Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1837-11-24

fN'fe-1 'hNct tiotdct uuo UGH Oi iO0V StuuO
ing, from making an attefnp, for their resto
ration. Il should be remembered that while
there-is life there is hope" and we should
not despair or relax in our efforts to remove
| this affective malady, although they are not
Immediately crowned with success. An old
case is not necessarily incufable, nor should
the case be given over as desperate until ev.
cry proper remedy has been judiciousv ap.
piled. There are instances where cures
have been performed under the most dis
Icouraglng circumstances and when cure
has not been effected the patient has been
restored to very comfortable state. Myl
former experience has been abundantly con.
firmed, that there are very few cases how
ever wretchcd and violent, that may not be
greatly amel;orated by judicious treatment
All that | wish to urge, Is the pr npt re-
moval Of the patients from the scenes and
persons associated with their hallucination
and the great comparative advantage Of pla
cling them at an Asylum in an early stage
Of the disease 3'l at rhei
This institution has not been in operation
a sufficient length Of time to ascertain what
will be its success in rccoveries. It is a lit
tie more than nine months since ii was first
opened, The average time Of the residence
of the patients in the Asylum has been
short. We have, notwithstanding, the cheer,
ing fact, that eleven have been restored
| his generally known, that chronic dis
cases Of Tbs body require The Jndicious APP
plication Of means for considerable length
of time, even when the course is successful
how much more so is il necessary in chron.
ic cases Of insanity. which depend on phys
ical disease; for in these cases the disease
is to be removed, and former associations
and habits are 10 be awakened and restored
One Of the greatest trials Of the physician
of Lunatic Asylum is the premature re-
moval Of patients will mention one in,
stance which recently occurred at this nsti-
tuition. A young man was brought here,
whose disease had been making insiduous
but gradual progress for more than year,
and at the end OF three months was remov-
ed by his friends, although he appeared TO be
, regularly convalescing was grieSed to
see him thus prematurely taken away, to
/, continue insane perhaps for life, when the
residence Of few months. and perhaps only
few weeks longer would have been suifi
: cient for his recovery. make not these re
marks because think we have more trial:
of this kind than occur al other institutions
!, but TO show that old cases generally requir,
longer time for restoration There are FIRE
quenlly cases which do not appear TO i'm
prove in three months which al the end o
six or twelve months entirely recover
: No one at the present time, believe, witt
: is acquainted with the ministrat:ons OF |
u lunatc asylum, questions the Importance o
e useful iubour in restoring to reason tn
c minds of the insane Having been con
: nected with an institution Of this kind 70
u nearly ten years, ] have invariably foun
, that for large majority OF male patient:
exercise in the open air was far preferabl
e to that which was taken within doors. Tn
y accustomed employment OF most men is i
Is the open air, and when they are confne
e within doors, their health and reason ar
D. soon affected. Females are also benefite
IS by exercise in the open air, as in riding
II walking, &c; but as their former employ
e ment has been so much within DOORS il
al much less indispensable for them than &c
the men Useful labour. whether within @
without doors, is most desirable as a mean
Of restoration for durable patients, and is pc
haps no less so, to promote the happiness
those for whom all we can do, is, to max
them as comfortable as their condition wi
admit.
With The exception Of those cases whei
a The mind is unduly excited, few things ca
rs be much worse for the insane than inacliyi
is Of body and mind. Even the sane min
n when suffered to remain in continued ina
u ton, loses much Of its energy and vigor, soc
RS begins to languish, and often ends in sta
" of torpilude. So the insane, when the
f. minds are suffered to remain in inaction, sir
u into a state of british Indifference. Som
Ms times when the mind ceases to employ itst
r on things without, il soon begins to prey II
H. on itself The pleasures and comfort
e. which il had proposed TO take from this i
n. correctly termed state of rest, are never r
III allied The idler is frequently at a loss no
of to occupy his vacant hours, becomes veal
a. of himself and all things about him, and
ar nally complains Of his wretched exislenc
II. And too frequently has his internal misel
n so oppressed him, than in dark moment
IN despair he has deprived himself of that Ii
which he considered as intolerable In Il
IN same manner, when the insane confined al
o. shut up from any employment, they becon
ed fretful and rritaicd, tear their clothes, becon
be violent and filthy, and hasten TO an incurab
ed state. But give the inmates OF a lunat
lis asylum some useful employment they VI
On then be quiet and cheerful through the df
he and sleep well at night Their former ba
IS its and associations will be awakened, Il
al mind and body will be invigoIated, and re
nj, son will often be restored.
rh 1t has been a great object with those wi
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