Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-01-20
FOR MINDS DISEASED.
NoN-REsTRA'NT SYSTEM IN THE
ALABAMA INSANE ASYLUM.

Aouhuaion OF the Theory OF Superin.
tendent Bryce-Rut Few "Eyes in Fine
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 DIR. Peter Bryce. who has perfected in the
Alabama hospital the nonTestraint system
OF caring for the insane
Notwithstanding the fact that my visit to
the mammoth home for the mentally afflicted.
which seems the most fitting term to ap-
| ply to 1t. 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 l was
| not at an ordinary instead of in every way
| extraordinary party. The types of the in
sane IN far away Alabama asylum were.
Tor one thing, so entirely unlike those seen in
| the Wisconsin,, Illinois, Iowa, or in fact any
| or the northern institutions of this kind,
| that this fact too helped the sen1i-delusive
1eellng that was not among that class of
unfortunates. No morbid and melancholy
Danes; no violent, demonstrative Irishmeu:
no superloquaclouS and gesticulative Ger
mans; no slilen and stubborn Norwegians:
none OF the foreign victims of dementia who
give SO motley a character to northern and
more especially northwestern hospitals, were
seen IN This congregate mass Of southern
dalIness For, of tourse, the one foreign
class, the African insane, is separately pro
| Vlded Tor. Before me, i'll the mazes of an
ordinary cotillon, or sitting as spectators,
was only company of well featured tvpi-
cal southern men and women, often vacant
III countenance, OF perhaps too animated in
expression, OF various ages, ranging from 20
to 10 assembled for general recreation. and
all entering into the spirit Of enjoyment.
was introduced to manv who in their
quiet cheerfulness and eminently proper con-
duct, seemed to me quite a sane as the aver.
age participant in our out in the world social
festivities. / have often attended even as
mildly exciting and quasi hilarious a gather
ing as church sociable, where the men and
women and young people, with their super
fluffy Of tea and coffee exhilaration. their
cratic speeches, silly attempts at repartee.
undignified fun, and half spent, half pent.
nervous energy, seemed more like lunatics
vlduals OF both sexes in the Alabama ASYLUM
collected for the purpose of a dance and
good time" There were fewer s:eyes in a
Inc frenzy rolling than I've frequently seen
at private hops, where passion often flaunts
It's colors under the outwardly protecting
arch OF sanctioned familiarity, or at private
parties and public receptions, where people
habltuaily mount mental stills of decorous
reserve or gaze at each other distractedly
from unnatural IL ghts of Formally.
And when the music occasionally ceased
there was neither the tiresome buzzinc 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 svbdued tones. and q
general air of self -containment during recess
vlvldly contrasted with those of the best be-
EaVed ballroom bellies and beaux How do
you manage them all SO well!' | asked Dr.
Bryce, thus unconsciously ascrbing to him a
personal power in the institution that think
1 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 theii. ability to
manage themselves. "These people really
are insane, though l said ''Now, should
one of the worst cases-and you say they are
present here to-night--become uncontrollably
excited, what would be done with him2'
Il cen tell You what would not be done
with him. He would not DO led away
screaming and furious For that would not
only have bad effect upon him. but most
perncious influence upon others No:
should one man or woman be treated in this
manner the contagion and excitement wouH
spread, and the fear of similar disgrace ag..
tate many others. until they reached tho
same condition. At the first symptoms of an
unru!y or disturbed state of mind some
watchful nurse would be at the patients side
in 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 obtain their free consent to
whatever advances their 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 specially by saying that measures EN-
ployed by the non-restrainer in theory
should depend solely upon his judgment
He said that a 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 be did not agree with the enthusiastic
non restraint reforlner. who, rather than
restrain a man who threatened to tear out
his eyes, would prefer that the man sue
ceeded in his purpose" But this sensible ad- |
mission on the part of DR. Bryce did not |
alter the perfectly apparent fact that all |
mechanical restraint has been ban ished from |
the Alabama asylum.
Occupation is tie watchword Of this in |
be said when we visited tie wards |
en- the morning after my arrival, and among |
all the patients not one was unemployed. |
While even this commendabls feature is car
ried further in CDR Bryce's asylum" than in !
the majority of hospitals for tire insane 1t
was not alone the mere fact of employment |
Of all inmates that impressed me, but the 1
kinds Of employment practiced A northern !
visitor could not fail 70 pause and linger be
side the twenty-five or thirty old fashioned /
spinning wheels which were being used by
patients entirely demented, and belonging TO
the class that in any other asylum ever
visited would be lying hs:lsssly on the
benches or foor, Or croach:rg sul!enly by the
walls
There are in America today two states that
arc becoming somewhat conspicuous ir tie
annals OF the insane for the success they have
achieved in their efforts TO sbolish all ne
,hsEical restraints from their institutions.
They are respectively. Alabama and Wis
,onsin. The officials IN tie Alstarna hospital