The Indianapolis sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1880-1904, 1885-04-05
WITHIN AN INCH OFMY LIFE.
chambers Journal.I

During the earlier years of my medicO
military career | was selected as the As
sistant 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
high compliment to my professional abili
ties, and was bestowed as "A reward for
good services done; but, as | did not see
1t in that light, went and interviewed
the chief, who had thought so much
more Of me than did of him.
"Sir," said |, "some men are born to
honors. others have honors thrust upon
chem; the latter is my case. | don't un-
derstand one bit about the treatment.
moral or medical, of the insane. never
saw but one mailman in MY life, and he,
/ verify believe, was more knave than
fool; and | can't help thinking that if
you send me to the asylum you are send
ing the round man to fit into the square
hole"
THAT is not of the sloightest con.
sequence" answered he whom was adj
dressing, in the richest of bIogues; mot
the layste in loife. Round or square,
che hole will suit you to t; and if so be
that ye don't know anything consuming
1unatics, whoy, the sooner ye larn, the
better. Yell be PLACED to jine without
delay. Good morning" So ne bowed
me out, and /, having wholesome dread
of the powers that were, lined" forth
with.
1t is one of Shakspeare's wise sayings
that "Use doth breed habit in a man."
Before there had passed away many
weeks of my sojourn with the demented
officers and men of Queen Victoria's land
forces found myself highly interested
with their pretty and well-cared-for
home, running pleasantly in the groove
had so much objected to, and getting
rid forever and day of that repugnance
which every outsider naturally enough
ssntertains when brought into contact
with the denizens of a mad house. With
3 pass key which was an open sesame to
every lock in the establishment, | was
accustomed to wander over it unattended
either by the keeper" or the orderlies;
and never was molested or spoken to
threateningly save once, ard that upon
the occasion / have elected to name
S'Within an inch of nv life."
In the afternoons, when the patients
were not indOors,it was my practice to go
through every part of the building, in
speeding il sanitarily. / was doing so as
usual upon certain winters day, when,
at a curve of corridor, came suddenly
upon patient leaning gloomily again st
one of the pillars. He was a private
soldier of the FOrty-fifth, or Sherwood
Foresters-a recent admission, and whose
phase OF insanity 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. Mean
time, however, he was to be closely
watched. and no garden tools or other i'm
plements put in his hands. How he had
managed to elude the vigilance of the or
derby .under whose surveillance he had
been placed, and to be where met him.
was one of the things Inever understood.
But so il was.
When he saw me his melanchOlic de-
meanor ceased; he advanced with rapid
strides toward me, and saw at glance
that he meant mischief of some sort or
other; for every muscle of his body was
trembling with passion, and on every
feature of his face was pictured that of a
demon. confess that fear came over