Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1843-11-30

sides in the Court of Common Pleas, whic.
is now in session in this plnce. The Cour,
was opened on Tuesday morning, and Judge
). delivered a very able charge To The Grand
Jury, in which he gave brief history of the
judiciary of the State.
Important Effects of Treatment in cases Of
Insanity.
The following extract is from a Me-
mortal addressed TO the Massachusetts
Legislature, January, 1919, by Miss
ID. l.. Dix, n Lady who, for some time
past has devoted her whole time TO the
visiting and examining into the state
of the Poor and Insane residing or conf
ned in the various Asylums and Poor
Houses Of that State as also of most or
all of the New England States, New
York and Canada 1t will show that c case
of the worst description of insanity, can
he often reached and much allevated
by proper treatment, even if the subjects
cannot bs entirely restored, and on the
other hand the same cases may be great
ly aggravated by a contrary course,
Danpcrs (.NnsS November; visited the
almshousc large building. much out of
repair understand new one ia IN coniem-
platlon. Here a!e from 6liv-Six To sixty in
mates one idiotic three insane one of
the latter in close confinement al ell times
Long before reaching the house, wild
shouts, sDaichcs Of rude songs. imprecations
aud obscene language, fell up,n the ear,
proceeding from the occupant of a law build.
ing, rather remote from the principal Lulld-
ing to which my Course was direcicd.-
Found the mistress, aud was conducted To
the place. which was called lhe home ot the
J0rl0rn maniac, young woman, exhibiting
condition Of neglect and misery blotting
nut the iainlesl idea of confort aud oulrag
ing every sentiment Of deccncy. She had
been, lrarD', IN respectable person indus
,rous nnd worthy; dlsappolnlmcnls and til.
ais shook her mind aud finally laid orostralc
reason aud Sel-conlroI she became a mani
nc for lIie ! She had been at Worcester
Hospital for considerable time, and had
been returned as incura6lP." The mistress
told me she understood that. while there, she
was "comIptabie and d,cem." Alas what
n change was here exhibited. She had pas
sed from Que degree OF vlulchce aud degta-
dation tn another, IN swirl progress there
she stood, cIinging To, or beating upon, the
bars of her Gagged apartment, tho contracted
size of which afforded space only for incrcas-
ing acculnulailons of filth, a fom spectacle :;
there she stood with naked arms aud dshev-
clrd hair the unwashed frame invested
with fragments oi unclcan garments. the air
so extremely offensive, though scnIilation
was Alluded on all sides save one, that il
was not possible to remain beyond a few
moments Without retresllng for recovery tol
the outward mir. Irritation of body, pro-
ducpd by utter filth q exposure inciied hCf to
the horrId process OF tearing off her skin by
inches ; her face, neck, and person, were
thus dlsigured to hide ousncss she held up \
u fragment j',>t rent off To my exclamallnn
of horror, the mistress replied, "oh we cant
help 1t I; half the skin is off sometimrs (; we
can do nnihlng with her nnd il makes no
difference VIA, she eats, for she consumes
her own fIrh as readily as the food which is
brought her"
1t Is now January a fortnight since, two
visitors reported that most wrotched ouica.t
as swallowing in dirty straw, in a place yc,
more dirty, and without cloihing, without
fire. Worse cared for than tho brutcs, and
wholly lost lo consciousness of dcccncy :"
Some may say these things caanot be re-
mrdlcd these furious nanincs are no, TO be |
raised from these base condlllons. | knop
h.y ,,.,dI L.,
one suffice. A young woman. n paupcr. in
distant town, Sandisf'id, WAS ior years a rag.
ing maniac. "A cage, chains, and The uhip,
were The agents for controlling her, united
with har,h tones and proiane langungr.-
Annually, with others (lhe towns pour) she
" as put up nj auction, and hid of ~ the low
est price which was declared for her. One
year, nat long past, un old man came forward
in the ngmbct os applicants Tor the poor
wretch he was taun,cd aud ridculcd :,
"wha, would hc and his old wife do with such
a mere beast z" My wife says yes,"rrpllcd
ho, sand shall take her" She was given
Ia his charge he conveyed her home she |
was washed. neatly dressed aud placed IN
decent bcd-room. furnished for comfort and /
opening into the kllcnen. How altered her
A. yet he cLOiHs wcr" ~, uif /
u ir GfSi week she was snme what restless,
at times yl"l"n, bot The quiet kind why's oi
rhe old people wrought a change she re
ceived her ford dcccnIly f"rsook nets "f
aud no longer uttered blasphcmons
nr indecent language after week. tho
chain was lcngihcncd, aud sh" was received
rs n companion into the kitchen. Soon sh" !
engaged ~ trivial employmcn,s. AFTER o.
fortnight" saId the old mnn, II knockrd "a
the chains AID made her a free woman"
She - al times excited. but not ,iolcnll,
they are careful Of Der diet; they keep her
very clean she calls them "luthei" sud I
''moiher" Go there now and you will 6nd
her clothed," and though not perfectly in
her right mind" 50 Tar restored as to be n
sale 0Ld comfortable inmate. /