Herald of the times, and Rhode Islander. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1846-1849, 1848-06-22
From Hc PrOrid,ncc JourH0I.
BMler Hospital,

wish Ia say few words To your readers
and the people of Rhode Island respecting their
new Insane Hospital, its superintendent and
,hc general subject of insanity aud lis treatmcn.
together With their dolics in relation thereto.
The reasons why feel more than usual inter
est in this subject are these was once pa
tlcnt myself. for several months, in an insane
hospital (in a nughbCrng state,I then under
the care of DIR. Ray, so THAI ] know, from cX-
pcriencc, something of the professional capacity
and the moral fitness of the man for the station
he occupies Since that time, have been led
from the deep Interest hayc ever since felt
upon the subject, To bcs.ow as much attention
as possible upon this most awful of all human
calamitics, aud this eXamnat on has shown me
how surprisingly ignorant, aud lamcntably IN
different are vast majority of the people Of
this country in regard To this matter, at the
same time that il has begotcn an earnest desire
for diffusion of light, and a moral adequate feel
hing of responsibility and personal danger.
As to the Butler hospital ii is, probably, bet
ter adapted to promote, or secure the objccl for
which il is intended, than any similar establish
mcut, % the same expense, and, so far as my
own knowledge extends, is not surpassed by
any other, either in location, architectural ar
rangemcnt or management. lis provision,
t7t OnlN one Ol lnt hlllu ldNt tN'I St'Hs l'l
the most filthy aud furious of the patients 10
exc else and air themselves, in a gallery, shows
the wisdom and bencyOlcncc of lis protector, as
does the entire and unusal absence of mu6s,
strong chains, and strait packets, that of the
present managers. But the most important part
of an establishment of this kind, is lis supcrln-
tending physician, and the most important quail
ilicatlons in the superintendent are, not only pc
4 Lao h,
benevolent from principle and strictly honest.
And there is no need of my testimony to prove
that Dr. Ray possesses all these qualifications,
though am glad of this opportunity to add my
humble expression of gratitude to that OF scores
Of others who, as patients under his manage
ment. have been greatly benefited by his kind
and iudlcious treatment speak that which
! DO know, and have experienced and seen with
my own eyes. DR.. Ray, by his important work
on the &" Medical Jurisprudence OF Insanity"
(Which some nine or ten years ago, was reprint
cd in Ednburg and I."ndon, and, ! believe,
translated into some of the languages of the
continent, and which is doubtless better known
and appreciated in Europe than IN the United
States together with his annual reports, while
Superintendent of the Maine Insane Hospital,
has not onlydonc great work for humanity but
has dcycwedly gained reputation, among the
well informed IN the community, which has
caused his name to be placed on the list OF
human henciactors, which is headed by St.
Vincent de- Paul, PlnCl, Ccurgct, Rush, etc,
rr,cn the blessed effects OF whose ldhors can ncy-
er be appreciated nor comprchcnded by those
who arc ignorant Gt the manner III which the
Insane were formerly treated. Not more than
thirty years ago, parliamentary committees, IN
England, upon examination, found hundreds OF
insane persons suffering degree ofdgtadallon,
and cruel, hClllsh tOrpents, aInd ndcscrbable
filth and deadly stencil, too horrible 10 describe
or To read. and which, II would almost seem,
must have required the ingenuity OF demon To
invent But sc need not go 20 Old England 10
find objects of this kind To excite our lndlgna-
ton, when almost every town III tins country
has lis share of those who are, IN every sense,
irrcc0ycrablv sunk below the brutcs, Nothing
excites such mingled emotions Of Indignation,
horror, disgust and sorrow, as TO look upon
human being sunk to the lowest depths OF ldi'
ocy, flthincss, and every kind OF deiormlty,
and who has been So for ears, and must remain
50 ltu life, and all in consequence OF improper
treatment. the victim of ignorance and ndlh-
ercncc! In most cases, probably, SIX months
reeidenrc IN an insane hospital, as now con-
duc,cd would have restored them to their form
er reason and usefulness ] believe 1t to be the
duty oFcvcryStatcIc Legislature 10 sec that all the
poor and uncarcd for insane, are sent To an asy-
ium for the insane This is not only the bencv-
olcut course but the III ST economical too, for
it has been clearly proved that about 20 oui OF
evclvih0 recent cases, of those sent to the hos
pilal during the first year Of their insanity. are
restored, While scarce ten IN hundred ot old
cases recover. | could wish that the reports
which are to be issued from the I'utlcrllospItal,
might be read by every voter IN Rhode Island
The people IN this country are crlmnaIIy Igno-
rant upon this subject, Notwithstanding their
general ntclligcnCc:--ignorrnt both as To theT
duties 10 the insane and TO themselves. Ia pro-
portion to the number of inhabitants, there are
more insane persons in the United States than
in any other part of the world and nearly four
times as many as III Europe.
intended to have written something upon the
connection Of insanity with crime, and to have
illustrated il by some very striking ana dccPiy
interesting cases. but | must defer II untlI IA
mother time. will close by expressing the hope
that the Judges and lawyers IN New England
are few who do not possess Kay Jurl5pru-
dencc of Insanity. Every man who IS, or may
hereafter he. 4 luryman should carefully read
il. No D,an can BE- qualified 10 M upon the hte
of another unless he has read a. must also
charge the people of Rhode Island to see to 1t,
that they do not leave the superintendent and
trustees to struggle on IN this good aud great
,vo,L unassisted Y. y.
Prov JoWpm