The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1876-09-07
1WAY, ELK COUNTY, PA, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER Z, 1876.

to be under the influence of the moon,
at particular phases of which they were
bound, chained and whipped, to pre-
vent paroxysms Of violence. At some
OF the asylums, patients were led unsus-
pectingly across q treacherous floor,
which gave way, and the patients fell
into bath of SURPRISE" and were
there half drowned and half frightened
to death. The celebrated DR.. Cullen
said, the first principle in the treatment
of lunatics was to produce fear; and the
best means Of producing fear was by
punishment; and the best mode of pun
ishment was by stripes.
Some Of the German physicians want
ed machinery by which patient, arriv-
ing at the asylum, should be suddenly
drawn with fearful clangor across q
metal bridge and over a moat, then sud
denly raised to the top Of tower, and
as suddenly lowered into subterranean
cavern; and they also promulgated the
view that if the patient could be made
to alight among snakes, lizards and
other hideous reptiles, it would be 30
much the better a
In some places the patient was chain
ed fast to the wall, aud water was ad-
mitted to the cell, slowly rising about
the poor creature until it seemed certain
that he would be drowned. Another de-
vice, which was known as q "safe and
effectual remedy" and about which
there was some dispute as to who was
entitled to the credit of being the inven-
tor, was contrivance which might be
ollled a cross between q chair and
couch, in which maniac or melan-
cholic was bound fast; it was then ro-
tatad at various speeds up to one hun.
dred times in minute, until the poor
wretch, fainting, with bloodshot eyes
and sulfused face, was dragged from
this torture to recover as best he could.
1t was recommended that, in special
cases, it should be used in the dark,
with unusual noises and disgusting
smells.
At Bethlem, the committee found gal
lefies containing ten women, each
chained by arm or leg to the wall. Each
had blanket dress, but nothing to
faston it upon the body-no shoes nor
stockings, and all wele lost in imbecility,
dirt and otfensiveness. Many women
were locked in their cells, chained to
the wall, without clothing, and with
only one blanket for covering. In the
men'e wing. some patients were chained
up to the wall, side by side, without
clothing of any kind the room had
the appearance Of dog kennel"
In one room they found patient who
has been Inscribed by Esquirol in his
work on mental diseases. This man,
Norris, was powerful, and had been
violent. He was fastened by long
chain passed through the wall into the
keepers room, SO that he could be sud-
deuly dragged up to the wall whenever
tho keepers fancy led him to do SO.
To prevent this, poor Norris muffled the
chain with straw. Then q new torture
was invented GA stout ring was riv-
eted around his neck, from which q
short chain passed to a ring made to
slide up or down on an upright massive
iron bar, more than six feet high, in
serted into the wall. Round his body,
strong iron bar, about two inches
wide, was riveted; on each side of the
bar was a circular projection, which
being fastened to and inclosing each of
his arms, pinioned them close to his
sides. The patient could indeed raise
himself up, but he could not stir nor
walk one step, and could not lie down
except upon his back, and when found,
he had been in this condition for twelve
years. And this state of things existed
i'll England thirty years after Pinels re-
form in France
Up to this time, the asylums in Eng
land have been described as menageries
for wild beasts, where straw was raked
out, and food thrown in through tho
"a w in NJ
the wretched inmates were exhibited for
money. There was no ventilation, no
medical treatment, no kindness, no
effort to relieve or bcguile the disorder
ed imagination, no effort to foster o sim
gle kindly expression; every emotion
and passion was witnessed by dozen
or more patients in all conditions of
mental perturbation, and even the death
moan was mingled with the frantic
laugh of surviving patients.
The frightful condition of these poor
unfortunates is to be ascribed in part to
the fact that insane people were be-
lieved to be under the displeasure of
tue Almighty-that the disorder being
mental was therefore properly subject
for priests and metaphysicians to cope
with. The priests and magi, not sue
ceeding well in their undertakings,
gradually allowed them to pass over to
the metaphysicians, who, while ably
discussing the essentials necessary to
col stitute the ego, and launching tones
at each other upon the important matter
as to whether man existed or not, al
lowed afflicted humanity to sink lower
and lower, until not only his bodily
wants were wholly neglected and he
was most snamefully abused, but even
the existence of his soul was ignored
and he came to be regarded as of less
amount than the brute.
These are but brief glances at the
condition of the treatment of the insane
almost down to the present day. While
all other sciences and pursuits had, hun
dreds of years before, started on the
highway of advancement, with most
brilliant results, that of the management
of insanity remained in the darkness of
and empiricism until
after the dawn of the nineteenth
century. Now, the United States,
France, Germany and Italy
are radiant with elegant buildings,
fitted up with modern appliances for the
relief of these suffering people, from
which the demons of superstition have
been exercised, and in their places have
been called in the angels who come down
and trouble the health giving waters.