St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-11-10
New York Letter.

| pdtlciltS Ill TIC 611OrG To cure Li16lu Lidue
an asylum veritable chamber of hOr
rors." Cures under this mode of treat
ment, where the patient was kept at
all times in state Of irritability and
under excitement, were as rare as bud
i'll century plant. This murderous
practice and its illogical theory have
few advocates at the present time,
and it is now considered not I'M
becoming to treat person afflicted with
decisions as it lie were q human being
and not brute. The idea Of the old
system was to keep the patient from
following the bent of his inclinatiOnS by
opposition, in the hope that there might
in the meantime be a restoration of the
| mental balance. 1t has given way to
what is known as the amusement OF
employment system. in which patients
are kept occupied by pleasant things so
as to keep them from brooding over
their decisions. 1t is undoubtedly true
that idleness i'll the insane is ahundred-
fold worse than in the sane for causing
check placed upon the material.
TENDENCY TOWARD DEVI.TRY.
Insane asylumS, with these objects in
view, are now turned into workshops
and play grounds. The patient, instead
of being kept in the gloom of cell,
where even we'll man could not long
retain his reason. is induced to work
and play under as gentle treatment as
can be maintained consistent with
every one. The kind OF work is, of
course, very important thing to deter
mine, and the whims and notions of
patients must be taken into considera
ton. Each patient must be considered
alone, as no genera! rules can be laid
down. the main point being to keep the
patient at some sort of labor or play
from the time Of arising in the morning
until bedtime.
Experiments are being constantly
I made to improve the condition of the
Insane and to discover a universal cure
for the disease. 1t matters not how
I deeply person may be involved in de-
luSionS there always remains some reaS-
oning power, and it is the belief of not
a few alieniStS that if the proper mate
rial can be brought TO excite this power
it can be built upon to such an extent
that it will restore the patient
to sanity. In following out this
idea in general way this
strange malady was recently cured at
the Bloomingdale asylum in a unique
and peculiar manner by DR.. Hammond.
|; The patient was John r. Haskell. a
!, Southern gentleman, who formerly
Il iyed at Atlanta. He is highly edu-
Gated, and came of an old family and
noted for pride. He carried himself
bearing, and was noted for his integ-
rity, intelligence and intellectual
ability. There is no history of
INSANITY IN THE FAMILY.
Mr.. Haskell married when quite
young, and has an interesting family of
several children. He is about forty
years of age. About a year ago, follow
ing the death of Mr.. Haskell's eldest
son, there came sudden and unac-
countabe change in his disposition,
thoughts, desires and mode of living.
He sauandered money foolishly. few
into passion at the least thing, and eX-
hibited great profanity, changed his in
tentions m0mentarily, and astonished
the wives of several of his intimate
friends by Offering his hand and
heart in marriage. He was very rest
less, and his facial muscles were con-
and insulting questions-talked about
; his family affairs greatly to his interiors
in social position, was untdy in his
dress and filthy in his habits, and APP
propriated everything to his own use
to which he took fancy without re-
gard to ownership. lie finally threat
ened to kill his wife-WhO was heart
broken at his unfortunate condition
believing that she had poisoned
him, and. as a precautionary measure,
he was removed to the asylum. A
month after he was put in duresS he
reached a maniacal stage. He dressed
grotesquely. assaulted the attendants,
smashed furniture, tore the. clothing
from every one he could reach. consid-
cred himself in full dress in a white
plug hat, drew vile pictures, selected
the devil as his friend and companion,
burned off his hair and whiskers, fell
deeply in love with every woman he
saw, and spent much of his time heav-
ing fuel into the furnace that supplied
the intense heat and kent the lake of
fire
BURNING IN HADES.
He was better and worse at intervals,
and though dirty in inclination and
habit, he still maintained nearly all the
time that courtly grace that diStin-
guished the Southern gentleman of the
old school. 1t was very sad spectacle
to witness the strange and disgusting
antics of one who had been so truly
good and noble.
His many delusions after time cen
tered in the idea that his happiness on
/ earth and in heaven depended on the
removal of his head and that of his at
/ tendant. He talked about this incess-
fantly, and it took up so much of his
time that many of his former maniacal
demonstrations seemed to be, as 1t were.
/ forgotten DIR. Hammond considered
the condition of the patient an excel
lent one for experiment. and car
ried out the patients notion
in the most realistic manner
posi- ;le He proceeded to cut Off the
patients head. A large sword was pro-
cured. and while the patient was firmly
! held the cold steel was run around his
/ neck several times To make it thor
i oughly impressed, bladder containing
hload wac pupntured and tho crimson