New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-09-14
mas GUfrE4US tcrMcREAsfD INSANITY

| OPINIONS OF PHYSICIANS IN CHARGE OF AsY1UMs
THE NoMnER OF PATH MS not AFFECTED ny
THE ATTEMPTED ASSASSINATION
IL mas been stated that since the attemnfed
assassination OF the President there has been a
marked increase of insanity in this countrv T.,
times of great popular Xctcment IT il believod H.
many minds lettering on the verge oc in>.nit,- o,o
completely oVerthrown. was the case in rho
French Revolution and in the war of the Rebellion
In order TO learn whether or not Guite,u's cri,,a
had been followed by the same effects. - Tptp,.,,
reporter recently visited several aSylums for tba
Insane ana conVerscd with number of cxp,rts, ~,
insanity. Ii was found at Blackwelrs island tlot
the number OF insane persons adiuittel :, 81
asylum since the President was shot had L.,
smaller than before, and less than i'm the cor,o
spoh"hg period last year. At Wards Island
nearly the same state of things was iound % exist
=" do not think sand In. 4. l.. Macdonald. that
the class OF patients we receive would be liable 10
he lniluenccd by calamity such as the sbnot,, c
the presidents. y mans mni would be influenced |
by that Just in proprtiou to his inrcll,..r.. 7, |
would be persons of the middle and upn.l rla..as |
ol society Who's minds would bc APT 10 be i,o,.d |
10y lhr excitement incident L. The att.,n,,.f !
asS1S>Inatlon In those classes minds pr,.,s,,'..i
To insanity might he overthrown Rut il rs ON,
eEIIE popular excitement OF another kind winch
causes insanltY-a great war or sonnet ln,y oc H.
sort, where the body wei as the mluI is aci,aj
upon. me war OF the henelliOn caused a large |
t, 80 Im ''N''!IN. We receive hei" continually |
patients whose insanity can be traced to their eT !
Ina IN,
lu'lcS ti'{ received Inc habits they contracted
one or al; nave rendered them insane. Bur The War
was, WIS " an, nm KIND OF 'N"ltant from the at
Tempt on The lie ui the President. doubt if Ibrro
are any more MAD people since the President w.
Sh"t IMAM before The thoughts and words of
people OF unSouud mind have indeed been inrp.i |
mo the channel OF the popular feeling, ana The
result mas been large influx OF 'Crauks NJ W..b |
ngjOn. People who have been crazy for -. ~ |
con u cred To be perfectly harmless noVI ,',,ir
the influence of popular excitement ina}r th.;, w,
peAfahre ~ the capital and express desire 10 Xiii
cabinet "HiCer or propose some absurd scheme or |
'uring the T. eSdent. They noticed, in Ih nIl,, |
onrnals, and thus there IS the appearance OF an in
insanity coming To the surface Yer e,.sy, -. |
'Urct Is not observed in the class of pat.uts Ms |
icy ,o'nc mere none received since the shooting of
ne llcSui'hJ making that the suuiect of Thar |
a singular fact. however is tIat - |
Ian was received here, mouth before the Prs
ZEN was Shot, who declared that he had nr.ventad
plot 10 aSSaSSnate him. He mixed mn rb,t - |
WIN the assassination OF the Car and if - n,aI
he that the latter event had given the tone 10 his
Pr Nichols, the superintendent of the BLOOMING
lRle Asylum sad; " IL Is rather early for the
meets OF the shooting of the President To be s,en M
eg"rds this institution. For the class of patienfs |
We receive here are generally kept at home Inv tbetp
tiehdS as long as possible after they become insane
,'i poohs sue" no increase in the number uf pa-
tents received since the attempted aSsassinatip"
- 90 h3b tihk that am excitement of the KIND |
uSeu Nv the crime OF Gulleau would be likely In
how many minds OF their balance Great eV'
ilemrht may provoke insanity in minds already
redisposed IN that direction Ii may act az an | N
Xcltng cause, but never as a primaIT an. III ~ ! &
'ar, Tor instance, was the cause of rluch nS,nitI
mt II was principally among those act,rair - |
age1 IN H. ana was due 10 ply steal canses The | II
VII naDlts contracted and severe exposures on |
ured by the soldiers produced insanity i'm many | g
~ iscI whlch initiates against the popular a,
leory OF excitement causing insanity thar di,rn io
he war the number of admissions TO the state 81
ospltals which treated purely civil cases WIS n
ucn sinsiier imam before or alter the war DO 10
Dt thnk that the shooting OF the President has ci
uSen any increase OF INSANITY Ii would not be 81
kelly to 90 so In this country, whatever such an 10
'eht might do III others" a.