Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1881-05-24
@isrtIlarrtoms.
GRAPHIC PICTURE or vIsrT TO THE Is.
SANE.


We stood under large dome, which had
evidently been mosque, but now served
as central hall, from which opened out
passages leading to colonnaded courts.
Sword and canes were taken from US.
and then the porter looked at me and
said something in Turkish TO my friend.
He says you can never 60 in amongst
the lunatics with a hat; one or more are
sure to fly at you" So the porter lent
me his fez, and with couple Of guards
we turned down passage and assembled
some steps. First we visited vast dor
mitory, extending round three sides Of q
court, and which was scrupulously clean,
though dreadfully bare; dull gray walls,
and no pictures at all. not even gaudily
painted verses from the Koran, such as
one sees in Turkish barracks and hospi-
tails There was not soul in this ward,
for all the sufferers were in the court be-
low. Looking down from the portico in
to this quadrangle. strange sight met
our view.
Providing about the open space, stand
ing namely passive and motionless, hud-
died up in the corners, or crouchiag at
the foot of the wall. were some 200 men
Of al ages and colors-from vigorous
youths. blasted by hereditary insanity.
with flashing eye or vacant stare, to de-
crepit old age lachrymose and mouthing
from the deadly white face and gray
beard OF Circassian, who had gone crazy
Of fright, to the horrible, grin
ming. coal-black Nubian, whose teeth
shone like those of a jackal. whose great
tongue was now and again protruded with
fearful grimaces, and whose eyes famed
with the fierce fire Of dangerous madness.
There was one little fellow-a Turk-who
kept on rolling along the earth at great
pace, laughing the while. and swapping,
dog-like, at the heels of those who came
in his way. There was another who re-
NAMED hiddled up in heap. his head
low down between his knees, and sack
over his shoulders. You might have
locke long and not have known the brown
bundle to be a man, only now and again
this ghastly heap would spring up with
demoniacal shout, and stretch his meagre
arms above his head. wailing sadly the
while. Then he would collapse once
more and remain mOtionless till another
paroxysm.
They wore gray and brown stuff. which
looked like sacking-very arse but
strong. warm, and clean in fact the whole
place was cleanliness and order itself; On
their heads were gray felt skull caps, and
several were handcuffed. or rather sort
of leather tube kept their hands together
in front of them, as though they were
using a muff. Upon inquiry heard that
not single patient was isolated in that
establishment; only when they rave they
get the '.muff" When my companion
said he wished to 90 down amongst the
madmen and distribute the tobacco our
guards made some objection. but we went;
eight strong warders accompanied us,
and ut The entrance my companion an
nOunced in loud voice that | was a
great doctor come to see them and that if
anyone behaved at all disagreeably, l
should inevitably order him to be "phy
sicked'-a collective term it would APP
pear, in mad-house parlance. including
terrible cold douches, leeches. terrific
aperients. exhausting sweatings and other
drastic means of quieting the troubled
mind. Like magic the mighty word acted
on the iabbering horde. and | was
astonished to see how much ratiocinaton
remained in this sad collection of wrecked
brains.
OF course, all needed it not the drivel-
ling idiot drivelled on. laughing and dane
ing around; and some. whose stony. fixed
stare and set lips denoted profound mel
ancholy or idee frc. stirred not, and paid
no attention. But the great majority of
those who crouched around us-and not a
few looked threatening and wild-at once
altered their demeanor-some even pros
trated themselves, and begged and sobbed
not to be "physicked" But one big,
unprecedented fellow behaved very differ
emily. He had been standing behind and
af my friends announcement plunged
through the crowd. towering head and
shoulders above them. "Oh. madman,"
he shouted in Arabic; "oh. dog. oh. filth
of the high road you would usurp nv
place; you would play the doctor amongst
these poor wretches. when II. Allahs
own physician-omnipotentt to kill or cure
am here!" The guards sprang forward
Just in time. for the giant would have
proved y very tough customer; his eyes
glared and the foam was at his lips. And
now began the distribution o! tobacco :;
and the guards had enough to do to pre-
vent our being mobbed; eager. claw-like
hands sometimes snatched ut the bundle.
and were only kept in check by looking
the offender calmly in the face and saying
''physic."
One poor devil sprang on my back and
nearly strangled me. but was unceremo-
niously knocked off by blow on the
head from warder. Very soon the 80
packets, each broken in two. were all
gone. "You might have brought some
sweets" said one man rather ungratefully
to my friend, 'you see. being camel, !
cannot smoke. but love sugar" And
so, promising to speak to the Sultan about
one, to bring "rahat lakum'' to another.
to come sailing into the court and carry
off third in u monster ship. and to ac-
cept ten million piastres and Il thous-
and slaves from yet fourth. we made
good our retreat After this we visited
wards where lay the sick; we witnessed
the ''physicking" of one poor fellow-he
was having leeches applied TO his head,
whilst hot Denominations were placed on
the stomach. At the sight OF us he sprang
up with an irresistible bound. upsetting
leeches. attendants and everything. He
stopped close to US and began to tremble.
and chattered. something in an awful
hooting voice shall never forget. Twas
told he always said the same thing. which
was The beard of the Prophet is long.
but its hairs, placed on end. would not
enclose the sea Of blood in my head"