Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1868-12-11
SeIsfted MisesIIaitt,.
AN ADVENTURE WITH A MADMAN.

After receiving my diploma of Doctor
of Medicine from one of our colleges,
accepted an offer as assistant, made to me
by the proprietor of a well-known pri
vate asylum for the insane. The gentle
man alluded to was one held in much re
spect by the faculty for his skill generally
and his unquestionable attainments in
that speciality to which, of late years, he
had given his undivided attention.
The institution, for private asylum
was moderately large one, and was sit
uated about two miles from flourishing
town, in the midst of fruitful and pic
turesque country. This particular branch
of the profession possessed for me, as it
did for my superior, strong attraction,
so that it was with no consciousness of any
sacrifice on my part that | accepted his
offer to become one of his assistants.
There were six of us altogether, that is,
including our principal and at the time
of my entering the institution, about fifty
patients. Our regulations excluded from
admission such applicants as were in the
advanced stages of insanity, admitting
only those cases of milder form of the
disease; although it not unfrequently hap
pened, in spite of the undeniably excel
lent treatment they received, that patients
became worse during their stay; and
those who, at the time they were admit
ted, evinced only symptoms of slight aber-
ration, before very long, developed them
stronger and more decidedly.
This, it has always been my opinion, is
one Of the characteristics of the malady.
A person afflicted with any mental de-
rangement is liable, at almost any moment,
to suddenly aggravated condition Of the
disease. You may say it is 80 with all
complaints, no matter of what nature.
Granted, but that only proves it to be the
case with the one in question, and think
more so by comparison than others. |
speak of sudden changes, understand: not
gradually developed ones, to which every
disease known to science is equally liable.
had been upwards of two years in the
institution, and had seen something OF
every case treated there. In that time we
had one hundred and thirty patients,
forty three of whom were discharged
cured in less than year; six had died Of
disorders associated with the malady for
which they were under treatment; nine
had been removed by their friends, and
the balance remained under our care. I
speak of the time between my entering the
institution as an assistant physician, and
the time of my receiving brief note from
my uncle, a wealthy retired merchant
of New York. The note will speak for it.
self more directly than if endeavored to
explain its purport; it is as follows:
"DEAR NEPHEw-Recent indications
of disordered mental condition in your
cousin Archibald have decided me, with
the advice and concurrence of our family
physician, Doctor Bitterdrug, to send him
fr a 70 aou1,1r, o,oI hoo uond ro
ports of the one with which you are con-
nected, write to inquire your terms, and
whether or not you can receive him. 1t
may be well for me to state that his de-
rangement, which appears to be slight and
of harmless nature, is the result of seri-
Gus losses consequent upon stock opera
tions on Wall street."
This brief note was dated at the resi-
dence Of the writer in Forty second street,
and signed with his name, Abner
Earle. I lost no time, after consulting
with Doctor Craniel, our chief, in replying
to it, and informing my uncle that we
were in readiness to receive Archibald at
such time as he might state, expressing
my regret at the unfortunate occurrences
that had deprived his son not only of for
tune but of reason.
"Poor Archy !" / thought to myself,
"that he of all men should be the victim
of such a calamity he, so light hearted,
so full of life and hope" As for the for
tune he had lost that didn't matter so
much, for "Uncle Abner" was very
wealthy, and there were but three
children, "Poor, dear fellow" He was
just two years and half my senior. We
had been at school together when boys,
but afterwards he had entered his father 8
counting house, having fancy for mer-
camille pursuits; and l had gone to COL
lege / was indebted to "Uncle Abner y
for many kindnesses after the death of nv
own father, who had failed heavily in
business while / was yet mere lad and
I resolved to exert myselfto the utmost in
the treatment of his son, in whom the old
gentleman had always felt sincere pride
and one that was in every way justified.
Two days after the mailing of my reply
to my uncle's first note, received seconc
one, telling me to be ready to receivt
Archibald at the institution on the Tues
day following, it being Saturday when tht
letter reached me. He would be accom-
panied on the journey, so wrote my uncle
by the old family servant, one Calet
Matthews, a very trustworthy, conscien
tio1s man, and by Doctor Bitterdrug him
SELF They would leave town in the ter
thirty train, which would be due II
Middleport, two miles distant ftom tht