Delaware inquirer. (Wilmington, Del.) 1859-18??, 1859-07-09
From shnrpe's Magazine
THE LUNATEC ASYLUM.

a JuuBo VI the State COUNCIL tnat TeColNeu .
commission to inspect the prisons and hos
pitfalls Of several departments. The fulfil
ment Of this duty took me TO the town Of
--, to visit the lunatic asylum there. l
had surveyed the portion OF the building
where the men were confined the steward
and physician had accompanied mo from cell
to CELL pointing out, with all the coolness Of
habit, every variety in this mournful specta-
Gle. These excellent men, whose lives were
patiently devoted to their melancholy duties,
who had dedicated themselves with zeal TO
this work of humanity, seemed to be show
ing me the rooms Of 4 museum, and explain
ing objects Of natural history. They grstifed
my curiosity they related to me acts OF in
sanity which | had not the opportunity Of
witnessng they recounted fits of frenzy of
some of the wretched beings whom eheld
calm and PROSTATE in corner of their cell
they encouraged the conversation of those
lunatics, who were so tractable as TO be al
lowed to wander about their cells.
Their cheerful manner Of speaking to them
bore almost the appearance of gsyety, and
who am far from being capable of such self
sacrifice such devotion: |, who in my whole
life shall not do as much good as they did In
a day, could not conquer my emotion; feel
ings of repusnance and pity froze my heart,
and made my hair stand on end. longed to
finish this sad visit, and TO get out Of this
/ PAINFUL aDOue. W q went luto Tie Hospllal Vi
the women | was first conducted into
room where the sisters of charity were atten-
/ ming as superintendents to the duties of the
infrmary. After some words addressed to the
superior, We were about to proceed on the
! new round, when we saw young sister ap-
proach the physician, and ask him timidly,
and in faltering voice, GLOW is he to-daya"
looked at her attentively aie appeared to
possess beauty, but had 1t countenance Of
u. u u. ii. fnI
"What can you expectlthere can be ne
change" Then, turning to me, She asks"
he said, ''aiter one of the lunatics in whom
she is much Interested. - And the steward
added, . II is the one in No. II, at the end
of the passage; pointed him out to you"
In fact, recollectcd young man. that had
seen tied to his bed, struggling with his bonds
and shrieking fearfully.
1 "Why is she interested in this wretched
man?'' asked l.
sit is very melancholy story, sir" ans
wered the physician.
I, The sister Of charity, perceiving that We
were speaking of her, retired directly. An
expression of absolute despair was depicted
on her face.
The superior then addressed me saying,
:. Sir, il you wish to know the terrible aftiic-
tson which brought Sister Margaret here, and
which induced her to take this vocation, /
self. When she came to US, the poor girl had
not strength to tell us ller history. She had
written it circumstantially, and put 1t into my
hands,
hastened to conclude my visit my imagi.
nation was affected by what had seen and
heard. The mournful countenanoe Of the
sister OF charity was constantly before my
eyes. felt no longer any interest or SYM
pathy in the distressing sis hts around me.
i 1ltTf n
tion. When came out, the superior placed
a roll of paper in rny hands. | returned home
directly, and read the following narrative g.
81 am the Only daughter OF well-knowr
physician, in the province Of. He had
the reputation Of learned, skiliul, and hon
orable mau. He had particularly devoted
himself 10 the study and care OF mental mala.
dies Aftes the death Of my mother, he had
even founded an asylum for the insane, and
oceupied himSeN there, as much from benev.
olence as from love of his profession. The
house was large and The garden extensivei the
unfortunate patients were not numerous and
each of them eonld be attended with the grea.
test care As for nc, inhabited separate
part of the building, with my father he did
not choose me o witness the trghttul spec-
tacle OF violent insanity. never approached
the body OF tho building where the lunatics
subject to rigorous treatment were conhneai
still sometimes heard their cries, and never
without suddering. But those who wore
harmless, or whose convnlesence was certain,
were allowed to walk in the garden. They
were left almost at liberty; often they even
approached our part of the building and could
easily have opened the tTels-gate which sep
arated the garden from the little enclosure
reserved for ourselves. They were not 81
lowed to come in hut tho keepers were not
there besides. it was my fathers wish that
these poor creatures should be treated with
extreme gentleness.
"One day that | was seated on q bank,
where was accustomed to read or work,
found a young man that | did not know,
there. Immediately drew back, and even
felt species of alarm. '.Ah madam" he
said to me, t'it is a very cruel fate to inspire
such repugnance, that even compassion liz
stiled." These words made painful i'm
preston on me. should have reproached
myself for giving pain to being already so
unhappy; the idea of causing in him a sen-
sation which might increase or renew his
malady, also arose in my mind had heard
my father say, that frequently painful i'm
preston, however transient, might bring on
attacks of-insanity, and renew mental disor-
der. i'Sir, 7 said, ''do you wish TO speak
to nv father ~ He understood that feigned
10 take him for stranger. g belong to the
establishment, madam, he replied, g am
one of those unhappy men whom your father
bone,S to cure You know this we'll. l alarm
Won nut tranquilize yourself, Ihurt no one.
Il ia ev IN said that am more rational lat
terly. To prove it to you, leave you;
ongbt mot o be here ii is forbidden--is It
notp'' He rose and withdrew quietly, leav-
inc me much disturbed. told my father OF
his meeting. ue really is very gentle, said
he, and the disc sse of his mind does not ap-
pear very serious. feyen hesitate whether
should not receive I,im into the house. In
The eyes Of most people be would have pass
id for sane as much as those who are at lib
erty but have been so much accustomed to
these unfortunate malsdieS, thai feel assured
his case will increase, and get werse there
ore have put him pnder sslutary disei-
lline, and, above all, kept him away from
,very circumstance under which MS reason
las become disturbed, / asked my father,
With some interest, in what his madness con
listed. 1t will appear strange, yet is not
without example he thinks himself mad, he
proves himself to be insane and Is In despair.
Nothing can dissuade or console him no 90
upation, no study can succeed in diverting
lin. He believes himself incapable of doing
nything: he cannot follow reading, and says
hat he cannot understand-that the connec-
ION OF ideas escapes him this, in fact. is the
ase. He himself came and asked 10 be ad.
nitted among my patients. 81 ought TO bs
here said he, "thst is my proper plaoe
m not ht to be among rational people" BE
sked to see the rooms he chose hia own;
lad all Of his furniture taken there, made all
lis arrangements, and took okpossesHion oftheui
H.