The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1851-03-18

Tie causes (says the reporD TO which insanity Il
attributed by friends, are generally very unsatstac-
tory; most tot them are brought by persons who know
little or nothing about them, and frequently the
patient himself can give the most satisfactory
cause Of his insanity, and often the very opposite Of
that attributed BY his friends.
This is especially true of masturba!ors, whose
insanity is looked upon by friends as caused BY
religious anxiety" because the first evidence OF
insanity noticed was an exuaordnafy anxiety
about their salvation an inordinate fear OF future
punishme mt. or abandoning all occupation but that
OF reading, or holding bible as if reading, or pray
ing, or mumbling over incOherent sentences in an
altitude OF prayer at improper times and places, or
uyng TO tell his experience" in religious meet
ng or joining In and going TO great engths in the
excitement OF protracted religious meetings, or IN
such like acts, the person is supposed 10 be made
insane by "rel gious anxiety"
Ot the eight hundred and sixteen patients ia
Inc institution during the past year, the suicidal
propensity existed in sixty-sx: twenty two males
and forty-four females. There were twenty. eight
twenty one females and seven males-n the house
al one time, In twenty of these twenty-one fe-
males, the propensity was intense. To have at
one time under ca.e, twenty. eight persons, bent
upon destroying themselves, is a burden which
they alone know who bear 1t, increased by the
necessity of carrying at all times, amid surround
ing sadness, cheerful countenaDce over heavy
heart The succe ssful attempt at self destruction,
before reported, was made on the 18th OF July, by
Her melancholy end became known to her
companions with whom she was a favOrite, and
on the following day two other patients on the
same wall, were overheard devising plan for
their own death About this time the suicidal
propensity prevailed extensively, and seemed TO
be epidemic There were admitted, during the
month of July, the large number OF fortyf pa
tents, from different portions Of the State, nine
teen Of whom were suicidal. Several OF these
had attempted suicide immediately previous to ad
mission. One by SUSPENSION, which was discovered
before life was entirely extinct, to whom ANNA
ton was with difficulty restored. Another by cat.
ting her throat in most shocking manner; and 9TH
ers by poison Two patients, " no had been long in
the house, and never exhibited suicidal
attempted il during this moath, though they had
no knowledge OF the violent death that had &C.
CURED in another portion OF the building. On the
rences of the previous day. they attempted stran-
gulatioD, and so persevering were they in subse,
quent attempts, that they could only be preserved
by mechanical restraint. On the same dav fe-
male attendant took an ounce OF tincture OF opium
3" because she liked it," without, however, any
apparent intention of self destruction. She had
been an active and faithful person, and still con-
tinues In the service OF the institution, useful and
trusted.
We have had during the year, ten homicidal cases,
zine men and one woman; part admitted during
the year. part previously. or the latter, two are
intensely homcidal. These two have been insane
for many yearp, and the propensity seems to in
crease in activity with the duration of their die
ease One, very athletic man, shows desire to
kill by strangulaton. He has often been seen,
without any provocation, TO seize another by
the throat and arrest respiration, at the same
time enilng with satanic pleasure. The 9th.
er desires to kill with cutting instrument, and
These. though dangerous when at large, are, in
our judgme nj, rendered more herce and severe by
seclusiOn. We therefore give these, IN common
with all others, much liberty.