The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1877-12-06

the sproducing classeS.--|e" "ot'''
Comm Union.
INSANITY AMONG FARMERS DAucH'
TIERS.
In the last report made by DR.. Par
sons. medical superintendent OF the
New York City Lunatlc Asylum,
there are two remarkable statements.
One is. that during the past year, all
the patients admitted were women
four hundred and seventy-eIght In
Misunderstanding an alarming IN
crease of insanity among women.
The other statement is, that OF these
patients. farmers daughters rank nu-
merically highest as to social position,
numbering fortv-three, while FARMERS
wives number nine.
A report of this nature. SO painful
and startling. very forcibly suggests
the question. "Whv should the larger
portion Of these women who have be-
come insane he found to be the dangh-
tiers of farmerst' Being unable to
render a satisfactory answer to my
self for this fact, l have put the qnes-
ton to various persons. ana the re-
ply has almost invariably been: ''Too
much hard work" This may UNI
doubtedly have something to 40 IN
producing mental nlalady by breaking
down the nervous system. but oplne
that the trouble lies deeper-that 1t
is born of discomfort; that 1T is an
outgrowth of the same dissatisfaction
that drives so many farmers sons in
to other occupations. Concerning this
very much has been written anu va
rious plans suggested. "How to keep
the BOYS on the farm" but whoever
heard one of these philanthroplSts tell
us how to do in order to keep the girls
on the farm!
| Now, / imagine there is no class OF
men ard women so much preached at
as farmers and farmerines. and III
many cases the preachers. who sit
perched mp in the robes OF agrlcultu-
raj wisdom. would if put to practl-
cal test, not do a whit better than DO
the sons and daughters of Adam and
Eve ut whom they direct their crltl-
cal arrows. But it is equally true
that no other class of workers, SO far
as their social life and surroundings
are concerned. more deserve the cas-
tigation they get, the unasked for ad-
vice. ETC.. SIMPLY because they do
not half so we'll as they might do, II
they applied themselves to their avo-
cation with the same will and pride
and determination to be somebody
and to conquer obstacles that men and
women in other professions and trades
exercise.
Regarding farm life. as do, as the
one out of which the largest and tru-
est happiness can be extracted. II
would seem that of all the girls II
the wo Id. farmers daughter should
be the asst one to suffer from menta
disea, And that she does and that
her m.,lady results from her position
shows that there is somewhere IN L
something wrong.
think the things hardest to bea
[ in the life Of farmers daughts are. II
5 the majority of cases. not the deprl
walton of Injuries or privileges be
: yond their reach. but the annoyance
, they are obliged to bear from the III
| differences. carelessness, or thought
{ less unkindneSs of their fathers ant
: brothers. One who has seen tn
5 world, travelled. been in society. spen
: seasons in the centers of fashion
t would in no sense be touched perhap:
$ by what renders the life of many
: farmers daughter truly wretched
7 But young people, or inexperienced
5 people, cannot be philosophic. The
1 have not yet learned how to judg
j. of life in a vast and COMPREHENSIVE
l. sense, which is. after all. the tru
S way to regard it. If a girl has an IL
e nocent and praiseworthy taste TO
n flowers, her efforts toward their Gu
e tivation should he seconded by tn
s "men folks rather than snubbed Q
j. regarded with Indifference.
remember hearing a friend VIII
e had been hand on farm. say tina
e the great trial of her girlhood wa
v her being deprived of the privilege c
!. taking drive on Saturday evenin
s in the summertime, just the same a
@ did her brothers. The boys pr,
d ferred to 90 alone. or with .ssom
!. other girl" and although she, til
IS sister. had toiled all the week quit
as industriously as her brothers, an
:. would equally have appreciated til
% little recreation at the end Of it quit
v as fully as they did. yet she was d.
|e priyed of it because she was a girl. {
It because she did not happen to own
n horse and know how to harness an
l. drive it as did Tom and Jack.
1t Girls who are young ladies, are al