The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1872-04-18

both sides OF the street were Iltlle, low
houses, whose Uniform row was occasionally
broken by larger manson with green
blinds and white curtains. 4 few foot
rasserrers were met on the street walking
leisureIy CT and down. As we drove by
them. they would took up, AMI from their
blank and death-like look it was easy 10
recognize insanity. Many of them spoke
To US in the most friendly nlanner-one
looked at me with great large eyes and
then burst out laughing. As | passed a
smiths shop, four men stepped out, one
holding the glowing iron and the others
hammers and pinchers-and all nodded and
snickercd in concert.
The street led on further through more
Of these curious impressions. got out at
the inn and pursued my way to
TIE INFIRNARY.
1t was large and rather imposing
building of stone with two stately wings;
before it was large grass-plot, shut out
from the street by iron gates. They were
thrown open to me at knock.
The directing physician, DR.. Bulckens,
was, las already intimately away from
home, was told, bat his daughter would
/ be very glad t. receive me. | was led lhse
/ the doctors private apartments, where
I sat short time in a neat reception room
I Then q Young lady Of unusual friendly
manners male her appearance. She re
I ccyei me with great amiabllity and W,
/ were soon engaged in an animated CONVEX
sation. Ny position was at first very
I embarrassing, as she mistook me for ply
/ stefan, but | soon explained that | haC
simply been attracted BY my interest in tn,
/ insane an in the famous colony which ha,
| eel established for them. Then she Of
frel pleasantly to take me through tn
building and give me such information a
she could.
! THE DISCIPLINE.
Just at this time, there were about ! ,l0
mad people N the town, some 80 OF whom
ouly were in the infirmarv. Some of tn
later were yet on their term OF probation
and Others hal been long in Gheel, but hat
been taken with an outburst 0f violence
The ~ mole colony is under the direction o
one head physician, DR.. Bulckens, and i
divided into four sections, each Of whlcl
has one assistant physician to attend to it
/ Numerous attendants are kept, some In tn
town, some in the intrmary; SO Distribute
that, in case Of necessity, they can all b
called together to assist each other.
"Our preparations are such, said tn
lady, " that it is seldom that even tn
most sudden spasm of violence among an
of the patients can have any serious re
suit In most instances, tie nurses, W
call the attendants, are IN a position t
bind and control the patients until assist
anee can come to them.
!" And the nurses, who take the insan
into their families, among their wives an
children, are they not III constant and tel
ribe anxiety Is not their life, and tn;
of those dear to th,m, in eternal DANCE
and Is not the continual presence of ma
ness among them horrible =
ooh, no, was the answer; "thev al
accustomed to it from childhooi they gro
up among the insane; indeed, they ofte
win their love; for, though disturbed
! spirit, the insane are often capable Of grei
gratitude. Their dependence can be con
pared to that of Il domestic animal, an
! az .foad, the people live of them for Il
! most part"
! In talking thus, we went on by mar
attendants untli we came to the
cnES 5 WARDS.
' Several women were slit; together in
large, pleasant room. Every one was loo
iug before her in grim silence, as we we
. in. Now and then, only, would one raj
+ her cxpressionless eyes, and look over t
Y ward us. It WIS dreadful sight, the
: human forms, in whom nothing but t
animal was lsft aaa wAqge spirit tit! Yq n PHr II
r and an almost painful cleanliness attest
- the thoroughutss Of the management.
1t must be difficult" said ito a
custom the insane t. this system of clca
: illness, and what trouble it mast cost Il
: attendants to keep it So"
, " W ell, | don't know" answered Il
lady: "while many of the insane are III
inclined to il at first, there are others wi
can never get it clean enough to suit .heI
They go 10 work themselves, and do not
my but scrub, and rub, and dust, and vi
not 20 TO bed until everything is as span
clean as a pin. We have. several of thcs
; and, in fact, the poor patients make then
r selves useful IN many ways
" That young girl, for instance" she co,
tlnuei ''Wto has sank down upon II
bench, becomes violent regularly ever
fourteen days, and for this reason has I
remain constantly in the intirmarv. Du
!, Ing the rest of the time, unless She fal
INTO a scnSecSs apathy as at present, sh
employs herself with the finest sewing am
embroidery, and works early and late
Durn- ttls talk, we had come to the
CELLS FOR THE VIOLENT
One OF these which was untenanteI VA
thrown open for me 1t was a perfectl
dark, little room, the walls and ceilju-
covered with cushions, 50 that the raticnt
should not hurt thcm> elves during raroy
ysmS of rage. y simple mattrass lav upo
the ground, and there was TO other articI
OF furniture III the room. There was som
one IN the next cell, and through the air
holc that WAS made for ventilation W
could rear horrible shrieks and curses u
we passed by.
Sail the most repuisive sight awaited u
as we entered closed court ward, in which
there were trees and grass.
ith hands. body, al d feet chained to
tree lay young woman in fit of madness
her feet, hands, and neck naked. and he
body alone clothed. Her feature, wer
regular, and, If they had not been di~torte,
4 by madneS. would undoubtedly have bee,
very beautiful. Her short, black locks fel
over her deathly pale face in wild eonfu
sion. as she threw her 1npA,N4ro,n side +.
''NA '''iN NAltlitti on the ground II
herce strength, as She struggled with hel
chains aud kicked at them with her feet
she shrIeked constantly, and heaped m,
most terrible imprecations upon us. /
( "ss fearful sight. She had only beer
there short time; at first had conducte,
herself As piousiy as a nun, and then sud
denly broke out into this mad fit of ours
/ irg.
/ was glad when we went out and hear,
/ Tue bolt shoot into its socket behind us
I We now came to the male wards.
/ We first entered large grass plat
where some twenty men or more were sit
'ing OF lying about, or working with their
/ spades \ couple were sitting on a bench
close to whch we passed. One of them
WAS looking straight ahead Of him in tho
blank, sen>eless way had remarked 50
much. The other. who was a man of
about 10 years of age, and of a most intaI;.