New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-07-09
THE FLATBUSH ASYLUM.
A COMMUNITY OF STRICKEN PERSONS.
SURROUNDINGS WHICH TEND TO RESTORE
REAsoN-soME STRANGE HALLUcINA'

prAsoN-soME STRANGE HALLUCINA'
TIONs OF PATIENTS
,y,u,rc through the shady avenue OF Clarkson
. ,h,ch stretches for more than a mile TO the west
., r1anu,l-ave., the writer realized that he WIS
nearing the Insane ylum, where he saw wo"ia"
crying and Il man with his head Dent appareht, wv
ovcrbrrfencd with grief TO be able TO cry. ih''
Ia, inst been visiting their daughter, who Is an IN
mate Of the Institution, and to Judge by 'h'r "P
pcnrancc a, they walked away, you might con'e''''
bou little improvement she had made. People wn"h
vol meet coming from a cemetery, where theS nav.
inst laid away beneath the sod some one who IN INC
,bov loved and cherished. invariably look Oh
woe hut those whom you happen 10 encounter ~
turning from !. visit TO an asylum FOR the ihs'"'
whore they have friends or relatives conhneu "e"'
fsc,s more inexprcssily sad And the cause Is no.
far TO seek. In the case no matter no" Pl'''"i
tho portIng II is all over after the first shock; ou'
,,b IN ,re,ro ncrson the visits OF relatives to the
place Of confinement are Ike series Oh ii'ie'" '
Each recurring ono brings you hope that these Nv
lngde may Yet show signs OF re'urh'"s ie
but ofrntimcs this hope Is vain
Tb. writer saw the young woman whose parents
he had met in the roadway approaching the P'ao'
She was handsome and there WAS about her i''e ."'
air NJ dignity and reserve which Is often an ihica
ton Of good birth. The girl has been IN the aSSIu'"
more, than four years. She wages prpotuai "a'i".'
ui,h I'M. nurses and makes frequent attempts 10
,c,r M her clothes. once She succeeded pn' no"
she wears one Of those heavy overall garments WIN"
are a, Tough as leather. Besides, the nurses wiz
are always on the watch. hasten TO prevent any -
fort to rcnd 1t. w.. ro
OF the assistant surgeons who showed u'e "'''''
around. 10 her. ,-od
.tr d,r. Won speak 10 me. SIR she answered
,octnrin, # once to get excited Then the nurses
drcr her away a, gently as they could ana as II was
fine for all the female patients TO be brought III OF"
~ fine omen air they led her 10 the ward wh'r' NV
rst ~ the evening until tcdime was spent In gloom
amid her boi,tcrouS companions.
LASTING IMPRESSIONS OF VISIT
Tho writer and the physician went through the mue
and female departments. on an average" 'hr "o'"'
,vere moi so Interesting the men, though III oie "
two cases they were more grotesquely so. any INV
visiting such an asylum for tho hrst ume "o"u INV
be- likely soon TO forget the experience.
mr.. T.. no, anywhere within the metropolitan
ara, publc institution which can be SAID 10 Nv
more pleasantly situated than this asylum ~ r'"'
hush with It's rows OF leafy trees on inc a''n"''
uhich surround IT, and the spacious grounds IN "hon
IN. series Of buildings set. There y an ar OIL GUN
fort Of rooniness and Of wholesomehesss '''". Wv
plac. which makes IT, removed from the hustle ana 'i'
moi Of big city. Just III" spot where 'ne9e r'''
,I ,ru have the best chance Of recovery
Almost all Of the lunatlcs have ravenous appeu'e'
o,d will keep on eating while there Is any iooo vi
,ybt some Of these unfortunat"s VINO nave '"e
double affection Of physical and menta ohnduess a..
pilul TO look upon. They stretched OUT 'he'r hs"'
vocontlv for the chunks OF coarse bread ana staie
,rn.s on which they were making their repsst, when
tho physician appeared
CHARACTERISTICS OF THE INMATES.
Three pecuiari,ics will strike the most casual OBJ
ecrvcr ON a first visit TO this place. The first Is Inc
.r. , warrant stare with some OF them II Is hercr
L. vocant md with others T. Is settled lsnglor' IN
yh,b the most careful observation could not detect Il
,r,c. Of that luminous attrbut" Of humanity whoh
make, man 60 much higher than any oth"r H'i"b
thing The next is IN" con 'tAnily broken sequence
~ the narration which each ono tolls Ana laS'N'
,.p cannot ian 10 s"c how entirely oblviou' ea'h
pa,i~ut f., TO i.c popularity which his n"iShoor eA
exhibits Indeed. thus sympiom last named may Win
,...op L., rcgnrdod a. the most curious OF any
i , wards or corridors Of the several floors there
are p.r IL ~ the afternoon and evening wheh Hllu
form Il paud,monium re!els when thousand o"ool"s
o,.,, are LEI loose on a thousand different topics
aud when not one but all Of these haple's sons men
AID women alike become "inehratcd with the *
ulerancc ~ their own verho,ty. ms l. Hhor'
u.,,,,blo when they are taking their food than at
any other time. ANYTHING like an attempt to repro
ducc tho strange !arron OF ideas or even nthe OF
Them duiing any single minut" when this medley OF
humanity I, assembled. would not be possible unless
COS, b,d a p,ouorraph When YOU begin to move
, -. 49,. nm. r,,fionts whom Won zee here
I'D, o,.o.- ,,,o,cd ,n ordinary
900" ,,.r' ,, 49,, ,hor, vou do NOT like
m approach and talk with. because YOU find II hard
to h,.v. that thcy are patients ALL their behavior
D." "" , ,nl
"Fi -, ,,,, ,.o, conclude that every
49,, ,,,u,,,, NM, no insane. but YOU are
-, T., 80, ,,o - ,,,.tako TIN. feeling grows rather
,t TN. ,s vou como ont into the open air and
49,, Mn bav. 70 no clear of the immediate vicinity
=. 49,, .,.,,tt, s.,,,d fl, mo of tho electric
" -, 49,, -. ,,.. ,o,, rooIi,c TINT cv.rv
va ." 49,, /, ,o, mad In tho rssnect a
:. :, . $50, -. .,,,,, T. M, ,nlil. a visit to "A display
WV W. " a.. .,,,. ,ot.,,ho ,,,,ns r.r.ors
" way "N',' -" .., a,,,, H., e,,rr,,o. Tor living
'"' 81
oxr pAq.fryT,S DELrSIoN
80 mn, - , >.