Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1846-04-15
Scene in a Mad House.

From a sketch of the Bloomingdals Asy.
lum, in the New York Tribune, we take the
following eloquent incident:
"In reference to what is said of entrusting
an infant 10 the Insane, we must relate lit
tie tale which touched the heart in childhood
from the eloquent lips afa mother.
The minister Of the village had a son of
such uncommon powers that the slender
means on which the large family lived were
strained 10 the utmost to send him to college.
The boy priced the means of study as only
those under such circumstances know how
to prize them, indeed far beyond their real
worth, since by excessive study, prolonged
often at the expense of sleep, he made himself
insane.
All may conceive the feelings of the family,
when their star returned to them again, shOrn
OF its beams; their pride, their hard earned
hope sunk to thing SO hopeless, so helpless,
that there could be none so poor as to do him
reverence. But they loved him, and did what
the ignorance of the time permitted. There
was little provision then for the treatment Of
such cases; and what there was was OF a kind
that they shrunk from resorting to, if it could
be avoided. They kept him at home, giving
him during the first months, the freedom eI
the house; but on his making nm attempt to
kill his father, and confessing afterwards that
his old veneratioD had, as is often the case in
these affections. reacted morbidly by its op-
posite, Sc that he never saw once loved pa
rent turn bis back without thinking how he
could rush upon him and do him an injury,
they felt obliged to use harsher measures, and
chained him to q post IN one room of the house.
There, SO restrained, without exercise or
proper medicine, the fever of insanity came
upon him in its widest form. He raved,
shrleked, struck about him, and tore off all
raiment that was put upon him.
One Of his sisters, named Lucy, whom he
had most loved while well, had now power
to soothe him. He would listen.to her voice,
and give way to milder mood, while she
talked or sang. But this favorite sister mar
ried, went to her new home, and the maniac
became wilder and more violent than ever.
After two or three years she returned,
bringing with her an infant. She went into
the room where the naked, blaspheming OBJ
ject was confined. He knew her instantly,
and felt Joy at seeing her.
'But, Lucy said he suddenly, lis that your
baby you have in your arms? Give it to me;
want to hold it.
Apang of dread and suspicion shot through
he young mothers heart; she turned pale
md faint. Her brother was not so mad that
10 could not understand her fears.
'Lucy,' said he, do you suppose would
,urt your chlld?'
His sister had strength of mind and of
leart. She could not resist the appeal and
'astily placed the baby IN his arms. Poor
ellow!-he held it awhile, stroked its little
ace, and melted into tears, the first he had
he'd since his insanity.
For some time after he was better; and
robably had he been under such intelligent
are as may be had at present, the crisis
,ight have been followed up, and favorable
irection given 10 his disease. But the subs
ect was not understood then, and having
nee fallen mad, he was doomed to live and
ie madman."