Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1878-02-04
Alefan0ria 0ax&tte
MONDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY

MONDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY
TIE Glass THAT FURNISHES TIE LUNATICS'
TO what social class DO the great mass Of
our uratics belong, and to what grade Of
society does the striking apparent increase
of the insane point? The large majority of
lunatics under legal restraint undoubtedly
belong to the pauper population. On the
lst of January, 1877, of the total number OF
patients in asylums and elsewhere lin rou.l
numbers 66 ,000l, about $4,000 were pauper,
and only 1900 private patients. These fig.
ures, however, fail to convey correct
statement of the relative amount of insanity
existing among the class of the originally
poor and uneducated masses and the class
above them, becaus, in considerable num-
ber of Instances members OF the middle and
still higher classes have become pauperi.
Again, the wealthy insane remain very frc.
quently at home, and do not appear 10 the
official returns. We believe this class to be
very large. Probably we get glimpse Of
$4,000 lunatics, idiots and imbeciles (and VIC
have good reasons for knowing that this re-
turn was very far short of the truth,) yet it cx-
ceeded the number given by tho lunacy com.
missioners in tho samo year by $4,000! a
largo number no doubt lived with their fami
lies because these could vel! afford to keep
them at home. None would be in receipt Of
relief or they would have appeared IN the COM
missoners' report. Another most important
qualifying consideration remains-tho relative
numbers of the classes of society from which
the poor and we'll do to lunatics are derived.
Several years ago the Scotch commissioners c5-
timated the classes from which tho private pa.
tients are derived at only about an eighth CT
the entire population of Scotland; proportion
which would make them at least as relatively
numerous as the pauper lunatics. No doubt n
England the corresponding class Of society is a
larger one; but whatever it may be, calcula'
ton based upon the relative proportion Of dir
fcrent social strata in this country would vastly
reduce the apparent enormously different liza
bility to insanity among the well to do and tho
poorer sections of the community; although,
with this correction, the paupcr lunatlcs would
still be relatively in the maj jority.-Fr0m "-Hoa-
ern L1tc and Insanity" IN I5pulr Science
Monthy.
THE EARLY LIFE OF HENRY NJ. STANLEY.
Ever since that unhappy Mr. Noe made his
bitter onslaught upon Stanlcy's fame there has
oeon some uncertainty about the great cxplor-
er's birthplace, aud even about his native land.
At length MIR. Guernsey, Of New York, owl
lenty warm admirer of his, apparently Thinks
hat, in the light Of his recent glorlcs, Stanley
Jan afford to have the whole secret of his carly
lie revealed. 1t seems that Stanley's real
1amo YVES John Rowland; that he was born
ocar Denbigh, in Wales, in lS40, and of par.
,ntage SO lowly that at the age of three years
be was placed in the poor house at st. Asaph.
There he remained for ten years and received
hat he was at length appointed usher in
school at Mold, in FIintshirc. At the age Of
IS he shipped as cabin boy on vessel bound
or New Orleans There employed by mcr
,hant named Stanley, he was at length adopted
~ him and authorized to take bis name. Nav-
Dg Joined the confederates and been taken
prisoner by The fedcrals, nc was cut of from
lls henetactor aud became newspaper CORES
oondcnt. t.-IEtsJury Correspondent.
Mr.. PETER COOPER S PRoJECT.-Mr. Peter
Cooper has under consideration plan for
opening free institute for girls in South Caro-
ina, to be very much on the same. plan as the
Cooper Institute 10 thiscity. Nothing definite
has been decided on beyond tho selection Of
what will probably be the site of the new l0stl-
tuition. He said IL wish to do something
Tor the South, and show that Northern man
has souc interest in tho welfare Of the South
ern people. I hope it may do something to-
ward ending old feuds and cementiDg the Un.
ion. l Thick there is good field for an Insti'
tuition there that may be a means OF doing
good to the country. 1t will be done if can
see any way of putting it upon substantial
footing. 1t would be a school Of science and
art in it's application to all the useful and ne
ccssary purposes of life, and for ladies only. -
Nc11 Iorh paper.
Angel dc Iturbide, tho Oldest son Of that
Augustin, Emperor of Mexico, who was born
in 1883; proclaimed Emperor in 1922, deposcd
10 1928 and shot in 1924, lived for some years
in this city and was married to Miss Grcco, Of
Georgetown His SOP. born in 1863, was adop-
ted by the Emperor MaximiliaD; and after var-