Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1894-05-08

eral purpose of the national society may be described, in Sir James Crich- ton Browne's words as "the establish ment of colonies which will be busy little hives of industry, with two sorts of products-the fruits of the earth and manufactured articles for sale and mental contentrnent and improved health, which are beyond all price" :" It will be unnecessary to begin the colony on grand scale. A colony of this kind, to be at all successful, should grow mainly by it's own re- sources-should be nearly self-supportr ing. The Bielefeld colony began with twenty patients, and is now large, wel1-built prosperous village of about 1,500 patients, with splendid workshops, gardens and farms.
 In the Bie1efeld colony. of which Skipping's farm colony is to be kind of copy, all the epileptic patients do something or other. These who are fit for nothing else collect and assort postage stamps, from the sale of which the colony derives a considerable reve- nue. The head of the stamp office is acknowledged to be one of the highest authorities on stamp values in Ger many. He showed me some of his rarest treasures; their prices were sim. ply astounding In word, the colony at Bielefeld is a self-supporting com. munity of epileptic farmers, epileptio tailors, epileptic bakers, carpenters, shoemakers, blaeksmiths, washerwo men, dress-makers, printers, etc. Thers Is no finer bakery in London than the epileptic bakery in Bielefeld. In every workshop sehool-room, farm house. dwelling house in the colony, and ip its large church as we'll, the couches are ready for the reception of any workman or workwoman. worshiper, scholar, inmate, who may drop down in the midst of his or her duty ot course, those who are subject to fre' quent and violent fits are not put in positions where they cannot be con' stantly watched. The BieIefeld colony is one of the most pathetic sights iu the world. And yet how happy that little town of epilepties really is! IL is marvellous; and the secret of it is- work, the kind of work that each can do best, and even then no more of it than is good for him or her. Some, who are good for nothing else, carry messages
 An old baron acts as colonial post man. He some times falls down in 8 fit, but his fits are never severe. He knows when they are coming and ha has knaclx of clutching his letter bag in the nick of time, so that when he wakes up again, in half minute or so, he may find his trust uninjured. These epileptics build their own houses till their owu fields, grow their own flow. CTS, bake their own bread, black their own boots, do their own washing, mending. alarming, ironing, clip each others hair. shave each others cheeks and chins and watch over each other g l fits; in other words, they save tens ot thousands of pounds which otherwise would have to be spent on imported labor and by doing their own work 1 they are following the very best means l of effecting their own cure. Occupa- ton for body and mind--such is the secret of the marvellous success of that unique colony at Bielefeld. The too common practice in England of send ing epileptic patients to lunatic asy' lums is as stupid as it is cruel. An epi- leptic patient is not necessarily mad man. But many an epileptic patient has been driven into insanity by en- forced association with lunatics. The number of epileptics in England is estimated at about 150 900; that is the estimate which has been given me, but 1 cannot just now vouch for its aecu' racy. In any case the total must be very great The colony at Skipping farm. even if it ever becomes as great and hourishing as the Westphalian colony, can only shelter 8 small frac tion of that immense multitude. Lon don News.