The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1838-03-13
EXrRAcT of a Letter from England by vister


The establishment is lighted throughout Inv
gas, which, as well the beer, bread, shoes.
clothes, cloth, for external garments, consumed
ny Inc patients, are manufactured on the prcnis-
es.- The number of patients is, at present three
hundred ana thirty four, rather less than half OF
Whcm are women. Fifty or sixty Of the men
labor regularly, either in the manufacture Of the
articles above mentioned or in gardening or
some mechanical trude
All the utensils used IVY the patients mt their
meals unless necessarily metallic, are made Of
wood. The working patients are furnished, be-
sides their regular meals, with two Grilkjurs
during the day, each of them consisting Of three
tourths of pint OF beer and four ounces of brcqd
Nearly two hundred dollars per nnmm is paid
for tobacco, which is aIao divide among the la
borcrs, each being entitled to an o"qce per week
Inc Institution IS endowed with II lund which
enables 1t to furnish those patients who recover
with means sufficient for their support until they
can find employment. The wards or galleries.
unlike those in the Asylum at Worcester, have
bedrooms only upon one side. Tine bedscnCs
like those in several public institutions which /
have visited are made 81 iron.
One OF the PATIENTS after having cntreated us
to give him some tobacco, showed us Il piece of
cloth upon one side of (which, he had written in
large letters "AIliGnnum." Green blue, and vel
low united, and upon the other "Victoria Ist
28lh, 1887. Virgin Queen Of Peace. Amen. 4,
quia." "Eh, cb," said he looking up with
IiEIClhS SIdI!CC anu SSnIlCHut smile, "NO YOU
know what Aquila signifies liz English :" Being
answered ;''Well, sir" he added, g am the Ea-
gle. 7, sir, was Jypjt9'S Eagle, have pcrched
Oh Olympus, ShjddaW, and Mount Blanc :" and
he struck his sides with his arms as a bird flaps
its wings, rs iftO demonstrate TO Il O. T.. d that
he was really what he pretended to be. "Thcrc,
sir, continued he AL vHnCing close to us and put
Ting finger of each hand TO the eye of the cor
responding side, there, sir, look at my eyes
they are cast steel, they were made on purpose
for The Eagle; with these, look the sun ont OF
countenance." This singular huliucinalion is
not much moro painfully amusing than that of the
Indlvidual who, as rc!atcdby the late DR.. RUsu
of Philadelphia, imagined his stomach, was oc-
cupIed by Iloltcntot, whom he had swallowed
while at the Cape Of Good Hope, and in this
manncr transported Him across the Atlantic"
The women were suppng when we Wontin into
their yards, each eating herralion from small
wooden dish, similar to pail. That airol neat.
ness and comfort, which rcigns througout the
establishment is particularly conspicuous in this
department. One of The women who had been
refractory, HAD her arms confined. In the mems
department, we also observed that confinement
ny straps, in chairs andbcds, isrcsomod to in case
OF violent mania.
"Who are you 2" inquired one of the women
after scrutn izing me with the WIldness OLA lun-
attic, care you a Methods: Minister :" "No"said
!, Il am an .4mcrican." This answer was per-
icctly satisfactory, and, no sooner was it uttered
you are from Americo-then you know my
brother," said one, "Do you know J. f." IN
quireda second. "liavo you ever seen---?"
asked third, --"he's my husbands brother" 81
have sister in America" said young woman,
looking w with Il smile so gentle and am express
sion of counIenance calm and sIrbducd that
one behcli in tmore ofthc innocence and beauty
OF sane and healthy childhood, Than the fierce
Hess and widncss Of confirmed Iuuucy.
Among the various institutions, which have
originated as legitimate consequences of superior
CIVILIZATION, more extensive undwidely dilused
knowledge, and more enlightened phanthro-
Ply, not the least CONSPICUOUS those, the OBJ
Ject OF which, is, the ameloraton Of The suffer
Ings of the insane. Formerly, the unfortunate
person afflicted with maniacal ha!lucina.ion was
supposed 10 have iniringed the Iaws Of heaven,
and thus incurred the dispoasule of Il Creator, |
tile phials OF whose wrath were, consequently,
poured out, in this manner, as just rctrbution,
upon the offended. But the feelings, the scuti.
ments OF thc.communiiy. have changed. The Ia.
nate Is no longer Ga reproach and bye word y
'iIs family are no longer Stunned as being par
TALLY Implicated in his unknown offence but,
us sufferer under one of the most affecting NAL
ldles TO which trace is subject, the former re-
ceyes that kindness, which the human heart alive
TO the snftcrings of our fellows, can bcslow, and
tho latter partallo Of the fountain of sympathy,
freely gushing from thousand hosoms.
In England and Scotland although some Hos.
pIlaIs had been establisIIed the condition of
the maniacs previously to 1875 were according
to Halliday, equally miserable Speaking Of
Bethlehem or BedIam, the London Asylum,
that author says: at formed one ofthe lions. Of
the metropolis and the patients, as wild beasts
Were shown for six pence for each person adj
mitted."
FoEmey, n fundamental error existed in re-
terence to the nature ofinsanity. 1t was believ-
c@ that the mind is itself diseased, instead lthe
organ through which it is manifested and since
mind is invisible and intangible, it was thought
that no remedies could be Administered TO it. But
Disease is the minister of Death and the mind,
sclntiIIation from the fire of Heaven, being
Tree from the latter, is consequently exempt from
The former.
Once acknowledged that Insanity is Produced
1y an affection of the brain, and that generally,
IF merely functional nature, it follows that the
lsease is, like most others, within the reach OF
medical treatment. But chains and dungeon
IRE miserable prescriptions to deranged state of