The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-01-19
rum DocroEs ron THE INSANE
Editor Times


Editor Times
In SATURDAYS issue Of your valuable daily
DR. " W. Parker criticises my article OF tne
previous Sunday aud proves, 10 ms own sa'.
/ is.action at least. that my logic was ho'
| Good | do not object 10 Dr. Parker ATTACK.
| mo my position. nor do ! feel uneasy ABOUT
| ANYTHING he may write Give him rope enousn
| and he will certainly wind up his SIDE u '''
| argument without help from any one.
The word fortitude, es used Dy me- nsn. =
! the ability TO face calmly. bravery anu -
need be- silently. pain danger. sorro" n' ,o,
| ferinC for ourselves or for others u'u nv
/ think il necessary 10 consult Latih uiC,
tionary or % recall Mite SEM
learning. because / was WIlunE
newspaper which all sorts o. pp e,gpa'
read. / am content TO write IN good hnsisn'
| believing there are enough people VINO unueir
stand that language for all my puIpO -,
am sure no practical person can difler from ny
opinion that Il Is folly t. waste time am 9i.i'Co
/ in childish discussion about TIE uoii'"'
/ of wOrds-a discussion that can Dy NJ P,.,,a1
| bihty lead to ANYTHING have not chahsou
my EXPRESSED opinion that woman mas - ea'oi
/ movers of endurance more 'tOItitude LINZ
! man. When rod laid upon her the Duluen
| of Motherhood he gave her CERTAIN
! kind of strength and bravery not gwen
| 20 man. This was Gods gait 10 heI, no
! support in time Of trial. rms same soI ~,
|
! the face without fear. conaecrated 10 hls SCI
wee in noble calling III a marked mahhel'
] oualifes her for the position OF physiclau "
| theaAiicted Of her own sex. lhere are ounSi
! reasons why insane. demeuted womtn shOuiu
| have Il woman 10 prescribe Tor them "nich ~
| does not become my duty to state. htsnS
| thinking mon need no one 10 remlhu 'neun
! Of what is proper in any department OF IRE,
| il is only the narrOw-mnded OF Ino '0'i''"
| who Will not or cannot sec
dr. Parker in his postscript makes the Only
point n his letter that IN all his circle Oh pi"o
tice he has found no Virginia nay adFoca''S a.
| this bill adding that few taking women w
| not represent the women OF virginia. ="
something % that effect. Because II al IN NJ
has not met them Is no reason 10 cohSiuu0
thev ara not here There are many iNicn
p,ond ladies' doing all they can 10 fuilnei 'n'9
bill and thousands over the state are pia1' III
that God will move upon the 1ena'o "n@
help us in this extremity. Gou gave 10
tongues TO use in his service, ana we Will uso
them 10 comfort console. to encourage anu
10 warn. If there was no pubic sentiment
favoring tins reform how came the Di!i 10 pass
in the House as the newspapers said. py prac-
ticaly a unanimous vote VIII III ! a ~. H.
say this body Of Virginia gentlemen LILO
law-making body Of our state, ran Oh ai'0i
crack Drained Yankee idea!
As there was really nothing IN the last let-
ter and the mention of my name forces ne "
answer. | fall back upon tnat FeHaihADIo
first production. the first Oft series OF letters
promised by DR.. Parker. which 20 deslsIlhles
as historical" He says three others are ye'
TO come. and he begs the Senate not 10 hurry.
but 10 wait, / suppose 10 give MN tiiho u ho'
through The letter commences thus.
ITO the members of the Legislature. hhu
in late editorial you take decided ground III
favor of female assistant physicians lot insano
asyums With your PERMISSION VIII ulscus s
this subject with you or any OF your nu .Ir
Gus correspondents under four heads Ills
torical, political. moral. religious
Was there ever a more remarkable oner u
discuss with the whole Legislature or any OF
i.scorrespondentsy DOest not seem that some
body lost his head that time, and 1t was not q
woman. either. was it, Then the nrst OF the
four heads. historical. had not worn %
history in it except the allusion 70 the
betrayal Of the blessed Saviour, when was
neither reverent nor approprlate. lhere -
remarkable sentence containing these words
Covenant with hell " female Yankee Gran K
| I dislike even H. quote sentence IKE lhav'
The words seem 10 blacken the very INK on
the point of the pen with which write. Are
these the words of ono belonging 10 inc no
blest Of the professions,
Not one woman in fifty is fit for doctor,
not that they want sense" &C; says ~.
Parker. We are certainly deeply Obliged. IL
is a good thing 10 have sense, especially ia
Then this follows: The boards OF directors
must use greater care than heretofore and
get good Christian men, and II the doctor IS
false he must be punished and new law
must be enacted with this IN view" Is this
not going rather fast. No one must nave
these places but Christians. How shall we
determine what IS or who IL Christian; linen
a special law must be made to punish doctors.
Is this not rather hard on them:
Why If everything Is right. need the boards
use greater carer is all this not rejecting"
on the profession / leave DIR. Parker TO
answer this question. for he knows 1t all.
! doubtless Every law Is "a reflection on some
one or some class Of people. The penitentiary
Is full of people who think they suffer from
| the OppressiOns of the law The law is
| dreadful to evil doors only. NO thief eer
felt the halter draw with good opinion of
| the law Let us not be afraid OF the safe
guards which the law of the land places
around Us No one need fear detective who
has nothing to hide The time of ~. Paul,
| to which Dr. Parker alludes, saw no one
caring for lunatics. They were driven out
from men aud dwet in the tumOs. The sun
of righteousness which is to-day Frightening
/ the world shines also into the cell OF the H.
sane. and the women OF this day. who loving
/ God love their fellow creatures also. must
know how their sisters fare aud when they
need help must try % help them.
! For myself ! will state that l'haye no per
soma interest IN this bill. that ] uphold 1t "a
r matter OF principle and because to my mind
there can be good reason why 1t should
not be granted. and II is our right When
think of the poor demeuted creatures. girls
| perhaps that once were as happy and fair as
any who now grace onr homes, ! am filled
with Indignation and disgust at the selfish
desire TO hold monopoly If State patron
age. which prompts this unnatural opposi-
| ton.
The ladies of Stanton. with whom ! act,
are surely excusable for their deep interest in
this bill. They must know as much as any
one outside can know of what are the needs
of place like mn asylum for the insane. We
ask the Senate to confirm what the House
/ has done. There IS no Jaw against women
practicing medicine in Virginia. If they can
! practice anywhere why not ID an asylum for
| insane women We thank the city papers
for the help they have given 20 far. and ask
its continuance. We have made no charge
against any asylum official. but we confess 10
feeling of distrust aud unrest intensified by
| the violent opposition Of some doctors To this
most righteous bill.
Yours for the right.
Mis-. THOsMAs WHITEHEAD,
Sim Pres Stata Va w Il / II