The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-04-04
SUGGESTION TO THE PHILAN
THROPIO,

There are persons in all cities and to IN
who are afflicted wita desire to talk, s.
eager, SO constant, SO purposeless and so com
pletely regardless of fit audience or prope
occasions that We are obliged to class then
among invalids or sufferers from cacoe
thetic monomania. 1t is very mild symptom
Of latent disease of the nervous system, o.
| of disordered and unnatural condition o.
the great ganglion Of nervous influence and
supposed seat Of intellectual power. It car
not be imputed to want of judgment, or to
lack OF proper discipline, or to i'll manners.
or to evil associates, or to any i'll will toward
neighbors and scquaintances. It is disease
and misfortune, whose painful influence is
less fel, by the invalid than by those whom
| lie meets
We know Of no cure for this monomania, nor
even palliative. The asylum plan would
produce only perpetual babble of voices.
Solitary confinement is no longer effectual
than while the patients doors are bolte 1, and
| even then he will talk to himself for the lack
Of better listener. Confinement in pairs
was once theoretically remedy on the pre-
sumption that one or the other invalid would
be obliged to talk something less than half Of
the time. 1t was scienti fcally tested in but
one instance which resulted disastrously, one
Of the pair being found on sunrise Of the
second day q corpse, and the survivor whisper
ing hoarsely into his ear.
Our plea, therefore, is for kind ard merciful
treatment Of those who are thus incurably at
ficted. Let their talk be borne by the be-
nevolent with patient silence. Listen, to them,
philanthropists, until they have eased their
minds Of part Of their burdens 1t will cost
a great expenditure Of nervous force, and
after the interview is over you will feel as if
you had wearied yourselves with some very
hard task Of mental labor. You will expert
ence the pain Of long continued tension Of
your auditory nerves. You will find that the |
flood Of continuous talk, scarcely con-
nected by the slenderest gossamer Of cue,
will give to your mind a sense Of having |
been drenched, as it were, with words, |
analogous to the sensation one has |
after nights exposure to al
slow, steady. ceaseless rain-storm. You
hear enough Of what the patient says to keep
he run Of his discourse. You must even make
y appear to attempt to make occasional re-
marks of your own, or at least tire your facial
muscles by grimaces, Of surprise, appreciation
loubt or inquiry. You will be tortured, but
'ou will suffer in good and charitable cause
they must be heard by some one, these an
lent mariners who navigate the boundless sea
f conversation, and it might as well be by you
rho feel for human woes as by transient and
retful victims caught by stratagem and held
" the button. Do not mock their affection by
alling them bores, but whether they can
yer come to appreciate your kindness or not,
ear them had mitigate their suffering.
But in your labor Of love do no needless
amage to yourself. Do not try to remen-
er anything they say, for j. is not worth the
rouble. Merely listen, or seem to listen, and
18th the least possible exertion. Do not look
t your watch, but try to forget how much ,
me you are losing. Do not try to change ]
1e theme, for i will only be opening a new /
God gate. You may amuse yourself mean
me by any process you find to be most con-
enient. You may silently coun. the bricks
! wall, or square numbers, or rehearse 20 :
Try, or keep up running series Of rhymes
q the words employed by the invalid, or
anslate them into another Language, or count
le repetitions Of certain words. But in any
'se, two or three hours, though tedious and
small, will at length pass, when the mono !,
aniac will lose control over the exhausted
uscles of his jaws and tongue and allow
u to untwine his fingers gently from your
ttons and 60 your way in peace.
This is not asking too much Of the charita-
J disposed If the great Bergh can sympa- !,
lze for the wrung withers OF the CALLED jade,
Inter up the broken legs Of wounded dogs, :.
ed tears over the prosecuted turtle, mourn at
er tie agony of drowning kittens, lament -
the atll ictions of the imprisoned anaconda
I sigh over wrongs of alligators like fur
&c, surely the actively benevolent can afford
endure little passive suffering in behalf
the unhappy class OF diseased takers. If Al
y lack the time to minister thus to the Or
icted, let them open their purses and hire pa
ew listeners to so about the streets in -.
rch Of those who suffer for lack OF audi ,ea
S. In this way double good would be /
emphasized, by giving occupation to the a
fer class and relief to the victims Of viru-
s cacoethes loqaendi.
AsTER FESTIVAL. Annual Easter Fes.i- SH
Of the Chldren's Home of the Episcopal