The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-12-08

clouded or unhinged intellect IS incOnceivably
more deplorable.
The report referred to shows that in the
poor-h houses of Indiana are confined Clio insane
persons-296 males and 314 females Con6ded
to the care, or rather keeping, of men and
women ignorant of any rational mode of treat
ment of such patients, and only too often of
brutal instincts, the lot of these unhappy be-
ings is wretched indeed. Often beaten,
chained, "cribbed" or put in the straight
jacket, when a little gentleness would have
soothed them, their disease is aggravated and
their misery increased. 1t is dreadful thing
to reflect that in the great and wealthy State
of Indiana, with its more than 2, 900, 900 people,
its broad and fertile fields and heaped-up
riches, the hopelessly insane are allowed to
suffer the barbarities of heathenism. The fact
that over six hundred insane men and women
are ill-clad, half-fed, beaten, bruised and i'm
prisoned in filthy quarters, is enough to in
stantly compel better things.
AT best the fate Of the insane is awful to
contemplate. Take the case of the unfortu-
nate woman who, but few days since eluded
the vigilance of the authorities of the State
Hospital, in this city, and took her
life. The letter she left is pathetic
beyond the power of anyone to intensity.
Conscious of her mental unsoundness, and for
that reason more pitiable than if wholly in
sane, her despair of ever escaping her fate
drove her to deeper madness, that found relief
only in voluntary death. Parallel with this
in many respects, was the melancholy fate of
Caroline Lamb, sister of Charles Lamb Their
fearful pilgrimages to the hospital whenever
the unfortunate sister felt the paroxysm com
ing on must ever remain one Of the saddest
misfortunes that ever befel any man, and
especially man as gentle and sensitive as
Charles Lamb.
Every instinct cries out that these things
be remedied in Indiana. The surroundings of
these unfortunates should be made as beauti-
full as possible, and every want should be
ministered to as fully as may be. The sun
shine of heaven should not be shut out from
those condemned to live in mental darkness.
Somewhat of the world of activity, of love and
cheerfulness should be left open to them.
The darkened, loathsome cell is no place for
diseased intellects. Let the windows be opened,
that the air and the sunshine may come
in to sweeten and render wholesome the at
mosphere they must breathe. Let in some
hint of birds and of flowers. Let gentleness
supplant inhumanity, that any of the remain
and human sympathy may not be shattered.
Let the same kinship Of feeling that impels
one to pity and minister to even a dog in dis
tress, be extended even more tenderly to the
insane Heaven only knows what their imag
inings are. and what their distress may be-
The thought of their being committed to un-
gentle men who can not understand nor enter
into sympathy with them, is one that must
strongly appeal to all hearts Let no man or
woman not animated by the best of DISPOSE
tons, the kindest of hearts, be given charge
of earths unfortunate. Better send brute,
a virago into hospital than that such should
ever come into control of the insane. The
State of Indiana, including all the people,
owes it to humanity in deep distress to pro-
vide ample accommodation for the insane, and
to surround them with every possible means
for alleviating their sufferings. This the
State is proceeding to do in the erection of
new asylums But until they are ready for
occupancy, the care of hundreds of insane
persons must remain with county authorities
Investigation has shown that in some eoun-
ties the condition of these unrUrtunates is
awful-a disgrace upon those who have con-
troll of such matters. The people who pay
taxes for these things insist that in this, above
treatment be accorded A brutal man or I'M
feeling woman has no business in charge of
such patients, nor should they be put at the
head Of poor-house, many of the inmates of
which are only less pifiable than those of I'M
sound mind The administration of our poor
avs needs thorough and radical over
hauling.
HEAVEN help "Tony" Mullane The Gin