The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1894-05-10
A COLONY OF MERCY.
1ne wonderful German Prototype of En-
glands First Epileptic Settlement.

~A.o "onuerful German Prototype of En-
glands First Epileptic Settlement.
Sklpping's farm is to be the site of
the hrst English epileptic settlement
settlement, that is, whose patients
Will lind in work of some sort the main
cure Or alienation at least, for their
ailments of mind and body. The idea
OF such a settlement is by no means
new The first settlement or colony
OF the kind in Europe, or in the world,
was founded at Gadderbaum, near
Blelefeld, in Westphalia, more than
twenty years $50. Skipping's farm
colony will be established to some ex-
tent on the German model. The gen.
eral purpose of the national society
may be described, in Sir James Crich-
ton Brownies words, as 1.-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 contentment and improved
health, which are beyond all price"
IL VIII be unnecessary to begin the
colonyon grand scale. A colony of
should grow mainly by it's own re-
sources-should be nearly self-support-
ing. The Bielefeld colony began with
twentypatients, and is now a large,
well-blilt prosperous village of about
1.sag patents, with splendid workshops,
gardens and farms.
In the Bielefeld colony, of which
Skipping's farm colony is to be kind
of copy, all the epileptic patients do
something or other. These who are
tit for nothing else collect and assert
postage stamps, from the sale of which
the colony derives 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 self-supporting COM
munity of epileptic farmers, epileptic
tailors, epileptic bakers carpenters,
shoemakers blacksmiths, washerwo-
men, dress-malers, printers, etc. There
is no finer bakery in London than the
y
workshop, school-room, farm house,
dwelling house in the colony, and in
its large church as well, the touches
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. OF
course, those who are subject to fire.
vic &c 81 -,
positions where they cannot be con-
stantly watched. The Bielefeld colony
is one of the most pathetic sights in
the world. And yet how happy that
little town of epileptics really Isl 1t
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 sometimes falls down in a
fit, but his fits are never severe. He
knows when they are coming and he
has knack of clutching his letter bag
in the nick of time, so that when he
wakes up again. in half a minute or so
he may find his trust uninjured. These
epileptics build their own houses, til
their own fields, grow their own flow
ers, bake their own bread, black thei1
own boots, do their own washing
mending, darning, ironing, clip eacf
others hair, shave each others cheeks
and chins and watch over each other's
fits; in other words, they save tens O.
thousands of pounds which otherwise
would have to be spent on imported
labor and by doing their own work
they are following the very best mean.
of effecting their own cure. Occupa-
ton for body and mind-such is the
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 cpl
leptic patient is not necessarily mad
man. But many an epileptic patien
has been driven into insanity by en-
forced association with lunatics. The
number of epileptics in England il
estimated at about $50, 900; that is thu
estimate which has been given me, bu
l cannot just now vouch for its accu
racy. In any case the total must bt
very great. The colony at Skipping
farm, even if it ever becomes as grea
and flourishing as the Westphaliar
colony, can only shelter a small frac
ton of that immense multitude. Lon
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