The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-01-25
THE STUDY OF INSANITY.
An Interesting Clinical Lecture at the State
Hospital for the Insane.

A clinical lecture, or rather several lectures,
on mental disorders and dementia in general,
was held at the insane hospital YESTERDAY AIS
noon, under the direction of the faculty of the
Medical College of Indiana. assisted by Superin-
tendent Fletcher and DR.. Thomas, of the Hos
pital The purpose was to to afford advantage
to the students of all the medical colleges in tho
city, and such others as might want to attend,
to study the phenomena of insanity as elucidat-
ed by Dr. j. c. Walker, aided by the other
medical gentlemen named.
The lecture room of the department for men
was employed for the occasion, and dozen or
more subjects, representing the various phases
of dementia, were brought in from the various
war's. There were in attendance about hum
dred persons, mostly medical Students and the
lecture began at 1:30 o'clock.
In behalf of the institution. DR.. Fletcher well
ure on the occasion of their visit to
the institution. He regretted that so
important branch of medical science
had not had more attention paid it by the med
ical colleges of the land The treatment of the
insane and the thorough examination of their
peculiarities, the cause and nature of their all
ments, had fallen largely into the hands of
specialists, numbering probably fifty or-sixty in
the United States. He did not mean to be I'M
derstood as opposed to physicians making a
special study Of insanity, but urged in view of
the vast number of insane persons found all
over the land, and of as many more
who were in immediate need of intelligent
treatment in order to save them from the horror
of such a fate, that all those present advise
themselves as thoroughly as possible in this line
OF medical science in order that they may intel
ligently administer to those who come under
their care. He most urgently appealed to them
to exercise great caution in committing any sub
ject to the asylum for anything like transitory
mania, and needing but careful management at
their homes to restore them to their usual men
tai condition. This he sought to impress in view
of the stigma or faint that must attach to any
one who had been committed to the asylum as
insane.
DR.. Fletcher incidentally touched upon the
currency given to false reports that patients had
been ill-treated in the hospital, which, when not
wholly false, had been so magnifed and distorted
as to possess no element of truth. 'There is no
doubt" he said, that in this, as in all other in
situations of the kind, some instances of cruelty
might be practiced In an institution of the
magnitude of this. containing as it does 44O pa
a physical impossibility to personally oversee it
all; but am glad to believe that we have the
klndest attendants, men and women that can be
secured" He thought it wonderful that so few
accidents occurred, and SO few acts Of cruelty
were perpetrated. He Endorsed the press in de-
nouncing cruelty in any form in the hospital, and
declared that every ward in the house was open
night and day for public inspection
DR.. Walker then began the clinic proper by
lecturing extemporaneously on such subjects as
were brought before the audience, not having
seen the men nor heard of their cases before
coming upon the platform Tt were impossible
in the space of newspaper article to do justice
to him. Taking the brief histories afforded by
DIR. Thomas, one of the physicians in charge, he
rapidly diagnosticated each case, explaining the
various symptoms as developed under
his questioning and manipulation of
the patient. AS the different phases
of dementia came under consideration
be entered into elucidation of the same explain
ing the difference between functional refexive
insanity and brain disorder resulting from or
ganic troubles. Although lecturing wholly
without special preparation, Dr. Walker gave
very comprehensive review of the subject, much
to the edifcation and satisfaction of his hearers,
and e7incing throughout knowledge OF that most
interesting feature of medical science.
Drs. Fletcher and Thomas followed in the
same line, demonstrating their points on sub
jects at hand. At o'clock the clinic closed
and for an hour or more visitors were shown
through the wards containing those who have
been regarded as violently insane. DR.. Fletcher
took special pride in the fact that not one of
them was longer subjected to physical restraint
and declared that in every case where the men
had been restored to liberty there had been a
manifest change for the better.