Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1888-02-10
FOR MINDS DISEASED.
NON-RESTRAlNT SYSTEM IN THE
ALABAMA INSANE ASYLUM.

Frenzy Rolling
There is no institution more widely dis
cussed among American experts in his pro-
fession than "Dr. Bryce's asylum" There
is, perhaps, among men of his class, no indi-
vidual more frequently quoted than this
same scientifically learned and socially popu-
lar DR.. Peter Bryce, who has perfected in the
Alabama hospital the non-restraint system
of caring for the insane.
Notwithstanding the fact that my visit to
the mammoth home for the mentally affiictedp
which seems the most fitting term to APP
ply to it, was made earlier than expected,
my arrival proved timely, for dance was
being held by the patients that evening, and
was soon in the presence of several hun
dred 1t was difficult to realize that | was
not at an ordinary instead of in every way
extraordinary party. The types of the in
sane in a far away Alabama asylum were,
for one thing, so entirely unlike those seen in
the Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa, or in fact any
of the northern institutions of this kind,
that this fact too helped the semi-delusive
feeling that | was not among that class of
unfortunates. No morbid and melancholy
Danes; no violent, demonstrative Irishmen;
no superloquacious and gesticulative Ger
HILLS, IO SullSll anu SuuDDOlh 4NOl WtS,ldlS,
none of the foreign victims Of dementia who
give so motley character to northern and
more especially northwestern hospitals, were
seen in this congregate mass of southern
dizziness. For, of course, the one foreign
class, the African insane, is separately pro-
vided for. Before me, in the mazes of an
ordinary cotillon, or sitting as spectators,
was only company of well featured typi-
col Cl1rtb -
in countenance, or perhaps too animated in
expression, of various ages, ranging from 70
to Is assembled for general recreation and
all entering into the spirit of enjoyment.
was introduced to many who, in their
quiet cheerfulness and eminently proper con-
duct, seemed to me quite as sane as the aver
age participant in our out in the world social
festivities. l have often attended even as
mildly exciting and quasi hilarious gather
ing as church sociable, where the men and
women and young people, with their super
fluffy of tea and coffee exhilaration, their
erratic speeches, silly attempts at repartee,
undignified fun, and half spent, half pent,
nervous energy, seemed more like lunatics
than did the individuals and groups of indi-
viduals of both sexes in the Alabama asylum
collected for the purpose of "dance and
good time" There were fewer ''eyes in a
fine frenzy rolling" than I've frequently seen
at private hops, where passion often fiaunts
its colors under the outwardly protecting
arch Of sanctioned familiarity, Or at private
parties and public receptions, where people
habitually mount mental stills of decorous
reserve or gaze at each other distractedly
from unnatural heights Of formality.
And when the music occasionally ceased
there was neither the tiresome buzzing of
many tongues nor yet the ominous and
pathetic silence broken by acute and uncanny
noises that might have been anticipated, and,
in truth, were listened for by myself, because
SO often heard at other hospital dances
Pleasant, chatty, but subdued tones and
general air of self-coHtainment during recess
wildly contrasted with those of the best be-
haved ballroom bellies and beaux. "How do
you manage them all so wellg' l asked DR..
Bryce, thus unconsciously ascribing to him
personal power in the institution that think
would not in any other asylum ever visited
have credited the superintendent himself
alone with possessing. He replied that he
did not attempt to manage" them, but let
them see that he believed in their ability to
manage themselves ''These people really
are insane, though" said ''Now, should
one of the worst cases-and you say they are
present here -night-hecome uncontrollably
excited, what would be done with HING
81 can tell you what would not be done
with him. He would not be led away
screaming and furious. For that would not
only have bad effect upon him, but most
pernicious influence upon Others. No;
should one man or woman be treated in this
manner the contagion and excitement would
spread, and the fear of similar disgrace agi-
tate many others, until they reached the
same condition At the first symptoms of an
unruly or disturbed state of mind some
watchful nurse would be at the patients side
| in a moment, and by proper influence, ex-
| erted as the result of special study of indi-
vidual cases, the patient would be quoted
| before being willingly removed, and without
! attracting undue attention. We have liter
ally no restraint here By using tact with
! patients we obtain their free consent to
| whatever advances tneir own or the general
| interest"
In further conversation regarding re-
| straint and non-restraint, Dr. Bryce proved
that he was not visionary, or, in the more
fashionable phraseology Of the times, cranky
in his speciality by saying that measures en-
| ployed by the non-restrainer in theory
should depend solely upon his judgment.
| He said that physician or nurse should
possess, first of ALL native tact; scientific in
| formation professional SKILL nor mere train
ing could make up for the lack of it. He
| said he did not agree with the enthusiastic
| non-restraint reformer, who, 'rather than
restrain man who threatened to tear out
| his eyes, would prefer that the man sue
| ceeded in his purpose But this sensible adj
mission on the part of DR.. Bryce did not
| alter the perfectly apparent fact that all
| mechanical restraint has been banished from
| the Alabama asylum.
Occupation is the watchword of this in
stitution," he said when we visited the wards
| on the morning after my arrival, and among
| all the patients not one was unemployed
| While even this commendable feature is car
| ried further in ''Dr. Bryces asylum" than in
| the majority of hospitals for the insane 1t
| was not alone the mere fact OF employment
| of all inmates that impressed me, but the
| kinds of employment practiced A northern
visitor could not fail to pause and linger be-
side the twenty-five or thirty old fashioned
| spinning wheels, which We're being used by
| patients entirely demented, and belonging to
| the class that in any other asylum ever
visited would be lying listlessly on the
| benches or floor, or crouching sullenly by the
| walls
There are in America today two states that
! are becoming somewhat conspicuous in the
| annals of the insane for the success they have
| achieved in their efforts to abolish all me-
| chanical restraints from their institutions.
They are, respectively, Alabama and Wis
J consin. The officials in the Alabama hospital
I told me that not only at the time of my
| visit were no patients under restraint but
not single patient had been since the adop-
ton of the system five years ago.-Tuscaloosa
(Ala.) Cor. Chicago Times,
To have poached eggs look very nice, cook
each egg in a muffin ring placed in the bot
| tom of saucepan Of boiling water.
After buttering the tin for boiled pudding
| dust it with pounded bread crumbs; baking
| pans can be treated with flour in the same
way and the cake will never stick.
To make corset feel comfortable, lace up
| to fit the form neatly, then sew five or six
straps of gum ribbon across and remove the
, strings.
An AerOnautica1 Advance.
The so called ''governable airship" of DR..
d,.ttyr