The Indianapolis sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1880-1904, 1885-01-25
THE INSANE HOSPITAL.
Lectures by Drs. Fletcher and Walker
Yesterday on the Treatment
OF the Insane.

About one hundred students of the Medical
College OF indiana and other colleges Assem- bled
in the chapel OF the Hospital for the Insane al
80 yesterday. Several lady students of medi-
cine added the charms of their presence TO the
bust intellect OF the sex which has hitherto had
almost exclusive control of the treatment of the
diseases that We are heir TO.
DR.. Fletcher welcomed them to the hall, and
said they were invited to witness the first public
clinic ever made in that hall. not because they
were supposed to be moved by the vulgar curios-
ity Of some persons ~ to the general treatment of
the insane but because ii was needful for the gen.
eral rractitioner to discriminate between eases
"f delirium, typhoid fever, puerpal fever, cpl.
laspss or paralysis and true insanity. Many pa.
fients were sent to the Insane Hospital who could
be better treated at home. Hysteria and other
temporary diseases had manifestations that close
INSANITY and patients o suffering from
the Insane Hospital. and the injustice o.
this wss more Of an evil than the pub
lie expenditure occasioned. There was
and ever would be prejudice against GONZALES
cent insane patients. the rimid avoided them
nom Tear, and the ROBUST from disgust. Insane
D. Isons are really adult children. and should be
treated with the kindness and frmness shown 10
children, and above all the truthfulness which
our parents expect from and manifest to children
greater erro. could be made than Of sheriffs ana
guards. who deluded insane persons into the be-
lief that they were being conveyed to New YORK.
or some place, to distinguished doctor. or TO
illusion and TO make the patients feel that
they were not stin the victims Of studied fraud.
should be told plainly That they were being cons
veyed for treatment to Hospital for the Insane.
IT was ereatly to be regretted that about fifty or
sixty medical practitioners served 10 monopo-
lie the knowledge OF the pathology OF insanity.
<Ih1s Is depioraole- Specialists were. and ever
would be. nee1ful. bat every general practitioner
should be able to treat aud heal the miider forms
81 insanity and TO judge between delirium
And a true insanity; The press frequently com
hospitals He was glad OF It.: even wnen the
criticisms were made, he was glad to read them.
eight wards and from loo to l. 500 patients. 1T
Vas impossible to hear every word spoken. to see
perhaps absolute cruelty, might be occasionslly
perpetrated On patient by an attendant When
the press heasS OF IL It was e bounden duty to
lowed conviction OF guilt In this hospital. All
wards of the hospital were open to public inspec-
ton: no secrets were held in its management the
surveillance of the press was welcomed The
management were glad when newspapers de-
dinaies a. IL strensthensd the determin ason Of
the PHYSICIANS to remove unkind or negligent at
DR.. isaac Walker said that ne was not there To
deliver general disquisition on insanity. but TO
point several especial forms OF disease. The irst
Sy DIT. walker. patient Seventy i've years Of age
in hospital six years, physician hir,self Inc
hemiplesia was on the RICH, side and affected his
lusiens. There was lapse in h.s life OF ten years
(he was eighty-six years old when he came and is
-eixbty-s:x now) He claimed to be .'duped' by
means OF tubes connecting with his room, aud
that ants or bugs crEgled over MIN.
The patient. DR.. Fletcher testified.
vasa practitioner of medicine thirty five years
0go. and on Or. Walker requesting him 20 ad.
upress the assembly on medical suoiects. ne said
that This was one Of MS two headed days. and
ne would address the gen tlemrn some other day =
The patient had q fine head. fro n phrenoloslsts
soint Of view and his insanirv suslly nattended
by violent outbreaks. evidently the result OF
hemipieela. His conduct on the atage was that OF
3 well-ecucated and very grave physician
IN good practice. DR.. Walker. comment
ing on the case, said that the word '.appole XVI
vss widely misufed and generally misunderstood.
He would use IL to-day as applicable 70 cases
where . blood weasel of the brain had burst. pro
ducine psralvsts OF the body on the opposite side
70 the blood vessel. This wAs . cause OF insanity.
especially notable among old people aud brain
ysxkern There might bowever. be hemiplesic
1nonn1Y Without hemorrhage. or even rupture of
. olooo vensel valvular insufscieucy
sns eeart o. other causes mixht
s99 ~ Inc next patient was sgod
01y. DE ocooPes1ou vas tnss Of . carpen Tor.
8iD general health vas good. AMI. Though ne ds