The Sun.
London, England, 1857-06-08 00:00:00

DE LUNATICO I NQUI.R ENDO.

When Bishop Tayl,.r, two centuries AM"), wro'e
'' wo must bin:l our passions in Stills like
wad folks, I,.st they bre Lk their locks and bolts,
and d,) all the mischief they can," he unwittingly
temrsinitted to us one of those suggestive illustra
lions which Perrault designates as "comparisons
with a long tail." For philanthropy, with medical
science in the van, has waged war against the brutal
bolt-and bar treatment that in the good bishop's
tithe was looked on as essential to the sAfe
keeping of the insane, and was referred to in reli-

goes book, like the "Holy Communicant" (where
the above passage occurs) as necessary to prevent
the insane from " doing all the mischief they can."
And, happily, in these days, nousavons change tout
cela. Since science has prove 1 that gentleness and
humanity are far more potent than locks and chains,
we read of treatment employed in the olden time
with a shudder. We now regard the madm.n as
a human being, fallen from his high estat• ; and no
longer look upon him as a brute be ,st, to be so fet-
tered and bound. We justly feel pride in comparing
the present condition of our asylums—their inm.tes
unconfined and congregated in light airy rooms, or
enjoying the song and the dance—with the ‘• pro-
tecting restraint and wholesome darkness of the
madman's cell," which seventy years ago was
al.uded to by Burke—in his "Essay on the French •
Revolution "—as the unavo'clable lot of the insane.
Hence the recent disclosure, that in Scotland
lunatics are still, without hindrance, trLated on the
old and evil system—loaded with chains, and
less considered or cared for than the beasts of the
field—strikes us with tenfold force. This discovery •
was due to the noble exertions of one good, earnest
woman, self-devoted to a mission of mercy. She
was an American lady, who made it the object of
her life to visit the insane with the best and holiest,
of motives. Two years ago, whilst inspecting the
ab:des of the insane in this country, she found great
difficultylin obtaining admission to the asylums in
Scotland. On gaining access, she found the inmates
in such miserable plight, that she at once cororau-
nic.tted with the Home Secretary, and at her in-
stance a royal commission was appointed to inquire
into the treatment of lunatics in Scotland. The
horrifying disclosures made in their recently issued
report may well render us grateful to the earnest
noble-hearted lady, by whose means these dis-
graceful proceedings are now brought to light.
Lunatic asylums, opened in direct, defiance of the .
law, and in contempt of the heavy penalties ordered
to be enforced in case of its infringement, were found
everywhere to be carried on without inspection or
control. In these no records of restraint were kept.
Patients were in many cases found to be scantily
fed ; were stripped naked, and sent to lie on straw;
were debarred recreation or religious exercises ; •
were huddled together in buildings not large enough
fcr their accommodation ; and when they died, no
special notice was given of the event, nor any in-
formation of it conveyed to the friends. To such
houses pauper lunatics were sent by parochial
beards, selecting that institution which under
took the charge for the lowest sum. In their
couveyance, most horrible brutality was employed. -
In one case, a gag, placed in the mouth, s 0
pressed on the tongue that it in part sloughed avvaY•
In another instance, six ribs were broken by 3 -
brute, who crushed the breast of a lunatic woman
with his foot whilst he bound her. But still worse
was found to be the condition of poor lunatics
lowed to remain in the custody of friends to be
farmed out to ignorant 'cottagers willing to under-
take their charge. Some were discovered lockeduP
in closets, or chainedin outhouses, whilst others were
naked and covered with vermin, or caged up like
beasts. In one instance a man was found who had
been attached to his bed, by a chain 2i feet levg,
for 30 years. Those entrusted with such charges
were often drunken and dissolute. Women thus
restrained. were discovered to have been made vie-
tines of treatment which humanity shudders te,
contemplate. In one county were 15 idiot
mothers, 31 children, and one fatuous Nir3..
man had five offspring. The Poor-law Boards, '
haggling over the pittance to be bestowel,
for the charge of pauper lunatics—the Board 0
Supervision, which superintends their proceedings,
and corresponds to our Poor-law Board—the countY
sheriffs empowered to grant licences and enforce,
fines, and by whose neglect of duty the state el
things described in the report has been allowed t?
exist—on these persons rests the odium, and against
them may be justly directed the public indignatior!
which the recital of these horrors may well cal
forth. —The Lancet. •

Country Markets.

HADDINGTON GRAIN MARKET-JUNE 5.

WHEAT. 1 BARLEY I OATS, I BRA N 15'.
First
Second 483 31 1 36s 7d ) 303 10,1 J 44s 81
Third 36s Od I 25s 61 1293 Od I 40s Og
Total quantity of wheat in market, 354 qrs., 330 soli
barley „ 34 qrs., 32 sold
oats ,; 142 qrs., 130 sold
beans 11 105 qrs., 105 sold,
AVERAGES PER IMPERIAL QUARTER.
Wheat, 2/. 8 3 3-12ths I Barley, —ll. 16 7 1-1200
Oats, ... 11. 16 10 4-12ths I Beans, 2/. 4 8 74200

If ,