Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1874-09-12
A Few Words on INSANITY.

There is probably no misfortune
which the human race is heir to that is
SO imperfectly understood by the masses
as that of insanity. This is due to
sort of traditional belief that all insane
persons are maniacal or furious, and
dangerous to deal with, which has clung
to the popular mind and has been trans
mitted from generation to generation,
even to the present day. This, and the
fact that persons are not regarded as
insane until becomes necessary to send
them to an asylum, where they are sell
dom seen by the outside world, has
prevented its general characteristics
from becoming as familiar as those of
other diseases are. Our most intelli-
gent men and women, who unaccus-
toned to seeing insane persons, when
visiting an asylum, enter the wards
with shudder of fear, although assured
by those in charge that there is no dan
ger whatever while the vulgar visit
such places, prompted by the same
spirit of idle curiosity, that leads them
to shows or managcries, stare at the
patients like they were wild beasts con-
fined in cages, unable to comprehend
their impertinent questioning, devoid
of all natural feelings of embarrassment
on having their peculiar misfortune
pryed into.
A few centuries ago insanity was
scarcely recognized as o disease. The
unfortunate beings so afflicted were sus-
pected of having sold themselves to the
devil, were possessed of evel spirits, or
were the victims of witchcraft, and in
some way or other culpable. Conse-
quently, they were confined in jails or
prisons in common with convicted GRIM
inals. The more violent were placed in
separate cells, without adequate venti-
lation, chained to the floor, a bundle of
straw for q bed, and here left alone in
dirt, filth and vermin, until death kindly
came to their relief. Those whose in
sanity was marked by less violent out
breaks were treated with even less care.
Huddled together in dark, gloomy, i'll
ventilated buildings cut off from all
intercourse with friends provided with
no source of amusement, OF recreation,
left to brood over their troubles, both
fancied and real, with nothing to break
the dull monotony, but the demoniacal
yell of some enraSed inmate, or the
crazy laugh of dementcd companion.
Under such system we do not wonder
that few recoverics are recorded, and
that usually their only hope of relief
was in death, which was seldom tardy
in its approach.
But with the advance of civilization
came q ray of hope for this class of un-
fortunates. The dense fog of super
stition, which for SO long time had
enshrouded them, began gradually to
melt away as the light of science was
focused upon it. Their real condition
being better understood and recognized
as disease, due to pathological
change in the brain itself, steps were
taken to ameliorate their situation, and
afford them a chance of recovery or
at least render their existence more en-
durable, by placing them in suitable
hospitals, and turning them over en-
tirely to the Medical Profession, their
only proper guardian.
The great benefit, both to patients and
community, resulting from the change,
was soon manifest to the economist,
as we'll as the philanthopist. It was
observed that patients were not kept on
hand SO long, and by giving them light
employment, those who were able to
work. they not only aided in their own
recovery, but materially lessened the
expense of keeping. Patients, who
under the old regime would have been
considered incurable, under the new
dispensation, proper medical aid, large,
we'll vetilated buildings, comfortable
quarters, wholesome food, variety of
amusements and recreation, and kind
attendants, were frequently returned
to their friends and families entirely
restored to reason, and became again
useful members of society whilst those
less fortunate, who remained, became
satisfied with their condition were happy
and contented to remain.
Like all other revolutions, it took
many years before the people at large
were willing to acknowledge their ap-