The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1857-08-26

The Increased wear and Tear Of the Brain
In Modern Life.


In the report Of the Commissioners on Lu.
macy, for the year 1s47, we find the total
number OF private patients Of the middle and
upper classes, then under confinement in
private asylums, amounted to 4,64s. Now,
if we skip eight years, and refer to the report
of 1855, we find ,hsTe only 4,557 patients
under confinement, or about SO less, not
wi,hstanding the increase Of population dur
ing that period. If we compare the num-
Der Of pauper lunatios under confinement at
these two periods, We shall find widely
different state of things, for in is47 there
were 1854 in our public and private asy-
lums, whilst in 1855 they numbered 1892.
In other words, our pauper luua.ics would
appear to have increased 6, ITO in eight years,
or upwards of 64 per cent.
1t is this extraordinary increase of pauper
lunaiics in the county asylums which has
frightened some psychologists from their pro-
priety, and led them TO believe that insanity
is running winning race with the healthy
intellect. But these figures, if they mean
any thing, prove ha, il is not The inelec, of
the county that breeds insanity, but its ig.
norance, as it cannot for one momen, be
con,ended that The great movements now TAX
ing place In the world originate with the
laboring classes. We shall be told, we
know, that there is constant descent Of pa.
tienls from private asylums 10 public asy.
lums; lha, the professional man and the
tradesmau, after expending The means Of his
friends and family for a year or two in the
vain hope speedy cure, becomes necessari-
ly in The end pauper luna,ic, and that this
stream aids to swell the numbers in the
county institution.
Allowing il due weight to this explsna-
lon-and those who know public asylums
are well aware how small, comparatively
speaking, is the educated elemept-yet as the
came disturbing element in The calculation
o5laned al bolt periods, we may safely con.
clude that both the figures are not thereby
essentially altered. A sllll more convincing
proof that mental ruin springs rather from
mental torpidily than from mental stImula.
lion is 10 be found by comparing the proper
lion Of luIa,ics 10 The population in the rural
and The manufacturing districts. Sir Andrew
Halliday, who worked out this interesting
problem in 1928, selected as his twenty non-
agricultural counlies-Conwali, Cheshire,
Derby, Durham, Gloucester, Lancaster, North
cumberland, Stafford. Somerset, York yves,
Riding) and Warwick, which contained a
population at that time Of 4,493, 1874, and
total number of 1910 insane PERSONS, or
10 every 200. His twelve agricultural coun-
ties were Bedford, Berkshire, Bucks, Cam
bridge, Hereford, Lincoln, Norfork, North
ampton, Oxford, Rutland, Suffolk, and Willis,
The total population of which was 2,Ol2,-
979, and the total number Of insane persons
1926, a proportion of lunatic 10 every 800
sane.
Another significant fact elected was, whilst
in the manufacturing counties the idiots were
considerably less Than the lunatcs, in the
rural counties the idiots were to the Iunatics
as 10 s! Thus the Hodges Of England,
who know nothing of the march Of intellect,
contribute far more inmates 10 the public
lsna,ic asylums than the toil-worn arlzans
of Manchester or Liverpool, who lives in the
great eye OF the world and keep step with
the march Of civilization, even if they do
but bring up its rear. Isolation is greater
cause of mental ruin than sxaggeralion--our
English fields can afford crellns as plenlifuly
as the upland valleys Of the mountain range
seldom visited by The foot of the traveller;
whilst, on the other hand, IN the workshop
and The puclic assembly, GAS iron wearelh
iron, so man sharpeneth the face of his
friend ."-Quarterly Revieg.