The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-06-19


selves, in utter Inconsistencies of their sur
roundings. Gaunt-looking, wild-eyed
women, with nothing human about them
but their vanity. Wellington and Napo-
leon, Elizabeth and Mary Qoeen Of Scots,
Catherine de Medicis and Diana of Poitiers,
in full costume, facing each other;
God and the devil side by side;
handkerchiefs into dolls and rabbits and
talk baby-talk to them, occasionally beat
ing them and tossing them in the air Inter
spersed throughout this motley crowd are
bright, keen young faces, with no apparent
trace of their terrible curse to any bnt an
expert observer; refined and cultivated
women, who In their lucid intervals are as
pure and spiritual-minded as angels, and
yet are like the devil incarnate when the
mania seizes them; fine, manufacturing gen
temen, devout, dignified, and scholarly to-
day, tomorrow like the herd of swine INTO
whom the evil spirit enters. On either side
OF the chapel sit the keepers, alert and
watchful in case of emergency. Facing
them is the chaplain, a stupid, listless-look-
ing man. relegated to this depressing field
by his own lazy inefilciency. Until you
have heard the Episcopal service read by
such n man, it is impossible to conceive how
utterly mechanical and dreary it can be
made. But it matters little TO most of the
mumbling flock, and the tedium is relieved
at short intervals by savage masculine
growl or the shrill Mysteries of a woman.
On the occasion Of my visit to the asylum
chapel, the dull monotony of the perfume
tory discourse which served as an apology
Tor sermon was Interrupted by the sudden
collapse of a feeble, wheeling old mailman
In the middle of long and narrow pew.
The keeper carried him cumsily and nois-
lily out into the vestibule, where he gasped
aud gurgled for few minutes and then
died! Poor old fellow Whatever port he
was bound for he could not be much worse
off than he was before.
All writers on disorders Of the mind have
found it difficult to define insanity In
medical Jurisprudence, illusions, delusions,
Authorizations, indifference, and delirium
are all phases of insanity. The "Chrstan
Science" people say that all sin an all sick
pess are insanity. Insane people frequently
reason correctly, but from erroneous prem
lses. a delusiOn is nothing but false prom
lse-the concluSon drawn from it may be
entirely logic cal. DR.. Hammond tells of a
man who thought his hand was made of
glass, and to prevent its being broken kept it
carefully inclosed in stout case all his life.
The mad play wright, BARLEY Campbell fan
ced that Oliver Cromwell was in his sJom-
ach and Went around holding it up with his
hands because it was SO heavy. Admitting
the premise, the conclusion was logical in
both cases.
There is no reason why a man who thinks
he has legs of glass, and in other respects is
In possession OF all his faculties, should not
be capable of making contracts, and re-
sponsible for legal acts which have no con-
nection with the subject of his madness.
Such a species of insanity seldom prevents
man from managing his own affairs or
undertaking any legal relations for Others.
Swedenberg, SO celebrated for his visions
who was confessedlY mad man, fulfilled
the duties Of his Office in a such a distin-
guished manner that the King of Sweden
ennobled him. A case is related of pro
fessor who thought that all the Freemasons
had entered into league against hlm, and
yet held with high credit a chair in a uni
versity. Because Luther r. Marsh
happens to be the victim of spiritu alstic
decisions is no sufficient reason why he
should be untitled to perform his duties as
a commissioner. Most people are prone to
decisions or illusions of some form or other
Many people never see things exactly as
they are. If decisions and Authorizations
are test of insanity, nalf the world would
be in lunatic asylums. SpiritualiSts, faith
cure people. Mormons, sailors, negroes,
every one with a grain of super ;tition,
would have to be counted on the list. To
the layman, the question of insanity is full
of strange incongruities and contradictions,
and the experts themselves frequently are
at fault.
1t is an interesting fact, recorded by
Pritchard and others, that among savage
nations mental diseases are almost unknown.
They come forward with the dawning OF
civilization. and keep pace with the advance
ment of mental culture. the restraints inn
posed be social order. the diversity of in
tereStS, the pressure of universal cOmpeti-
ton, overwork, griefs, anxietieS and disap-
pointed hopes, the artificial life of cities,
are among the causes most influential among
civilized people in the deF eOpment of in-
sanity. Among weak minded and half-edu-
Gated people emotional religious revivals
also operate to a great extenr. In France
however, the opposite extreme is found for
while indifference to religion saves the peo-
pie from religious insanity, great numbers
lose their reason through tho vices for
which their low moral standard is respon-
sibe. Among Quakers insanity is rarely
known, owing to their strictueSs of moral
education ami discipline, the restraints i'm
posed by them on the Imagination and pas
siohs, and the absence of all religious and
other excitement.
Many anecdotes are narrated to illustrate
the tact required in dealing with lunatics.
| Among the inmates of an asylum near
| Philadelphia was a man who was consid-
cred perfectly harmless, but who, having
no home, was allowed to remain there, be.
| ing employed to show visitors around The
| doctor went on tho roof with him one day
to see about repairing it, when the man
suddenly turned and suggested that they
should jump down to the ground together.
immediately the doctor replied, "No, don't
let's do that. Any one can jump down
Let's goodwin and seen if we can jump up. y
The lunatic considered the point "well
taken" and agreed.
1t is almost impossible to tell III many
cases whether lunatic is cured or not
| There used to be man in Staunton, Va
who had intermittent attacks of insau
| ity. He always knew when they were com
! ing, and would return to the asylum in good
| time for treatment. When wedding was
announced to take place, he would volun.
| teer to collect the hundred dozen eggs neces
sary for the wedding cake, but always with
the proviso that he was not 'in limbo" when
| the time came.
The head of private asylum in England
was in the bathroom watching a number
! of lunatics battle, when one of them called
out, Lets duck the DOCTOR" and they all
| took up the cry Sering his danger, the
doctor said at once, "AlI right, boys, but
suppose you give cheer for him first" and
the noise of their cheering brought the keep
ers in to his rescue. The same doctor was
in n room with n lunatic who by some means
| had possessed himself of a carving-knife
The lunatic informed him gravely that he
had been ordained by God to cut him into