The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1841-12-31
From the Philadelphia National GaEstis
SELECTIONS FROM LATE FOREIGN JOURNALS RE
CEIyED AT THIS OFFICE.
STATISTICS OF INSANITY.

n llCO Ot lNOANl
Every document issuing from pubic institution
which tends IL eueldate the subject OF INSANITY can
not but rove interesting 10 the phianihropst and
medical phiios pher 4 he physician engaged IN gen
eral Practice has bat few opportunities ~ httslsal
ing the hrnnmena of mental disease, lie Is ocea-
sonally called Ia prescribe IN sudden attacks OF IN
SANITY; in the ajoriy OF Instances The ply scian
suuees. the pfuprely OF consulting medical pract-
toner has not only paid almost exclusive ailen-
tim To cerebral all cons, but Who has also under his
imnIedi surveillance YUM Tor the reception OF
persons unlapply ai eleL with this distressing mala
dy. Physicians occupied IN the ordinary routine OF
practice not overanxous 10 be Consulted such
cases or t. incur the responsibility of their cue The
man who has earned Tor himself the reputation OF be-
my clever mai doctor, excludes himself, in agiea
degrc from all other descriptions Of praclice. Ihls
easily accounted Tor Families do not like the idea
OF his Coming professionally u them fearful OF be-
ing supposed Ia labor under mental arrangement
his pr judice has operated very nJurously. II has
limited knowledge OF mental disorders, and IN
creased the number of lunatlc asylums. The treat
menl of Insanity nonopolized by few and unior.
iunaiey, Ivy the few who have personal interest Ia
the matter. We do not wish for moment 10 reflect
upon the char honesty vi ose who may have
embarked their property in the establishment OF mad
houses. That Is possible Tor physician To be U
proprietor of lunauc asylum, and yet act with per
feet Jisnteiestedness, there cannot be doubt Il
difficult, however 10 persuade tile public To believe
that the owner OF mad house wi not adopt every
possible means OF iiing II with Inmates and that lie
will not be over-scrupuous IN retaining them IN The
asylum after the mind has been restored to san.
ity. This is but OF the niapy objections 10 mad
houses lhut we could urge. No sooner does patent
manifest Indications OF mental unsoundness than he
Is Immediately hurried uh 10 asy lum, where he
compelled 10 ate With patients similarly afflicted
and affections which, IN all probability would only
have been temporary in DURATION become permanent
in character In defence of this mode OF procedure
said, 80 the poor lunatc is deprived of all con
sciousness he knows not where he going AMI will
not Tel the separation from his home and family"
This mode OF reasoning Is based upon the Assumption
that the early stage oil INSANITY he patient is una
ware OF his melancholy condition. Such, however, is
not the fact. In the mjonty OF cases the patient feels
that his mind is the brink of disease he knows it,
often admits II, depores IN ale ;tlng language his
state and frequently anticipating the full develop
insanity implorcs his friends not incarcerae
him within the dreaiy walls OF mad house 1t is folly
suppose that the mind cannot be rest red health out
of unatic asy lun; that much benefit has accrued from
the removal OF patient fiom his friends and from his
Old cates, there cannot be doubt, but many facts
establish that the evil OF the present system oncarcera
ton than counter-baances the good which occa-
sionaily results from it, Al present What chance has
the lent anxious TO make himself conyer,ant with
any department OF practical medicine Of acquiring
knowledge OF The physiology and pathology Ut mental
disease He is often compelled 10 90 through a onp
course of study without having one case of ill.,
sanity subjected to medical treatment. The student
after graduating, goes abroad, and when he is con-
suited IN cases of insanity he compelled to admit
thai he has no practical knowledge of the treatment OF
the disease. In order to make public asyums ad.
vantageous to the com nuniiy they ought under GER
tain limitations, TO be thrown open to the profession
but particularly the student of medicine Our
only knowledge OF insanity is CLEANED from the com
o those who have the professional care OF
lunatic asy lums Occasionally ''mad doctorn fayors
the public with the result OF his observation hut in
nine cases out of ten the most experienced Of those
engaged IN this kind of practice not found nong
the contributors. Little consequently is known OF
the physiology or pathology OF dsordercd intellect
Very lie" among those who have the care of asylums
are fully competent to in, estigate in the spirit otrue
philosophy the nature of mental inn usment To
understand the condition OF the mind disea it is ne
cessaTy to be well Skilled in a knowledge of The mind
in state Of health; but, alas how few of those to
who g carei consigned the most painful class of al
fec'ions have glIInmeng view of the elements of
mental philosophy Ignorant, grossly ignorant of
the constitution OF tie human understanding, they
attempt To +" minister to a mind diseased" As well
mlghta surgeon endeavor to apply llgaue to an ar
terry, without having previous knowledge OF the an
atomy OF the part where the knife is to be apple for
physiclunto treat successfully arrangement of mind
without having studied the PHILOSOPHY OF the human
Intellect Having promised that our practical know
ledge of insanity .ust be derived from those profes
iona ly associated with public institutions we look
with much interest to every commu ncatlon proceed
lng from the pens of medical men who have an opuor
tunty 81 studying the character OF this singular iec
ton his Is our Only source of infurinallon We
have perused with ateni and interest the statistics
Of the Retreat near York, and establishment erected
purposely for he reception and treatment Of pers n
belonging to the Society OF Friends The report
which Just published exh bits the experience OF tina,
instl ution from lis origin in 1896 TO The wear 1910
be Retreat was opened for the reception Of patients
in The summer OF 1876. 1t was originally only de-
signed Tor 80 patents, but it is capable of afford
ing accumulation 10 about 100 During the "A years
the nu nber of admissions has been SIS of winch go
Were males and 1913 females. As I46 OF these cases
were readnlittd on,s, the number of persons treated
was 4G9; OF 223 men, and 246 women OF the 169
cases admitted there 5 who were members Of
or connected with, the Society of Friends, and 81 not
connected But OF every 100 cases of all descrip-
tons received into the Retreat during the 40 wears
the proportions discharged under the several heads
and remaining under at the end of that period
shown in the following able =
Males. Females Mean