Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1858-06-11

LIFE AMONG THE LCNATICss
Under the shove tiiIs We fad, in the Nav Eark
7rssuass very Interesting sksteh sf fhs Ianssia
Asylun q BlaskssPs Island. Jsdging frsn the
facts mentioned IN he article, We are iucEnEd to
believe that the system Of treatment is based enoa
the sane humane regard for the patisnts Hhioh has
worked TO such advantage in the Asylum IN
der he charge Of Dr. KHEBRIDE. The inprarsd
hamsnitariaa developments Of the age have soui-
plslelg dissipated the erroHssus idea thnt thsnb-
screws and straigbtjaozsts EsEs the only dsssiias
fsr persons berea Of reason The EXPRESSES sf
ali the modern Institutions expressly devoted e lhs
cure or slleviation Of thess distressing suzs1srs,
Ross to disprovs this orusl sentiment, 50 lonsan-
teriaiBsd snd We ere graiissd to have an sddii1na
confirmation Of this significant fact in the aeceanl
appended bslos
The Tri5uus in referring to the BlaskEsiIs IaisHd
Asylum, says, in explanation Of The system Pursus
When patient is received he is carefully snu-
ineds his previous history obtained, and classified
by the light Of these facts No medical treatment
is undertaken immediately. but salutarg inhgeace5
observed TO follow as the result Of regular l6-
iie, such as rising taking meals and rstirilg ai
liked hours He Is required, if possible % kesp
his own room and toilet ia order, SO as 70 oeeupTB
mind and exercise his body. If i be deemsd sac,
be Is allowed 10 pass the day 10 open air, or to NJ
tsnd upon ether patients and perhaps engage inlhu
culture Of vegetable a7d flower garden, and otfer
oui-door work. or, should be seem 70 prefer Is a.
door work Is furnished 10 the kitchen and laundry,
or sewing and knitting rooms. Amussmsnts have
occasionally been introduced With coed effect, us
aud dancing aIording the most grati1oailoH Q pa
tients, 10 participate in which even the lady Fho
calls herself "Prssidsnless," ana she Who is he
''Qussa Of America snd " Daughter Of The Bus
sian Gar" 8ould graoiously condesoend 70 take
partners from among the plebeian ranks ef theoter
sex. There are several most excellent musieians in
ths institution IS patients, one very remarkable
pianist as We can attest; aud Oat Of lhe Tarlatgcf
qualihcafions it is easy to make up an orches-la.
varied and effeeiVs at least if not altogether Per-
feet in its execution. The dancing is occasionaay
apt 10 Be q httie out Of ordinary conventional rules
yet strict PropEiety Of eonduot is observed by III
The regular celebration of holidays q another ~
traetiYo feature which is mueh eniOFad By the pa~
TENTS Last Christmas an elaborate entertainmant
vas got up, including an instrumental concert q
ptntomime, and ball miniature stage vas
lifted up and prettily decorated while The Iargs en-
eular stairway and lis landing places SERVED as an
auditorium, where the heterogeneous mas Of pa
tieEs watched with great interest the TariousrePr
semi ations.
These pleasures are CT course for the better class
Of patients, OF rather for those ahActsd with tie
lghses forms Of mania. But there are others y 70
become 80 impaired that memory, reason, and cogi-
prshension are nearly gone, leaving them scarcely
above the brute creation in mental capacity and
Who, although perhaps capable Of partially coa-
preheudng, can never be induced % JON IN merry
making They spend their time wholly in bfoodng
over melancholy thoughts, apparently without 3
single ray Of hope for the future Some are ever 0e-
cuBied in devsing means 10 commit suicide OF honi-
eide and cannot be safely entrusted with any Wea-
pom With which they might execute their desiEss.
Nov and then one complains that he had bsen placed
there By iRhuman relatives, and charges that ne
physicians were hired restrain him Of his liberty
on 10 poison him The buildiug occupied By what
are called the Bedlanites OF violently insanei Is
never visited BY strangers, on account o. The nes
effect their presence produces upon the eXcitable
inmates although ravlng insanity is generally eoa1
sdered more susceptible Of cure than The less vio-
lent kiRd. No eOFPoreal punishment Is PeImitladA
II the patient be violent noisy, he Is shut up
not in a cell, but in an ordinary room with the
distinct understanding that he shall not annoy.
oshers.
FAa statistics Of the institution show that during
1857 there Were S26 patients admitted, Of whom
$50 we're males and 1876 females, seven being eol--
ored persons. During the same period 2zl Hera
"a males and I2T females aud Is
died, 80 males and 3s females. Of these. p died
Of consumption; paralysis Z, diarrEUa .. Of the
326 admitted 68 we're natives and 255 foreigners s.
40 were born in New York, in New Jersey, B IA
Pennsy lgania, 10t IN ArelanQs % ID uef44nyf -
in England, II in Scotland, and in France
EiEhiy-one males we're siEgie, fOrty-three mar
ried and six WidoWers; So females single, 50
married and 25 widows. Religious Persuasion
l59 Protestants, I55 Catholics and u Jews. There
we're only seventeen admitted Who we're Uader %
years Of age; from % 20 So 134 from 30 to 40, S.
from 40 to 90, IS; so 10 80, one W0msn OF tho
I'll discharged go we're in less than three months;
30 from 70 six months y from months 10
year; 81 from to years; from TO years
lRd from to u years.