New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-11-14

.xueaosaux hesezs anwalikss zssnosea -.
the good and true. who strive against the
psomptasof The own natural psopen-
sites to do justly, and love mercy and the
great and wise, who fathom the profun-
dities of science, seize upon natures Sc
crets to make them the ministers of
human might and Intervene grand
thoughts with the golden tissues of
. cftAive imagination. Between the
idiot, and the philosopher the inspired
bard and the infuriated madman there is
q space as wide Is that which separates
heaven from hades. And, account for it
as - may, it is humiliating fact that
our Christian civilization has thus far
tendod to increase rather than diminish
the nnmber Of those who are mentally i'm
becilsa and incurably insane. Perhaps our
experimental philosophers may yet learn
that Che human race is as capable and as
worthy of physical improvement as any
Of the lower orders Of creation, and
having learned this fact, may compel a
more rigid observance of those laws of
nature, the attractions of which lead to
idiocy on the one hand and insanity on
the other.
Though evolution may be ridiculous
when carried to the extreme of making
man mere infusorial development; there
is no question of its correctness within
restricted limits, and certainly the pro-
gressive capabilities which attach to the
human race are as great as those which
experience has demonstrated in connec-
ton with inferior forms of organic life.
Assuming the Creator to be at once merci-
full and just, and His laws benefcent in
their operation, it is impossible, on such
postulates. to imagine idiocy and insanity
as normal and legitimate effects Of natural
causes. They are chiefly consequents of
hereditary transgressions, such as those
referred to when the fathers are spoken OF
as having ''eaten sour grapes. and the
childrens' teeth are set on edge" Shakes
peare, with the dark fruits of idiocy before
him, speaks of men turning to apes.
"with foreheads villainous low" while in
hundred instances he pictures insanity
AZ the sad results of dire calamities and
rooted sorrows. But his question: ''Cans't
thou minister to q mind diseased" has
never vet been satisfactorily answered. It
however, touches effects rather than
causes, for since his day physiological in
vestigations have proved that the inter-
blending by marriage of peculiarly ex-
citable and distempered natures occasions
q predisposition to insanity, which not
unfrequently passes in families from gen.
GRAFTON to genelAtion, and that the persist
emit intermarriage of blood relations
leads invariably to idiocy. True,
mental imbecility and madness are
occasionally caused by accidents
and misfortunes, but their chief
source is supposed to exist in unnatural
and incompatible alliances. Be this, how
ever, as it may, it is certain that amid the
whirl Of excitement, which forms SO large
q part of our average daily life in this
rapid railway and Geographic age, the
tendency toward both idiocy and insanity
is increased, and the questions addressed
in this connection to philanthropists,
and publicists are, what can
be done in the way of prevention? and
what can be accomplished in the way of
cure?
Few people are aware Of the extent to
which idiocy and insanity prevail in this
country. There are in the United States
no less than $1,000 idiots-beings incapa-
BILE Of self-protection, self-guidance and
To them the changeful
beauty Of the earth and glory of the
heavens are no more than they are to the
low that walloweth in the mire. Indeed,
n many respects, including intelligence,
hey are decidedly inferior to the brutes
hat perish. How terrible the responsible
ty-if there be any human responsibility
n the premises for thus shutting out the
light from immortal souls aud bestializing
What should be the Creators likeness!
Then, for every idiot there are at least |
wo maniacs, and for every recognized
maniac there are half a dozen on the |
'erge Of insanity or partially insane.
But insanity is not always dangerous.
t sometimes consoles itself by its own
gorgeous fantasies and is surrounded by |
II the wonders of imaginary wealth.
When the mental faculties alone are
fected there may be lamentable lack
f conference, but nothing in the way of |
destructive violence. Moral insanity on
be contrary, is fierce, mischievous and
engeful. Its alterations are invasions;
IS frenzy ferocious. Sometimes the whole |
rental and moral nature becomes de- |
anged and in that case the fierceness Of |
ne tiger is intensified by the fury of the |
emon. Nothing is then left of humanity |
ut the mere form, and even that is dis
cured by gross and unnatural distortions |
We have already referred to the increase
idiocy and insanity which has marked |
aese later years of our nations life, and |
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