Litchfield enquirer. [volume] (Litchfield, Conn.) 1829-current, 1841-02-04
A VISIT TO THE INSANE.

The Subjoined account of a 'fVisit to the
insane" at the magnificent hospital, built
by the city corporation on Blackwcll's ISL
and, is copied from the New-York Obser-
yer, and will be read with interest {:
The gloomiest wilderness on earth is the
bowling waste of ruined minds.
Such was the melancholy and oppressive
reflection that weighed on the heart, as we
turned away from the Insane Hospital" on
Blackwell's Island near this city. It is an
institution where the lunatic poor of the city
arc supported, and in the midst of all the
painful sensations awakened by a visit
among them, it is grateful to the benevolent
to know that they are made comfortable
here, and far more so than they have been
at home or among their friends. DIR. Nc
Clelfand, the assistant physician, is con-
stantly with thena, devoting the energies of
mind and body to the relief of the suffering:
the arrangement and furniture of rooms,
the convenienccs for bathing, the supply of
suitable food, the attention of nurses, &C.,
combine to surround the unhappy beings
here assembled with the few sources of COM
fort which a disordered intellect can enjoy.
But what enjoyment can there be in shat
tered mind! One of the first cases that
presented itself and excited the sympathies
of the pious heart, was man who with fet-
ions as crazed as himself. He was an igno-
rant creature who had conceived the idea of
being " minister" and studying his Bible
night and day, and denying himself almost
entirely sleep, and food, and drink, had
soon made wreck of the little intellect God
had given him, and found himself in a mad
house instead of a pulpit. .o..
Another was female Of fine figure and
manners, who fancied herself the lady OF
Gen. Washington. She demanded great
respect from those who addressed her, and
spoke of the sweet communion she had en-
ioyed with the spirit of her departed hus-
band, as he had appeared to her just before
We entered her room. -s ..
The next was Queen Victoria. A girl of
eighteen, having something Of the face that
the Queen is pictured with, had gone wild
with the idea that she was entitled to. the
throne, and spoke of her carriage and hor-
ses that would soon be at the door to con-
vey her to the palace. VS..
One had been suddenly driven to madness
by the loss of property, and with solemn
assurances that she was not dcranged, she
besought US to effect her deliverance from
her present confinement. Another ancicd
herself in hell, and repeated constantly,
"devils, damned" r..... .........
But oil these and many more in this de-
partment. were comparatively quiet in their
madness. There was another building
where the more violent are Gagged. We
looked into n room where were a dozen
frantic females, apparently at peace with
each other, lis there sympathy among the
mad y but ready to seize and tear a stran-
ger the moment he presented himself One
Of them approached with a smiling face, as
if glad to greet friend, but it was only a
pretence to get a victim within her grasp
Another room contained as many nIe,,r IA
the same stage of this mental malady.
In one cell was little girl who had pro-
badly been brought to this horrible condi-
ton by the power of fear. AS VIC looked in
upon her, she drew her head instantly I'M
der the clothes of the bed on which she lay,
but We could see that terror was written on
every feature. She was haunted perpetual
ly by the thought that some one was COM
ing to kill her, and every sound that broke
on her ear was the prcsagc of coming death.
Another recoiled from the touch Of a hand
even offered in kindness, and, with awful
profanity, bid rs begone. A female thro'
the grating of a cell door, spoke of love and
marriage, and when her words did not meet
favorable response, she flew into a rage,
and hcaped curse on curse, upon those who
sought to soothe her rawlings.
But the last case that we shall mention,
though there we're more than two hundred
patients in the hospital, was the most hor-
rible. The waiIing of the damned in hell,
as they gnaw their tongues with pain, can
scarcely be worse. She was coiled up in
heap of straw in a corner of her cell, naked
and shrieking. If clothing was given her,
she would tear it into rags, and all that kind
ness could do was to Keep her warm and
give her food. There she lay, and every
breath was piercing scream Of agony in
prayer! II was scarcely possible to dis
tinguish words, but the tones were those Of
a devil dashed with scorpions and crying
for mercy. "Oh Lord! Oh Lord" would
now and then rise with terrific power, above
the prolonged howl, and pierce the heart Of
the hearer as "iron entering his soul"--
What was the cause of her madness, every
one asks! We know not. Conjecture in
such case is useless. We left her, satisfi-
ed only with knowing that she is the most
wretched being that we have ever seen. :"
SELrIsHyEss-Within his house In a
great arm chair before the fire sat an old
gray headed man ripe for the grave. Twas
winter, and the cold wind whistled among
the leafiess branches of the trees, and the
snow and sleet ratified against tho windows.
The old man chuckled, for he was warm
and comforta BILE, and the biting blast touch
ed him not. He said, ~ have enough
am rich-so blow ye winds and drift We
SHOWS, arm safe" A servant entered and
said, "Sir, n woman is at the door trembling
in the cold-has no where to sleep-no
home to go to. She begs for corner of
your kitchen to pass the night in" Away,
I've no room for thieving beggars--there is
q tavern close by--tell her to go there
"She says she has no money, and begs you
to give her enough to buy a meal and q