National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1870-12-02
A iunatiC Colony.


Mahnes, only few have heard of the |
strange town of Gheel, and scarcely any .
have thought it worth their while to visit .
it. Yetat a distance of only twenty miles
from these cities is to he found one of |
the most interesting phenomena of the |
present day.
At Gheel, large proportion of the |
population consists of insane persons /
who share in all the daily tolls ana pleas
-ures of their sane fellow-citizens who |
live in fraternal equality with them and
are permitted freely to take part in their |.
religious festivals and ceremonies. This |
custom has lasted for centuries, and ira /
dition has preserved the following sad
and tragic legend of the original institu-
ton.
Early in the seventh century a chapel
had been erected on the desert lands
of the campine. and dedicated to st.
Martin. the Apostle of Gaul. The few
pious pilgrims who built their huts in the
neighborhood We're the founders of the
Gheel 1t was in this desert spot that
the fair Dvmphinia, according to the
/ legend, sought a refuge from the cruel
love of her father, a wicked king of Ire
land She was accompanied in her flight
by an aged priest named Gerrebert, who
had converted her to Christianity. The
1 king discovered her retreat-Gerrebert
was killed by his guards, and the mis-
/ fortunate Dymphinia was murdered by
the impious hands of her own father.
| Tradition states that some lunatics,
who were the witnesses of this horrible
deed. were restored to their senses. The
{
/ tues of the murdered princess who from
that time became the patron saint of the
insane custom then arose of leaving
lun tics in the charge of few inhabitants
who had settled there. The cluster of
/ huts became village. and in later times
an important town. In the twelfth CEN
turv large church. dedicated to St.
/ Dymphinia. took the place of the old
chapel of St Martin, and in A. ID. 400
the popular belief in the miraculous power
of the saint was confirmed by the Bull of
Pope Eugenius ".
At this distance of time it is impossible
to discover whether the cures were real or
imaginary. but, at all events, we can
easily perceive how what at first was u
work of charity and piety soon became a
source of prosperity to the country, and
: of freedom to the insane who We're
brought there. At Gheel the combi-
nation of northern climate with the
sandy soil of the south rendered the
means of livelihood difficult to obtain
, through the barrenness Of the SOIL
Economy. as well rs kindness. prompted
. the sane to hive in common with the insane
! guests. The lunatics were adopted into q
family. and shared the same room. and
= in early times, the same bed, with THEN
hosts. Their guardians, who could i'll af-
> ford the time to keep and watch them
within doors, usually took them with
: them in the fields. when they went tc
= work. and thus gradually the lunntics il
: thcirlucid moments became fcllow-work
:. ers in the fields, as well rs companions il
= the house. and lived freely and fearlessly
with their keepers.
II is wonderful to see how soon tn,
+ lunatics accustom themselves to the reg
II ular hours and habits of their guardians
u The whole system which prevails at Ghee
4" may he summed up in the two-words-
' liberty and work The lunatic is at lih
l' ,rtv to move about ms he likes he l
r. treated ms fellow-creature, and not lik
i. wild beast only fit to be Gagged an,
1T chained or forced into submission. II
ie may be seen except in those cases whel
Is the physician does not think it ad,isabl
n peacefully smoking his pipe at the vii
% lagc inn and reading the paper, or play
'e ing cards and drinking beer with hi
'e friends and neighbors. In houses wher
II they can all Ike part in the househol
economy
y I'm the town the female mnatics wor
ct in the lace manufactures while some {
Is the males find employment in the worl
le shops of bootmukors, tailors, and othe
- tradesmen. They are all attentive ais
!" to their religions duties. BY being pei
=, mitted to take his part in religious Offices
II aud TO take the sacrament whenever N
Us reason is sufficiently conscious of what Il
~ is doing. the linatic is raised in his ow
estimation. as well as in that of his fellow
eS citizens. Such is the lunatic colony
nc Gheel Whether the same system adopte
UT there could with safety be introduced
as other parts of the world, is n questio
CT that must be mcdicnted but nj n
''S events the philanthropists who visit tn
spot will return convinced Of the adval
ne tags of an instruction which aleviat,
:" the wretched position Of lunatcs. M
- which, 10y giving them reasonable fire.
:" dom. restores them sooner 10 health IN
nv to society
"a A. A