The hydraulic press., 1858-08-21
Educate the Idiot.

gives an interesting sketch of the no.
BILE efforts which have been made du~
ring this century to alleviate the con-
dition of the insane and idiotic. We
give the best portion of the article IN
question. but our readers will find a
touching account Of GuggenbuhPs
first labors for the wretched Cretins,
in the February number of the At
lantic Monthly:
1t is in the by-ways and not the
highways of history, in the paths
aside from the military roads over
which historians generally delight to
conduct the stately march of their
events, with blocks and gibbets and
racks and fagots at easy intervals TO
diversity the scene, that we have
learned to see that the race has made
some progress and has gone forward
and set up here and there monu-
ment to record it. Perhaps there is
DO better sign of real advancement
in civilization in modern over ancient
times than that displayed in the differ
ent treatment the most unfortunate Of
human beings receive now from what
they did once, and that not long ago.
1t is comparatively but lately that
systematic and scientific efforts have
been made toward mitigating the lot
of those to whom Nature, or rather
human sins and errors, had denied the
blessing of reason or of the special
senses.
Three quarters of century ago,
insane persons were the objects of su
perstitious terror, and were treated
with the cruelty which naturally
springs FROM fear in vulgar minds
And insanity was regarded BY persons
even Of more than Average intelli-
gcnce, a hundred years since. as the
evidence Of demomacaI possession -
It's cleaiAfrom Cowpers correspond
taat s m ielyE she unhappy
poet nimssif and A1rs. Unwin, whose
name aif be rerae,abdred as long as
sa sut John Aeaton. the hard>
headed SID s'aye-trasiss turned par
soa, believed tha. his .naduess was
caused hy ysiirect diabo scal agency -
Straw, and darkness, aud chains, and
whips, were the chief Eremedies then
imagined IS ct for mind diseased.
The only thought seemed to be opnt
these occasions Of terror where they
could do no mischief. Cure was
scarcely. thought of as possibility,
except by a supernagural operation of
Divine power. Bedlem was one of
the sights of London. aud the private
madhouses were the scenes of the
most horrid barbarities. DR.. Charles
Cotton, whose minor poems are still
admitted into the collections, was the
first person in England we remember
who undertook the treatment of luna
tics on humane and philosophical
principles. about a century ago. 1t
was Cowper's good fortune to fall In
to the benevolent hands of this wise
and good man, to whom he owed his
partial restoration, and we all owe
his delightful poems and incompatible
letters. Afterward DIR. Willis, bro't
before the public by his connection
with King George Ills madness,
drew general attention. to the possibif.
ity of an improved treatment of this
fearful disease. This humane appli-
cation of science received a great
impulse in France at the time Of the
French Revolution, and much of its
present advanced state is owing to the
wise humanity of the French physi-
clans.
It was not until after the insane
had received the blessings of science
thus informed by benevolence, chat
the blind, the deaf and dumb and the
idiotic were sought out and coInforted.
They were left, formerly, as gener~
al thing, helpless and hopeless bur-
dens on the charity of friends or on
the world. The idea of making these
unfortunates happy in themselves, and
useful to others, is one Of compara-
lively recent conception, and yet
abundant provision has enlong made
for the wants and the improvement of
the two former classes. The idiotic
were left last of all, hopeless victims
to their wretched fate, of which hap
PLY they we're the least conscious Of
the three. 1t is but about ten years
since any systematic effort was made
in their behalf in this country, and but