Turner County herald. (Hurley, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1883-08-23
WITHIN AN INCH OF MY LIFE

During the earlier years of nv medi-
co-mihtary career was selected as the
assistant surgeon of the Army Lunatic
Asylum, then established in one of the
eastern counties of England. At the
time OF the appointment was given to
understand that it was one which paid %
nigh compliment to my professional abil-
ltles. and was bestowed las reward of
good services done; but as I did not, see
1t quite IN the same light went and in.
terviewed the chief who had thought so
much more of me than I did Of him. ''>ss
Sir, said I, "some men are born to
honors, others have honors thrust upon
them; the latter is my case. I don't
understand one bit about the treatment.
moral or medical, of the insane. i
never saw but one madman in nv life.
and he, I verify believe, was more knaye
than fool; and Ican't help thinking that
ii you send me, to the asylum you are
sending the round man to fit into the
square hole"
"That is not of the slightest conse-
quence, answered he whom / was ad.
dressing, in the richest of brogues;
not the layste in loife.. Round or
square the hole willsnit you to a t; and
1t SO be that yey don't know anything
consuming lunatics, whoy, the sooner
ye larn the better. Ye'd be PLACED to
line without delay. Good morning. :"
So he bowed me out, and I, having q
wholesome dread of the powers that
we're, "lined " forthwith. ~
1t is one OF Sbakespeare's wise say
Z nngs that IS Use doth breed a habit in q
man.. Before. there had passed away
many weeks Of my sojourn with the
demented officers and men of Queen
Vlctoria's land forces I found myself
highly interested with their pretty and
well cared for home, running pleasantly
IN the groove I had 80 much objected to,
and getting rid forever and a day of that
repugnance which every outsider nat
nrally enough entertains when brought
into contact with the denizens Of mad
house. With pass key which was an
open sesame to every lock in the estab-
ment, / was accustomed to wander over
it unattended either by, the a.keeper :"
or the orderlies; and never was 1 mo-
Tested or spoken to threateningly save
once, and that upon the occasion i have
elected to name Within an inch OF my
life." ID
In the afternoons, when the patients
were not indoors, it was my practice to
go through every part of the building,
Inspecting it, sanitarily. l was doing
80 as usual upon certain winters day,
when, at curve of corridor, I came
suddenly upon q patient leaning
gloomilyi against one Of the pillars.
He was private soldier of the Forty
fifth, or Sherwood .Foresters-a recent
admission, and whose phase of in
sanity was somewhat puzzling the head
surgeon and myself. Without entering
upon details, / shall merely say that
we had doubts upon his case, and had
recommended his removal from the
asylum to the care of his friends.
Meantime, however, he was to be close-
ly watched, and no garden tools or
other implements put into his hands.
How he had managed to eInde the vigil
lance of the orderly under whose sur
veillance he had been placed, and to be
wheresI met him, was one.of the things
meyer understood But 30 it was.
When be saw me his melancholic de-
meanor ceased; he advanced with rapid
strides towards me, and saw at once
that he meant mischief of some sort or
other; for every muscle of his body was
efoIAuluS WalA PnSctousssAu ou every A6sts
ture of his fase was spiotured that Of .
demon. L confess that fear came over
me. What was this maniac going to dor
But to show apprehension would be fa-
tai, 80 faced him boldly, and exclaim-
ed: Hollo, Matthews what are you
doing here2 Why are you not in the
airing grounds with, the others ?"
He turned wild and flashing eye
upon me, and glared like . wild beast.
Then he howled out. rather than said:
:s Let me ont OF this r.
What do you mean :" replied, re-
solving il possible to gain time, and
trusting that presently an orderly might
pass and relieve me from the terrible di.
lemma in which / stood.
. Let me outl' he repeated, II
ave been too loEg in this vile place. I