The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1889-08-01
TREATMENT OF THE INSANE

larry the heading of one article, 1.-THE
Discharged Convicts. How shall we Aid
and Encourage Them" Being confined
in the st. Peter asylum for fifteen months
in direct attendance with the patients,
have observed very closely their condi-
ton of mind and ability to go and battle
in the world again for livelihood. 1t APP
pears that every class of men have the
sympathies of the public for their welfare
and restoration to society, except the
class l am writing for. No further
thought is given to them. for as soon as
they become affected with insanity they
are showed off into an asylum, literally
buried so far as ever being restored to
the confidence of society; stignatized as
lunatic for life, even though they recov-
er and return to the world 1t is right
that ex-convicts should be assisted to
hold them up. 1t Isjust as charitable to
assist the discharged insane patient. Not
having been a criminal does not make
the need less nor the obligation less bind
ing. An insane person has been impris-
oned with less opportunities to mental
or moral improvement. Having been
mentally affected and his powers dwarf
ed from lack of proper exercise, his ply
steal strength reduced by confinement
and light and Insufficient diet, SEAT off
without dollar lore than to return to
where he came from and cheap
suit of clothes; this is his capital for a
new beginning; with all eyes of suspicion
of fear OF insanity on him; not capable of
doing full days work provided he could
get one; no one has confidence III his abil-
ity to do good work, and all women
afraid to let him stop in the house over
night unless he is locked in room with
doors and windows barred-with such a
feeling against him, and unjustly so,
what must the man do? A woman is in
still worse condition Every reprobate
of a man will take liberties which he
would not with others. Youmay SUPPOSE
all this class has friends and homes; not
SO. About one-third are homeless, three
fourths poor and day laborcrs aud nine
tenths have to work for 4 living
Is not this class worthy Of public SYM
pa,hy and cllarity7 Yet no provision
whatever is even talked Of 10 assist them.
| do not censure the people Tor their
blindness; l WAS the same before | had
seen what l l;ye; no person has ever
written on the subject to my knowledge.
The recovered from insanity are inn
peacEed in their t.est1mo y OF what they
have expes fenced while in an asylum by
public sentiment. Therefore il is shat the
subject has never come before tl.c people
to consider. By the nelp of God will try
to the best OF my ability 10 present the
true condition OF this unfortunate
class who fall, not by their
own fault always. Can there be any
persons conceived Of who merit sympa-
thy more than these good virtuous citi-
zens. Highly respectable men and
women become deprived Of reason, suffer
indescribab!e mental anguish for months
or years and the sending them to a hos
pital only increases their torment and
prolongs the time of their recovery or
else shortcns their !itc l dot say this to
throw prejudice on the system, it is the
best we have though old, imperfect and
bal barous. There is great effort being
made Tor improvement. They are lost
to the confidence of friends and the pub
lie and though they recover, dark cloud
is over them and no one feels the sting as
they. Could they have the sympathies
and help OF friends and the people their per-
feet restoration would be effected instead
of continued depression with the result
of often reverting back to insanity. You
that have this class by you, try the exper-
iment; talk with them about this article
and they will will indorse my sentiment
as far as they know. You that can re-
cord their experience, let the world know
the true feelings ofthose unfortunates, and
look to those who are likely to be over
come by the monster insanity. Take
them into your care and sympathy be-
tore their reason is gone. Stop this flood
to the asylum-prevention is better than
cure. Home doctors, look more closely
after this class, do not let them 60 to the
hospitals if you can possibly prevent it.
You can do more with your cheerful adj
vice and best prescriptions for their re-
covery than all the besI efforts of any
asylum, In the state of Minnesota there
are over 1880 persons nowin the asylum,
about $50 received, 800 discharged and
125 died during the past year. This flow
'can be stopped by the above plan and a
different management would cure more
in the hospitals and send them out in a
better condition. l will not pretend to
dictate to experienced hospital managers
but will venture suggestion and | be-
lieve it will meet their approval. All per-
sons that are assigned to the asylums
are not totally incapac1tated physically
nor mentally from work and it is better
when they can to have work to do. This
is practical as far as possible, but there
is no provisions made to work all that
are able. Work keeps the mind employ
ed foreign from old difficulties and keeps
the body active. By having the mind
lightly exercised it improves more rapid
ly and is strong when recovered and not
dwarfed: the muscles will also be strong
if well feed. The most sane as a general
rule will not work-without some re-
muueration for stimulance. Idleness
with confinement and insufficient diet.
will drive an ambitious person mad.
sec from an article by convict, in the
Prison Mirror, they are calling for work
claiming 1dleness is injurious and they
enjoyed themselves better when they had
work, and claiming small pay would
be a stir,ulant to interest the mind. If
paid labor is better for convicts it would
be more so for affected minds: it will
CT r,,1,1 q te to 1yilliuc yorl, Cor,p,,lSory