, 1879-04-29

CHICAGO, April a1.-'TllG bsfcf but pointed
cllitoyiAl III Sundays TRIBUNE concerning tic
bill pcsr!ing In tile Senate for II cllange Ut the
Inv relative To tho commitment Of the insane
IL exceedingly unfair, nnt inny lo great harm to
good cause II allowed to pass uht,ottced. Tie
move Is III tile interest Ut humanity, atM feel
sure II properly understood will receive the
approval Instead OF tho opposition Of TnI
TRIBUNE. The prescnt law is barb2rous md in
hun,art,-the Offspring Of sudden Impulse, ,-nld
while 1t Affords nU Hrenter protection to tile III
tivual {u1ld not ns Ercut In the minds u nany)
tbun the pcndng bill, It oftu,l dcDrlscs the
most unfortunate Of human beings Ut tlle onY
treatment whicl, cnu restoFo them to reason.
III this respect IlIlnuts stands alu,u, 1o other
stnte III the world requiring tlIoso Iercft VI
renson to ba dragged Lcfuru court like co1n-
mon criminals a,l,l ma.ir public
spectacle OF Defore thrY eau OH
tain tic care nl,tl treatment their
to lIlr. guards oven more carefully tl,u rights of
individuals tim The present statute, ti!e only
material rlange belilg to ony.'id public trial Al
The Injurious ELECTS CONSEQUENT tu tho unfortN-
nate. as well ns the modification nntl grfGE to
rcintlyes n1d friends WHO naturally shrink fron.
such IN exhibition, nnti oEtcn tielny tnklng tile
necessary GtcpH llut II Is too late to be ut my
use. It frequently happens too, that it Is NJ
,aost tnpossible to get the purity ocfore the
| court ut nll. ...
Az to The private nsylums, which accm 70 be
| the Ercnt buEbcnr, thcru is at ienst onc-Dr.
patterson's, at lsn.ay!n-to WHICH tho Arttcle
,!oes great Injustice. That institution Is c0l,-
llurted by MI lsonoFaetu Ecntlctslnil, Ut high
atall.,tng ii Ills profession, nn, IN sueh case III
| that referred to In rHK Tn1uuNE wnuld To toll
erntctl there. M doubt tl,rrc aru s,lct, places
deserving contlcmnat!on; yet when prouerly
| conducted they do great Eond. aiany of thu
htlh1r tnQtjfntfE1tR nrfAOn9 tyFrn fin.
a.terts nre ktpt from harm with very little up
portunlsy for recnyery II ut All complicated.
| This must ntccssnr!ybo the case where so tt,n1'y
arurrnwAusl together, runderinE Ettmpuss!blu for
ll.c intending pllyslcians to givu much pursoua,
| attention to the ptttrnts.
People l,nve strange IDEAS OF tho 60
called ,naa-tonses. md fancy often take,
tns tn tri.,s a,u! trlbulations Of sorau i,uaciuary
persaD. not i,saue, are pictured III bold ioI!eE,
tl,e interests md welfare Of the untortunacs,
tnahy of whom nro obviously Insane. aro uuyrt
tsIkesl into consideration. l1nyu H0 further IN
| lerust In thts 1'lutter sayB sucl, I'd humanity
dictates, ulHt utn moved IN this Instance Iy d
s,Ei;ng l.ll sosrowtut illustration OF tle fnjus.
tire Of tho present law by 4 case Which has re-.
Gently como under my own observation. j
most cstEnab!n laly, whose mintl received aucl
Il n.,oeI< by I'M acctarntt to neGr relatIyc tha
She was Gereft Ol reasOn. Ia referred to. lht
ease was so pla!n tiAt q child would notice It.
Physicians recommended III asylum u tic olIi
duty. yet her relatives wrre willing 10 20 intt
court, hut thu Indy wus not No argument
cn,ltd rrrsuasu her. or high aDlslt nnl srual
tive nature, shu refused to paT,to tier 1nlsfor
tu,,es before tho public; Buid It WIS l,lere mock
ery,nnl Hne woultlus first. FOrve WINS attempted
but su Btoutly rcatstcst until llcr very lifo WI
endangered antl all efforts hal tn b0 abandon
e,l. II, tllo 1ptnf0n uf esnneHt pllysiclnns, tW'
SUI, II sent tu an asylum ut alrG Five month
ayu HOW p;lssct, mud tho latlv IL mere sfsadns