Waterbury evening Democrat., 1888-01-25
FOR MINDS DISEASED.
UNDERESTIMATE SYSTEM IN THE
 ALABAMA INSANE ASYLUM.

Occupation for Hand and Mind at the
 Foundation of the Theory of superin-
 tendent Bryce-But Few "Eyes in Fine
 Frenzy RolliDg.'
 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-rcstraint 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 it, was made earlier than expected, my arrival proved timely, for a dance was being held by the patients that evening, and I was soon in the presence of several hun dred. It was difficult to realize that I was not at an ordinary instead of in every way extraordinary party. The types of the in- sane in a far away Alabama asylum wcre 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 hel ped the senli-delusve feeling that l was not among that class of unfortunates No morbid and melancholy Danes; no violent, demonstrative Irishmen; no superloquacious and gesticulative Ger mans; no sullen and stubborn Norwegians; 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 laftness. For of course, the ono 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- cal southern men and women, often vacant in countenance, or perhaps too animated ill expression, of various ages, ranging from 70 to 15, assembled for general recreation, and all entering into the spirit of enjoyment
 was introduced to many who, in their luiet cheerfulness and eminently proper con- iuct, seemed to me quite sane as the aver age participant ill our out ill the world social festivities. have often attended even as mildly exciting and quasi hilarious gather ing as a church sociable, where the men and women and young people, with their super iultY 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 than did the individuals and groups of indi- 
 collected for the purpose of a :'dance and good time" There were fewer 'eyes in a fine frenzy rolling" than I've frequently seen Ut private hops, where passion often flaunts it's colors under the oatwardly protecting arch of sanctioned familiarity, or at private parties and public receptions, where people habitually mount mental stilts of decOrOus reserve or gaze at each other distractedly from unnatural heights of formality
 And when the music occasionally ceased there was neither tho tiresome buzzing of many tongues nor yet the ominous and pathetic silence broken by acute and rncanny 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 a general air of self-containment during recess vividly contrasted with those of the best be- haved ballroom belles and beaux. 'How do you manage them all so well?' I asked Dr. Bryce, thus unconsciously ascrihing to him a personal power in the institution that think I 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 tc manage themselves ''These people really are insane, though," I said. ''Now, should one of the worst cases-and you say they are present here to-nig ight-become uncontrollably excited, what would be done with him?"
 "I 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 a bad effect upon him, but a most pernicious influence upon others. No should one man or woman be treated ill this manner the contaGion and excitement would spread, and the fear of sinilac disgrace agi tate many others, until they reached tht same condition At the first symptoms of al 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 quieteo before being willingly removed, and withou attracting undue attention. We have liter ally no restraint here. By using tact witl patients we obtain their free consent t, whatever advances their own or the genera interest"
 In further conversation regarding re straint and non-restraint, Dr. Bryce prove' that he was not visionary, or, in the nor fashionable phraseology of the times, crank in his speciality by saying that measures e11 ployed by the non-restrainer in theor: should depend solely upon his judgment He said that a physician or nurse shoul possess, first of all, native tact; scientific in formation, professional skill, nor mere train
 ing could make up for the lack of it. II , said he did not agree with ti.e enthusiast
 non-restraint reformer, who, 'rather tha
 restrain man who threatened to tear ou
 his eyes, would prefer that the man sut
 ceeded in his purpose" But this sensible ac
 mission on the part of Dr. Bryce did nc
 alter the perfectly apparent fact that a l mechanical restraint has been banished fro1 the Alabama asylum.
 ''Occupation is the watchword of this il
 stitrtion," he said when we visited the warC , on tne morning after my arrival, and anon l all the patients not one was unemployet While even this commendable feature is ca :. ried further in ':Dr. Bryce's asylum" than
 the majority of hospitals for the insane t was not alone the mere fact of employmel
 of all inmates that impressed me, but tl
 kinds of employment practiced. A northe,
 visitor could not fail to pause and finger b
 side the twenty-five or thirty old fashiont
 spinning wheels, which were being used l
 patients entirely demented, and belonging
 the class that in any other asylum ev
 visited would be lying ]istless]y on t ,. benches or floor, or crouching sullenly by t ! ] walls.
 There are in America today two states tn
 arc becoming somewhat conspicuous in t
 L1-