The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1858-05-05
grounds, in ordinary apparel of persons in

grounds, in ordinary apparel of persons in
right mind. rt ...Tu...as -
Keeping these impressions in view, / was
d cautious in what | said before the young
I lady; for / could not be sure that she was
sane; and in fact, there was certain. rest
Hess brilliancy about her eyes which halt
led me to imagine she was not. l con-
fined my remarks therefore, to general
+ topies, and to such as thought would not
He disDieasing or exciting even to a luaa-
tic. She replied in a perfectly rational
manner to all that | said; and even her
I. originai observations were marked owitb
, the soaadest good sense; buta long ac-
yLqueintance with the meta aphysics of mania.
g had taught me to pat no faith i'll such ev
idcuce of sanity, and | continued TO sprac-
lice, throughout the interview, the caution
q with which L acommeneed it. -iTla i-
\ Presently a smart footman in livery
broug in tray with fruit, wine, and
% other refreshments, of which partook,
tIie-lndvSoou afterwards leaving the room.
As she departed I Turned my eye in an
IinoIirng manner towards fly host. I'd
4 No. he said, 'oh ,o-a member Of my
. family niece, and a most accomplish
led w0man'@ - -E.Ff-Es .H"# d
Il beg a thousand pardons for the suS-
Picion,' Isrei,lied, 'but Of course you will
know how to excuse me. The excellent
administration of yonr ar1irS herc,is well
understood ia Paris, and | thought it .hSt
possible, You know-'',s .. .r.....-
\ es, yes say TO morG-or, rather il
/ is myself who should thank you for the
.epmmendable prudence you have display
ed. We seldom fad SO much of fore
thought in young, men; and, more than
once some n1lha3py c0atre-tea2lS has oc-
/ Cured in consequence of tionghllessnesS
on the part of our visitors. V Aile. my
former system was in operation, and my
patients were permitted the privilege Of
| roaming to and fro at will, they were Of
ten aroused 20 IL dangerous frenzy by in
tjuGiifious persons who called TO inspect
| the house. Hence | was Obliged to en-
force arigid system of exclusion; and none
obtaineh to the premises upon whose dis
4 creuGn could not rely a .-.-..--
: ISL 'While your former system was in oper-
ationH L said, repeating his words-'do I
understand you, then, to say that the
soothing system of which have heard SO
!. much, is no longer in force?' sa,'f
t. ~'Itist now,' he replied, several weeks
Itsince we have concluded to renounce it
4 forever Sas EE~ ~. 100 ..-
.Iudeed! You astoaish mcn ..- ..a.
- we foundit, SIR he said, with sigh,
.'abselutely necessary to return to the old
: usagcs. The danger Of the soothing sys-
TEN was, at all times appal ling; and its
, adrantDges have been much over-rated.
! believe, sir, that in this house it has
been given fair trial, if, ever in any
, We did everything that rational humani-
ty could suggest. I am sorry that you
5 conld not have paid up visit at an earli-
!, er period, that ycu might have jud ged FOR
, yourself. But Ipresume you are conver-
i SAINT @ith the soothing practice with its
/ details
Not altogether. What I have heard
has been at third or foarth hand.'4
IInay state the system then, in general
f terms. as one in which the patients were
d ,nepagcs, hamored We contradieted no
y4fancies which entered the brains of the
e tmad. On the contrary, we not only in
lulged bnt encouraged them; and many
! of our most permaHent-c have been
e thus effected. = Fheres is no argument
/, which so touches the feeble reason of the
J; nadman as the rcductio I'D H;2Ssrdttns =
.tWe have had men for example, who fan
/ eied themselves chickens. The cure was
} to ainsist'upon'th 'the thing as 'fact--to az
= cuse the patient of'stnpidity ia not suiii
G cien,ly pereeiviugl it toNbe a faet--and
t thus to, refuse hin any other~diet fer a
i week that which properly appertains
; to chicken In this manner l.ttla corn
0 and gravel were made to perform, won
: ders. --..-s-.--..--------
: Bat was this species of ueapiesccnct
i all?' s-,.sg, ss as..~-.- srsF,ul
: s'Bylno means. Welput mach faith in
: amusemts of a simple kind, such as music
/, dancing, gymnastic8exereisesl generally
> cards, certain classes of books, and sc
4 forth. We affected. to treate each iudivid
S ual as if for some ordinary physical Jdisop
"A der; and the word :4unacy'was never en-
o. ployed. A great opoint was to, set eaet
3 lunatic to guard the actions Of all the 9th
I ters. To repose confidence, in0 the under
v standing or discretion of q smadman, is ts
$ gain his body and soul. 9 Dithis way w
J, were enabled to dispense with an aexpen
o. sive body of keepers,nH ~ ssaaL
Il : And you had no sppnishments Of an.
ii AndH ,silRa.sE GgsasvaJ td9isN
III z None. au;esr ~. rsggo4 r4aa7tk /,
"a And you never confined your patients?
"a I Very rarelyoa Now and then, the NAL
4 ady ofisome individual growing toaf crisi
NJ qr taking sudden turn of fury, we con
E. ] Teyed him TO o secret cel, lest his eisor
y der should infect the, rest, and, there KEEP
g him until we could dismiss him to hi
l. friends for with the. raging maniac W
q / have nothing to do. t. He is usually remov
l. ed to the public hospitals. ~ .....g
ID And you have now changed all this
n, and Won think for the betterv