The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1875-10-13
AC0L0NY OF CRAZY PEOPLE
RATTONAL NJ ETHO rs FOR ThEATING
LUNdTICS IN BELGIUM
4 Vism 20 Gheci. the Celebrated Belgian Re
treat for the Insanc-A Tovn in which
Every Family Takes Cure OF the buuatics.


treat for the Insonc-A Town in which
Every Family Takes Care OF the Lnuatics.
F,om ne Pm 1aH ousre, Sept7.
Our Brussels correspondent. writing on
SATURDAY. SAYS Sesterday On excursion 10 the
about forty mcmhcra Of the International Mcdi-
cal Congress Gheel T. situated IN the province 81
Antwerp. and in that portion Of belgium known
u, Cammne, n1t country, with line bracing
air. We started early IN the morning tor Herein
thais. which by railway t. at q distance of two
hours and forty minutes from BRUSSELS. From
llcrenthals drive OF one hour and forty min
utcs 10y car took Ms to GlCGl Near country
mo, u, about league distance from Ghce we
were already met 10y one Of the lunatics. DR..
der whose guidance the excursion wa. made,
presented him to rs. He answered very intelli-
gently ali the questions nut to him. lie mad
been a schoolmaster, and was now giving private
lessons In French, Latin, and other subjects in
the farmers houses Of the neighborhood. lie
begged not TO be detained long, as his pupils
were waiting for him. The poor schoolmasters
madness was OF n religious kind. lie told us
that he was quite happy ana did not WISH ever
ON arriving at Gheel we were received at the
nsylum-a fine red brick building, surr9,unu .
with nice plantations-hy Dr. ieters; ln s a.,
sistant Of the director. In the committee room
Mdlle. llulckens the director sdaugnter, lnslt1u
us to take the usual Belgian morning refresh
ment-Madera and cakes and then Dr. Bilck-
ems gave explanations concerning the colony 10
Il ot very ancient origin a legend places ~ as
far back the seventh century, attrl utinR IL 70
sainte Dvmphnc Dymphna or Dignal the
daughter of an Irish king, who came to live at
Ghcci. whore she also underwent martyrdom
and became then the protectress OF the INSANE.
However, 1t l. proved that as early ~ the twelfth
century foreign lunatics were sent to Gheel. Tor
the sake OF the special treatment given there.
This treatment differs from that IN use every
where else. Tho lunatics are not Kept IN an
asylum, but board and lodge with the inhanit,
nnts. In 1851 the institution was reorganized
and placed under the Government. since
then q great increase has taSen place In the
number Of patients sent there. The commune
Of iihcel with It's outlNinr hamlets Is very ex-
tCnsive. II covers 1l.O00 hectares. aud the num-
Der of inhabitants Is also about HOO. The lu-
natcs number now about l@PO uf Doth sexes
The commune IL divided Into four sections. AZ
the head OF each Is placed "a medical man and
an overscer. The patients are from all nations
and all ranks Of society, and they receive accom-
mediation according to their means. The wealthy
are placed with the weather class 81 inhaDit-
ants, and the poor with the poorer. Tue pauper
lunatics, for whose support their respective
communes have 70 pay belong. Of course, to the
last category. The moro dangerous cla.s OF
lunatics are placed In tue outlying Isolated ham
lets. They are divided into sections according
to the nature OF their disease, and the allpon
patients are kept IA two sc 2arate hamlets tIheel
Is a purely Flemish pl ce. but most peup.e I'M
derstand French. 50 u 20 be.companions To one
another.
The 1900 Inhabitants are. 50 to speak. all en-
gagged In the surveillance OF the patients. when
makes about nine ovefscers for every patient.
The surveillance, not being perceived bv the pa
tients, OF course does not rrttate them; The
| nually through the Keeping OF the lunatics, ana
| indirectly also a great deal through the cheap
| work Of all kinds which the patients perform
| for the inhabitants. II IL the personal Interest
| of the inhabitants to do their duty well by the
| patients. as tntN are lUilA-ltu only 10 ptOpit
whose moral fitness and means Of existence are
approved. In fact \ family at Gheel B., not con
| siiercd respectabc II lunatics are not intrusted
e. u, and the Withdrawal Of then. from its care
| constitutes "a heavy punishn'en The children
| Of the inhabitants. living from their earliest
| childhood with lunatics, heComr attached To
| them. do not hnd anything ridiculous 10 th IN,
| learn how they are 70 he treated. exercise
through their company very soothing influence
on them, and OF course not IN the leasi afraid
| Of them. when Young people let married they
ask from the nutA critics IS a favor and sort OF
| dpvyfN tho 81 Unftant.
On their arrival az 6Nccl she lunatits are kept
at the central a. vlum for ob-ervitiI as long ~
| the director deems necessary. la case Of acute
| disease they are brought back there. IL also
| serves az the house Of correction. the rrivaiich
| Of liberty being felt a severe puu -htnen' 10y the
patients. Ia cases Of great debility they are
also brought there. MANY lunatit, when feel
ing the approach ot paroxN-u., demand them
selves 10 be sent 10 the asylum. When cure
has been ELECTED the caretakeI Receives as a re-
ward another patient, and II many cures occur
at his house he is rewarded with the care 4 "a
wealthy patient. he number Of cures averages
from a. 10 70 out Of the hundred. Patients with
radically Immoral or highly dangerous tenden-
cies cannot be Kept a. Gheel tue central nsN luin
being only depot. The number 81 Inmates
the i5N
We VISITED now the inrrmsry. the rs. and
! tho halls, whore Sc iaiei. arrived are kept un-
der observation. The vcry tut5 patients. wro
cannot be pla ed with TIE lIhiuitant-, nave
their own rooms. with sGitahle arrangement
! We found tNeriWhetc exquisite cleanliness and
good air and light. the patients seemed 10 rel
! i-h their dinner well they enjoy. ven IN the
asylum, great deal Of liberty, ana II lunatic
| YluW could bc called % cheerful place. the one
| a. Ghttl T.. perhaps, the only on 10 which that
tenn could Ice applied. Good paved roads ira
| verse the CO immune, and many houses are really
| fine villas, with large gardens in the rehr. Tue
| NIT house which We visited WAS the house If
| poor people We found the family, composed
| OF man. wife, and three young children, and
| their two iunatlc bOarden, seated round the
l ihie al dinner. The children seemed To he
| quite unaware that they were sitting az the side
OF Iunatics. nor would IA stranger entering un.
| prepared ever have thought Of the presence Ol
| slch persons. After some more Visits 4
| the kind. went to the principal taN
ern. 70 which due large hall Is attached
where there is fctc concert. and dancing every
Sunday. some Of the houses q the weaithi,
! class were now visited. They ofrer all the com
forts which can be desired for ladies and gentle
men. The apartments are large, well furnsued
and the patient may install In them iit rdrie
aud whatever Is allowed 10y the director. W.
| found there persons Of very high ), tai rank
and Others OF great accom- llshmeuts. In H.,
streets we met at every moment lunatics louug
ing before the doors Of the houses, smoking
| pipes or cigars, playing with the children, %
otherwise amusing themselves. AuOne TN
weather. class OF patients at Ghecl II n nOthin!
uncommon to find persons who spend Their
from 900 TO eco year. Some keep cars anI
horses fer their use. The authorities watci
carefully that the patients are not imposed up
on. aud that tneV receive its value for the none
which they spend. Cases OF misconduct Of an
kind toward "A paticn. are, however. exceeding
rare. and the punishment Of b ,ng declared IN
worthy to keep patients Is considered fearIu
disgrace.