The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1880-03-19
CURRENT TOPICS.

ney will be as nothing when compared 10 IL.
CURRENT TOPICS.
uNHEEDED WARNINGS.
Scarcely day passes that the papers DO NOT
contain accounts Of accidents resulting from
the use of kerosene oil. The dangers OF kero-
sene would seem to be only half appreciated.
and In view OF the careless handling and igno-
rant management of the oil and lamps the won
der Is that even more accidents OF the kind do
not occur, One OF the first duties which should
be observed by all who have the handling OF
such lamps Is to SOC that they are kept tllled.
The greatest danger Ia when the lamp. like
those of the foolish virgins. has no oil or very
little OF It. High test oil is. Of course. safer
tn an that which will fash at lower tempera-
ture. but there is more or less danger In all
unless the utmost precautions are taken. The
vic rs should be carefully watched. 30 that they
shall dot become too short to reach the oil. %
that case the fire Ia liable to descend into the
amp. The person who proposes to I'll
lamp while 1t Is burning should first
get his life insured for the benefit Of
his survivors. The same Is equally true
OF tn genius who attempts to light fire BY
pouring oil upon the kindlinRs without having
prevl ously ascertained that the latter are not
gesti ons but they are violated every day aud
night In hundreds Of homes. And still the
work Of destruction goes on. The act recently
introdu ced in the State Legislature relative to
tho inspection and grading Of oils will. doubt
less prevent the eale Of the lower test oils. but
1t cannot remedy carelessness on the part OF
consumers.
TREATMENT OF THE INSANE.
Tho care and treatment of insane persons
has long been a question that has puzzled the
minds OF our men Of science and although un-
doubted progress has been made In the right
direction. most OF the asylums devoted to such
cases arc still far from being what they should
be- The to adency OF the policy OF many OF the
managers OF such institutions has been too
much to harden all the Amer sensibillties OF the
patient. They not unfreauently regard the In.
mates In the light OF dumb brutes. and
treat them accordingly. Those who have
friends and relatives in asylums do
not always know how they are treated.
as visitors are very seldom permitted to see
the patients In the wards whore they are con-
stantly restrained or CHARTERED. There 10 great
danger. In case Of FIRE, that the inmates may be
burned. for they are all locked In. In some asy-
lums no ono Ia permitted to write or speak to any
visitor unless By special permission, even when
comm unlcation to persons outside the asylum
until 1t has been reviewed by the superintend-
emit. This Is doubtless necessary precaution
In some cases. but In others It prevents expos
ure and works real injury. The practice In
many institutions throughoutthe country would
seem to be not to cure insanity or to find out II
It exists. but to make out plausible case Of dis
ease. The superintendent will speak. after an
unsuccessful diagnosis. OF "scenting out" the
particular form OF malady In the case, as II he
were bloodhound hired by the State to track
unfortunates. A few years ago reporter Of
the New York Tribune. In order to OBJ
serve the real workings OF one Of these
mad houses. fei9ned insanity SO success
fully that he was admitted and duly
treated as confirmed lunatic. In
Indiana. 1t is said, the law gives man tired OF
his wife an opportunity to get rid OF her with
out the trouble and stigma OF divorce by con-
flung her In an insane asylum. While these
things are not true OF all insane institutions.
and are more properly charReable to what arc
known as private mad houses, there is certainly
much room for Improvement Ia the discipline
and management OF most OF the public asylums
| and prisons OF the country. and State legisIa-
lures should be careful to enact such rules and
regulations as would as far as possible have a
tendency to abolish the evils complained OF.
| They might also with propriety legislate con-
corning the management OF private institutions
| where human life and human liberty are In
volved. 5~
THE FAMINE IN BRAZIL.
| The terrible famine prevailing In Ireland has
80 completely engaged the attention OF our
people that they are scarcely aware Of the fact
that tho inhabitants OF the northern portion OF
Brazil. a country Of great commercial import
ance to the United States. have been similarly
afflicted. owing to the protracted drouth Of the
last two years. When 1t Is considered that the
province OF Oeara when the drought COM
menced numbered 900. eco Inhabitants. and that
out OF this number 500 600 have since died of dis
ease and starvation the appalling condition Of
affairs In Brazil may be realized. The drouth
began In the summer of 1876 and continued
thirty months. no rain having fallen during the
whole time. SO that the once fertile region
where the farms and villages prospered In
peace and plenty now presents the appearance
of q vast blackened desert. burnt over by fire.
| It Is stated that In their dire extremity the
wretched people were reduced to the necessity
OF eating roots. cotton pods. the Mecuma bean
which produces dropsy, Lizards, dogs. cats
rats. reaches: In fact. any living or dead thing
| capable OF affording sustenance: and
In some instances they were even goaded te
cannibalism by the panRs OF hunger! Two
noted drouths prevailed In Brazil during tne
years 1926 and 1s45. but 1t Is doubted whethe,
there has ever been. there or elsewhere In thu
history Of the world. q famine 80 fatal In its
effects In proportion to the population as this
Of Ceara. Those OF India and China, 1t mus
be considered. occurred In crowded countries
where the people are counted by millions, anl
not by thousands. as In the Brazilian PROVING.
| named.
David Burns is the oldest living boatman OF
the Kentucky river, having been born In 1891
He has walked from New Orleans to Frank
fort-ffteen hundred miles-six times.
ssMERRY CLAN"