St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-01-18
THE INSANITY LAW,

Again attention is called to the law of
this state relative to the commitment of
persons to the insane asylum in man
ner that should awaken such a public
protest as Will result in the abrogation
of the statute now existing and the sub
stitution of law more in harmony
with justice and nineteenth century
enlightenment.
AT Minneapolis the other day an effort
was made to commit lady to the St.
Peter asylum who was unQuestionably
as sane as those who complained of her
mental condition or the physicians who
examined and reported upon her case.
The only testimony given by the latter
was that she was quiet and tractable,
but complained of the conduct of her
husband toward her. From this state
Of affairs the physicians arrived at the
conclusion that her mind was disor-
dered, and recommended that she be
lncarcerated in the insane asylum. The
judge was not satisfied with this teSti-
mony, and ordered the woman brought
before him. 1t took but few moments
for the judge TO discover that she was
had undoubted reason to complain of
the treatment TO which she had been
subjected, and he ordered her discharge.
In doing so he took occasion to criticiSe
the new insanity law severely, declar-
ing it much worse than the old. Under
the old law examinations were in open
court, and a judge was obliged to be
present. Under the new, examinations
are held at the house, and the physi-
clans return their verdict to the Judge
to sign, when he has never seen the
patient. OF course. there is provision
under the new law that the Judge may
summon more witnesses if he thinks
proper, but as he has not seen the pa
tient how can be be advised of the eX-
pediency OF suce move. "Of course"
the judge added, 1.-The physicians are
honest in their verdict, but medicine,
much as 1t has progressed in other
branches, is as yet IN its swaddling
clothes as to insanity, and a layman is
almost as competent to judge as physi-
cian."
Many instances have come to light of
late years which prove that the commit
ment of sane persons to asylums is alto
gether too common. Mercenary motives
are sometimes at the bottom of these
outrages; matrimonial disagreements
frequently lead to their preparation. 1t
is perfectly natural that a woman
smarting under the Sights or indigni-
ties heaped upon her by faithless hus-
band should manifest many OF the
symptoms OF insanity. Even the strong
est of women become hysterical under
such circumstances, and say and do
things that would befit an insane person.
Yet they are not mentally unsound.
These manifestations more frequently
indicate more ccuyincingly their sanity
than the reverse, for all insane person
could not feel the indignities they suf-
fer so keenly. Physicians are sometimes
to blame for jumping at conclusions In
| such cases, and If the relatives are in
terested they cap easily railroad the
victim into the madhouse. If little
time was afforded, the patient would, in
many instances, if not in all. recover
her mental equilibrium completely, but
as long as she is kept under the strain
of persecution, even the solemn court
| proceedings add to her excitement.
Many women, and men, too, are &C.
centric or morbid, and sometimes make
themselves disagreeable to those about
them. 1t is favorite plan nowadays TO
| send all such to an insane asylum. Her
their malady increases rather than di-
miniSheS. and in the course of weeks or
months they develop well-defined symp-
toms of genuine insanity that would
never have manifested themselves but
| for their surroundings. Contact with
lunatics creates lunatics. Its not rare
occurrence for perfectly sane men and
women, placed in charge of lunatics. 10
develop symptoms of lunacy, and event.
ua!ly 10 become themselves of unsound
mind. How much more likely is it for
che incarcerated and in intimate hourly
contact with the demented to become
infected?
Judge Steele is entitled to the thanks
of the community for calling attention
to the glarlng defects of our present in
] sane law. His structures upon it are