The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-01-19

Mr.. J. N. Pattison, of New York, has In
vented a cure for insanity or rather has de-
veloped an old system Of treatment for this
malady. that dates from the days OF Shake
speare himself-muse. The idea Of correct
ing madness with music Is manifestly homd-
pathic. stmitia sip,iitbus curantnw: "the dogs
hair for the dogs bite
Brass bands are popularity supposed to pro-
duce insanity in their victims II continued long
enough. Pattison evidently reasoned that 1t
music could reduce sane man to Madness 1t
ought to have the contrary effect also and
restore maniaes to sanity. He proposed to
test the idea, and offered to cure by music
the insane In the New York Insane Asy-
lum ON Blackwell's Island In New York har-
Dor. To this proposition Commissioner Bren-
nan consented ON the part of the city.
The first trial Of this musical remedy was
made some two or three weeks ago. 1t was
only partially successful for several reasons;
the music was bad, the piano itself was
crazy, and poured forth far different tunes
from those Pattison wanted, and further, be
had not selected, apparently, the proper airs
for bedlamtes Last Monday another and
more successful experiment was made. ALI
the accounts given by the papers of this con-
cert are touching indeed. Never, perhaps,
has any musician had such an audience as
Pattison that day-three or four hundred
idiots. madmen and maniaes There were
among them representatives Of every form Of
insanity known; gibbering idiots with NAL
formed heads and the indelible marks Of
every human excess that two or three genera
tions Of dissoluteness had succeeded in stamp
ing ON its latest victim-the weeping, the
sullen, the vicious insane wild, haggard faces,
SCARED, scanned and vacant, with only here
and there representative OF pathetic melan-
choly.
A dilapidated piano was pulled out and Mr..
Pattison began with n noeturne from Chopin.
AS the lights and shadows Of the piece va
ried, the poor creatures seemed to become
subdued and the expression of their faces
showed a peaceful mental condition. Chances
of craftiness and hate disappeared from their
faces; they ceased altogether to talk or iab-
Der and remained seated In profound and dis
NAL silence. When the music was changed
to spirited polka everything changed. The
insane auditors sprang from their seats laugh
ing and dancing. 1t was found that with most
of them the pulse thanks to the music, sprang
from 80 to 10s. Suddenly, without word Of
warning, Pattison changed the air to Home,
Sweet Home" For moment there was a
hushed and deadly silence; then it WAS broken
by q German woman, who dropped upon her
knees In the midst OF the visitors, and with
the tears streaming down her face, her hands
lifted appealingly toward heaven, recited
In broken but impassioned tones the Lord s
Prayer. The whole scene was impressively
pathetic and there was scarcely dry eye in
the group Of visitors.
Mr.. Pattison returned to his polka and con-
tinued 1t while the crazy throng danced and
danced around him until completely exhaust
ed they sank upon the floor.
The whole performance showed conclusively
that music has an extraordinary influence
upon the mad. It was found that the fiercest
maniac could be controlled by it; the dullest
idiot awakened yet to something like intelli-
gence; that IL was a more powerful per-
suader than either keepers or straight jackets
1t was found also that 1t not only affected
the mind, but the body as well; that the pulse
of the mad people beat more rapidly, and
that some of them became even feverish under
musical excitement. SO much Mr.. Pattison
has shown; he claims that his musical treat
ment can do more, can be regularly applied to
the cure and improvement Of his patients
that certain airs will produce certain re-
suits, and that by careful study of the
effects of various tunes upon them, he Is able
to give each inmate to the asylum regular
course of treatment that will restore him to
sanity
The New York authorities seem we'll salts
fled with the results accomplished so far, and
will try the musical remedy further. 1t
looks altogether very much as If the day was
near when pianos, hand-organs and brass
bands should become regular attendants Of
every well established insane asylum.