The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-01-11


or two before her death, to keep an eye on an
other young woman in the same ward. as she
contemplated suicide, and then added that it
would be funny if she, the writer,
did not do the same If she
were not watched Patients with the
suicidal mania are strangely persistent sometimes
in their attempts at self-destructon. One
woman, while ago, ran a hair pin through her
eve trying to get it into her brain. After that
she tried to get the eyehall out She actually
beat her eye against the corner of awindow until
she broke the bone about the orbit. and her only
answer. when asked why she did twas that God
had told her to do it. To keep her from MAIN
ing herself she was placed in hammock and
tied In. She died of exhaustion. The post-mor-
tenn showed the right side of her brain was much
smaller than the left In emotional insanity the
brain does not show a condition of disease, but
reflects the diseased condition. It is seldom
that we can get well-defned indication of a
disease of the brain. am speaking Of women.
Where men are insane there is usually lesion
from drunkenness or some habit
THAT old lady, said DR.. Fletcher, pointing
her out, has mania for documents-papers
of any kind. Some time ago. DR.. Harrison,
president Of the State boards, was walking
| through with some ladies-yisitors-witha large
roll of manuscript under his arm. Her eyes
fairly snapped as she caught sight of it, and she
swooped down upon him. The attack was so
bons before the Doctor recovered from his speech
| less amazement
I'VE have organized kindergarten mere, with
! 40 pupils. They are taught sewing, knitting
any little employment that will give them occu-
patton and relieve the dreadful monotony of
their unhappy lives Many are furnished with
states, and number Of women over sixty years
old are delightedly learning their BEES, and to
print them upon their states"
Here the reporter was introduced to a little
old woman with cleaning eyes, who on the
sprghtliest sets of toes imaginable, pen in hand,
had come dancing down the ward. She had a
| large, round table all for her own use, and
seemed to have large amount OF literary work
| in hand. She demanded of the Doctor to be in
stantly supplied with mammoth sheet OF pa
per ito indicate the size she held her hands as
far apart as possible) as her business would be
quite at standstill without it. She was very
polite, but her mania appeared to be grated
upon vanity and selfishness quite as strongly as
that of the old gentleman in small clothes, who
figured in that romantic passage in the life OF
| the estimable Mrs. Nickelby, mother Of Nicholas
| and Kate. and whose amorous favors
used to come in the form of a veg
etable shower over the garden wall. We
were getting along very amiably with this
old lady until she CHANGED to turn side remark
something about St Paul-in the direction of a
quiet appearing patient near by; The quiet
patient was affre in an instant. ST. Paul evident
ly being under her especial patronage, and it
was with some difficulty that the attendants
finally restored peace.
Sitting in chair looking through grated
window upon the wintry scene without was a
seventeen or eighteen year old girl with face as
beautiful and as penslve as that of the pictured
Evangeline, her eyes large dark and sorrowfuL
"A sad case that" said the Doctor. ''She is from
Evansville. In the history of her case we have
it that she was an ambitious student and her
had been here but a short time she began to
in fair way to recovery, and
so nearly recovered that her father had been
written that she might safely be taken home.
A letter was received in answer, fixing a day
upon which he would come for her. She bright
ened up greatly on receiving this word, and as
the day for going home came nearer she grew
better and better, both in mind and body. The
day passed and he did not come. You cannot
| imagine her disappointment Then news came
| that the father and her brother, l think, had
both been drowned ION the ferry boat during that
| memorable gale on the Ohio only a day or two
| before the father was to have called for her.
She had finally to lie told the reason for the non
arrival of the father. The blow, tempered as
| carefully as possible, was terrible one and re-
turning reason fed. However, there is again
| some prospect for her recovery"
In neighborng ward, as the reporter entered
1t, the voice of a woman was heard launching
| the most dreadful imprecations and begging
| somebody to take her out and kill her. A story
| of shame and dreadful retribution is connected
| with this case. Years ago two sisters, Of whom
| the maniac was one both beautiful came to
Indianapolis. One was married, her husband a
| manufacturer in business that was likely in a
| few years to make him wealthy. The unmarried
| sister lived with the married one, forming a
| seemingly happy household. The married sister
went away on short visit Returning, she saw
| enough to be convinced that her husband was
| unfaithful ard her sister had betrayed her con-
| fdence. A stormy scene followed The erring
| sisters sin and shame preyed upon her mind
until she became a raving maniac and she was
sent here to prevent her from do
stroying herself. Stranger still, the husband
too, became deranged and is now in the mems
department of the Indiana Hospital for the In
sane, and the wronged wife and sister, forgiving
| the miserable wretches who are 80 grievously
punished for their sin. frequently comes out to
| visit them, not with reproaches, but with The
| gentleness aad sadness of minstering angel
AS the tour of the wards was about over a
mdde-a aged woman, in great excitement, rushed
out of her bedroom and stood with arms akmbo
before the Doctor "Well. what's the matter2'
he inquired She trilled her troubles with O
very active tongue. A new patient had been
put in that ward. This woman's mania is that
the institution is hers, maintained upon her
money. Being of saving turn of mind she is
distressed at the prospect of her large fortune
being swept away by taking in new patients,
and mourning larger expense. She thinks she
already has as many as she can well afford to
lodge, clothe and feed.