will undertake to double Sala- rino.