The New York herald., 1876-12-18
BEDLAM BRUTALITIES.
Fresh Cases of Inhuman Treatment
of the Insane.
MEN AND WOMEN BEATEN.
Additional Facts About Mrs. Nortons
Nurse-Fiend.

There were those In ancient times, VINO looked
the demented as those who had been touched by the
fingers the goas They were, consequently, treated
with tenderness and reverence. There to-day,
among the Hindoos, those who treat IN similarly
lumane fashion people in whom reason has become
unseated Even making an abstraction OF civilization,
The world has, In savage tribes sufficient evidence OF
the tender bestowed upon those in whom the real
vital spark has been dmmed. Bernardn de ST. Pierre,
in essay which places him the side Of the Illus
Buion adverts to the apparently general law, in
accordance with which members of nearly every
species live feed upon the weaker scons
the family. He cites the lion, the tiger, the shark
the pike and the good -humored, blubbery whale
But it does to have fallen under his pro-
digous luductve powers or 10 have occurred to his
powerful Imagination, that the could mako liv-
ing out OF the insane, that men could form joint
stock companies in order 10 swell their revenues by
greatest misfortune that fall the lot OF
Still less does he have supposed that what the
French tcndery les aienes could be handed
20 the care Of men and women who behave tow ard
hem like wild beasts
CASES ILL-TREATMENr.
From the evidence III the Norton case, recently
made public 1t would really seem as though humanity
ad fled from those places in which she ought to reign
Iuprene The disclosures made by Mrs. Norton Of her
ul-trcatment of the great lunatic asylums OF
comment That comment took shape private
communications to the HERALD touching two OF the
most renowned and conspicuous establishments for the
treatment Of the demented In this and one OF the
sister States. In response to one OF these communca
tions enc of the HERALD corps called the other
lns at the house OF wealthy and cultured gentleman
on Fifth avenue.
II should not have troubled the HERALD upon this
matter' observed the gentleman, ''uDless felt
,hings;-First, that the insane subject to
i'll treatment and secondly, that the shortest
md surest way to remedy this outrageous state of
.h,ngs is to have expose OF them published the
columns OF the HERALD IL has sometimes surprised
me that you do not in some conspicuous portion oJ
the paper advertise for the communications OF all
who feel aggreved the treatment received by their
insane relatives friends in institutions founded
ostensbly for their gooa keeping and tender treat
ment.
t'to the Just plants Of those who think they
wronged. II you have anything TO say against tho
conduct OF any of the iunatc ums, either munich
pal, state or private, the HERALD Will willingly make
these grievances public"
uw6at have to say' replied the gentleman, ere
fers OF the great anatic asylums Of this state
have names and dates, and my vile can verify them.
Indeed, think it better that she herself should give
you the story, inasmuch as she is even more init
nately acquainted with tbe people Interested than
am myself
little preface, the lady gave the HERALD man the FOL
lowing story
81 have, unfortunately" =" she said some experience
In the matter OF those who have been Bloom
lngdale Asylum And think II quite time that the ex.
there perpetraed by the called nurses should
be put end 10. The first person TO whom wonld
refer gentleman, friend OF our family, who was
sezcd with sudden mania on the cars. tie belonged
to New Jersey and his way to tins city, He dis
appeared and was subsequently found by his
malady arose, according 10 the account Of
tho best medical authorities from excessive study and
pverwork. He taken To the Bioominguae Asylum.
When his friends first visited him he complained that
he lad frequently and severely beaten. The
good naturci relatives supposed that this statement
arose from his halucinations. 1t turned out, how
ever his friends sllcgc that the insane man was per-
iectly truthful his statements and that he had been
both frequently and severely beaten by the nurse In
attendance upon him. y
'swhat became OF him subsequently," said tho
unfortunately for the authorities OF the asylum"
said the lady "he became perfectly sane lie was
removed from Blooming to Dr. kirkbride's asy-
um Philadcp phla ana there recovered his reason
The methods adorted with him by the nurses at
Bloominsdale We're strongly condemned by the Phiia-
dclpha physician. He said that had the patient not
been treated in the severe and unnatural manner
adopted toward him. hc would probably have re-
covered within the second week alter his alienation
WITHOUT PRoyocAr1oN
..what specifically" said the HERALD man, "wns
the III treatment OF which the patient compained2"
ale stated that without the least provocaton.
at times wnen he himself was perfectly conscious OF
being sane they placed MIN IN STRAIT Jacket, ana,
cruelty Further, they connued HIM in padded room
upon the slightest prctext, and, as hc himself now
says probably be rid of the trouble OF attending and
watching over him."
'.Wus there anything else OF which he complained
after his recovery I"
Yes. lie stated that one OF the things that an
noyed him than anything else was that,
although his friends paid literally for his board he
was obliged every day SIT down and take his meals
with the Keepers who were ordinary, common lot
of men and who made no difficulty about cursng,
swearing md behaving generally in such a manner
10 disgust any gentleman, even supposing him to be
insane"
'.Did he mention anything further as 10 Tho way he
was treated while at table ~
..rnere was one thing which struck him particu-
larly The nurses helped themselves first to the best
OF everything provided and then docd out the re-
mainder the paieGts though they had been gal
An INSANE OLIVER TWIST
'Did he, outside himself personally, speak OF any
ill-treatment OF other patients at tableY"
Yes | remember one instance particularly, in
which lie states that elderly gentleman asked for
something more eat The answer gwen the vener
able man blow upon the head with soup lade
which happened to be near nj hand"
''See ng this state OF things how was 1t that he did
not induce his friends to remove hin ~
.'Hc did attempt to do so He told them what had
occurred, and begged them TO take him away and to
emovc him to some other place AS matter OF course
hey consulted the nurse VINO Is always smooth and
sleek visitors. The answer was, OF course that Tho
poor gcntlemans imagination was playing him ialse
fne friends satisned for the time They tried TO
pacly tho gentleman with promises, and lett him to
ibe care OF tho man who mad him IN charge, and who
had so brutailv III used him. Y.
FErs WITHOUT EFFECT
ssDo you know whether IN cases OF this description
where patients are literally paid Tor is usual 10 lee
the nurses in order their good treatmentfn
II do know it; and | am sure that in the case OF
which | speak, although they are orblddcn TO take
anything the nurses largely and frequently feed
'And still this effected ameoration in the treat
mcnt Of the patienty'
Not tic cast.D
.'Now, madamcr said the HERALD man, ut IS i'm
portant that such matters these should be very
accurately verified. Can you give the name OF the
Qetlcman question, MS address, and all particulars
concerning hun at present.
n enn - (Herc lady gave full particulars, which
are in the possession OF the HERALD.)
FEMALE PATIENT BEATEN
sYou were saying that there other OF the
same kind within your knowedge. Would you kindly
give anothergn
al viii although IL goes to my heart talk about
any one whom have known 80 Intimately as the lady
ABOUT whom ! speak now. She was removed 10
BloomIpr rcalc from another asylum She wrs nt times
yoient but not frequently. Her mama was reig-
,,ns onc she mad also the notion that people