New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1870-12-28

o ana fcsrfuIIy ,pea No shut I'm little rooms
or prisonces with those who were orderly ana couop
and possibly, not insane. sorrowful looking man
med room adjoining mnc Hc appeared as MS
we're nearly ended heard him say 10 the a.'o"o's =,
he was "nearly done" and ask II no Wno ss you
lock him into his room 10 die oil alone -" ~ -
G. d YOU" replied the attendant " wv -, A.,
ering us here" "Then give me Guy y, " 80, .,
patient "I tell you not TO DO oo'"oi'''s "' VIZ"
n,,,od rho attendant land nurso; "you must
-. ., ied and make all your complaints to the doc
- ~ mo comes around in the morning" Next morn
-, q o'clock the doors were successfully unbolted,
,,h a Good morning, Mr.. A." Good morning, Mr..
and so on till they came to that little room nearest
mine There. there reply to the SALVATION
.'Why in - don't you rise upi' There was pause.
"Dead man in this ROOM" and the door was slammed
shut We were all invariably ordered to arise ut
ocock-the well and the SICK the feeble and the strong
There was no discharge for the day. and there was no ex
cuse. On occasion poor fellow told the nurses"
that he was dying and he could arise more; but he
compelled. He arose that morning and actually DO
The tables are spread with the commonest, ooarses
and scantest fare As for tho arrangement OF he M
and decent. I have thought IL would demorallze tno
appetites Of pack OF rayenng wolves III tney WIZ
invited to such repast only ew m ns sn with wtS
oothes gums who had only had time to soak crust OF
two in his cup Of chiSory BROTH must With an tne rest
be quickly through with the frugal meal The physicians
steward chaplain, &C., are gentle manly and courteous;
The maron and other ladies' on the aaes sue a
kind and competent But exactly what was tner Once
work was able to understand. Almost every
was done by the attendants and IL Is from them
proceed those fortunes by which the patients some
times obliged TO take their medicine or ther TOOL
have scen both " administered" and know or nothlhg
horrible than those needless fortunes Attendad
and nurses to be fit for such POSITIONS should De
with the utmost care from among KIND, enHoe
humane men and women. and paid suitable oOi ts
sa0n for their services IL tins is impOsslDie,
that employed should be constantly under the eye OF
Surely no physician would stand by and permit such
ukewarm water from the canal and al tne patenis on
the hall notified to prepare themselves lor hins @
before going bed The waters seldom never changed
from the time the first one goes III III, ne s one H.
out The most diseased are generally the nfst 10 DC
called When tOeraby clean man was called 10 TAKE
his turn in the tub and made some objections 70 the state
of the water the two attendants seized nm ana plunged
him in head first, held him there till he was nearly
drowned, and when at last they took him ont, that horr
BILE water was streaming from his mouth and nostrlls;
sleeping in the Asylum, became much reduced In ply
steal health. As preparing for bed In little mar
sane than myself heard one the attendants
in loud voice that it would be well enough TO keep
watch at that door, TO there going TO DO job
of carrying out there, about midnight knew that
the one alluded to, and coarse brutality waited aI
my prison door But that night or blackest horrors
slowly wore away, and the physicians SAID that was
better in the morning.
much as possible tho visits of anxious, kindly friends.
Whole chapters might be written upon the DEMENT'S fire.
cured me. Months had elapsed. My mind was yet
clouded. One day IN the early Spring heard in the
soul. knew that my boy, child OF seven years nad
come, and felt thatI would then get well: was at
length permitted to meet him in the Tecept10nTOOm,
take him in my arms and hear how he had found his
way thither After few weeks probation, was dis
charged cured. DR.. A. OF the asylum permitted me.
when went out to take along one or two patients with
me- TO if intercourse with relatives would do them as
much good il had done One OF those took was
poor scochman who thought he had broken the heart OF
his wife Maria, and had beggared their two little girls
took him for few hours TO quiet farmhouse In the
country He thought that If the wife and children could
come and him, he might get well. wrote letter to
his wife without delay, and few days after she came
from many miles away, leading the two children grave
and solemn consultation held in the cOunc-rOom.
Custom science prestige and the rules OF the Institution
gained victory humanity, affection, friend
Ship and common sense. He not allowed to see his
wife children The three angels OF delyerance were
sent away with increased sorrow. When, a few days
afterwaTd leaving the asylum, saw through the
iron grating Of OF the highest windows the CHASTITY
face OF the poor Scochman and heard him say, "Ihty
sent them all away, and now am for ever lost!'
such is the impression my experience has made upon
me- that while live and while reason lasts, propose to
strive humble way for much needed reform in the
management of lunatiC asylums. Il. A. d.
(lTfOTd, N I, Dec. 20, 1870