Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1852-04-15
34i5rrllnurou5.
History Of the Unhappy Lunatic
BY DR.. ScHMID.

LOUISA lHEILE was the daughter OF mar
healthy in mind and body, and of Il mothe,
sometimes subject to Mysteries. and who. par
tcularlv during her pregnancy with this in
FAINT, could not divcst Of Il continual melan.
cholv. Louisa was, when child. rather
weakly, but soon showed signs of under
standing and comprehension which gave her
parents great pleasure. She was sent to
school in her seventh year, and cultivated
with great eagerness every branch of finstruc-
ton religion in particular had the greatest
charms for her; IN inclination which her
masters perhaps too much cherished in one
of so tender IN age. From this it may have
proceeded that the approach of maturity
brought on her 4 fever which soon became
mental alienation, at first showing itself in
the fixed idea that she could not maslicatc,
and could therefore eat no solid food. Moth
ing was neglected for years together, by the
first physicians, to restore her to health, and
il ut last seemed probable that an entire re-
covery might be expected. At this time her
brother WAS drowned-and the much beloved
Queen of Prussia died. 1t certainly is a
Sproofsof hesseNeelleit. sb,it sorrowfnl sheart..
that both events had such IN effect on her
that she seemed for long time dead 10 all
pleasures, sought only retirement, and en-
loyed no comfort except Ut church and in
reading religious books
Her father held lucrative post. but lost it
on account of the war, was obliged 10 live on
what he had saved, and contract his expenses
very much his prvaions. his SORROWS, in
creased the silent affections Of the good
daughter. Her mother at last became also
i'll, but not dangerously: but Iouisa's filial
fears created dangers. She wanted TO ad-
minister to her beloved sick parents rcme-
dies and nourishmcut which were too deer
for them in their present narrow circum-
stances. The younger sisters sometimes
reminded her Of this, perhaps not mildly
enough and this grief apparently occasioned
the return of the mental alienation.
Several physicians again undertook to at
tend her, but as her poor parents could not
supply her with the requisite remedies, they
at last determined, after much persuasion, to
trust their unhappy child to the Charlie.
Very much worn out, ard with the deepest
melancholy in her countcnancc, she entered
the establishment, complaining that her i'll
side was torn, aud her heart driven into her
head, Sc. Her continual screaming, and
complaining of pain, was not as it appears,
taken for the symptom Of the disorder: but
for the disorder itself, and the whole method
of cure chiefly directed to quieting her, The
remedies used for this were, abundance OF
cold water, poured sixteen paiIfuls at Il time
over the head; fettcrs !: a strait waistcoat
quick turnings in kind of machine; emctcs
a hair rope: u sack in which she was put, i,
was then tied. laid on the floor. ard fastened
TO the bed-post and, lastly, !; Megara of an
attendant. called Mrs. Voigt who, when her
crying incommoded her, scoldrd the untortu'
nate girl, boxed her ears. and forced her lips
together with her hands, knocked her head
against the wall, sc. All these harsh meth
DDS were made use of several times in the
short space of eleven days, OH dchIiiatcd
Young girl, who had been very weakly from,
patient could not feel herself, with this treat.
ment, more comfortable in the Charlie than
in her parents house, and that her complaints
increased. She often cried out. with Il voice
which would have affected the heart Of any
tiger, that of Mrs. Voigt excepted:
"Ah! my God my Saviour! my goo(
nurse have pity on me my sister! my faith
err"
1t might be supposed that her illness hac
so dcbased her, that it was become nccessar!
to treat her as n mere brute animal; but tha
was not the case. Whenever Caroline Bnll
Ter, one of the witnesses, who visited her
spoke to her, the language Of the patlen; wa
sensible and coherent, she did not fly from
one subject to another, answered every Ques
ton, and inquired herself respecting man.
things; only she always sought to turn TIT
conversation to religious objects. She Otter
wcpt and soLbed, and if Caroline Buhle
asked her why she wept so. she answered
"!Ah. ! long to be at home with my friend
and relarious | am treated here so yer.
cruclly!'
At last on the eleventh day of hcr stay il
this nell, she was again put into stral
waistcoat. then into a sack, and this secon'
sack was drawn, and in the first there was
besides, over her face picco of black waXc'
cloth in this way The sucks were tied uE
put on the ground beside the bed, and ther
fastened to the bedpost. In this state dl'
the unfortunate girl lie for several hours
lanen,iny. crying, praying, despairng; du
ring u,:es Mrs. Voigt had eo:'ce pdr'y Ii