The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1896-11-11

of idiots but it should be understood
that these institutions generally de-
cline to receive the degraded class now
referred to. If anyone wants to see
these in all their degradation he will
find them in our pauper asylums. work
houses and other places Of refuge
With the higher class imbecile who
can be taught to earn bis own living,
or part of it, every care should he
taken to cultivate whatever mind he
has got. But with the degraded idiot
all attempts TO worry them-there is
no other name for It-into semi
consciousness, might very well be aban-
doned. I would point out to the phil
anthropist that it is a doubtful blessing
to these creatures to have their blunt
ed faculties sharpened. True it may
enable them to enjoy such animal
pleasures as are theirs more fully, but
1t also enables them to feel their suf-
ferings more acutely, and as their cap.
acity for enjoyment is limited in the
extreme, while their capacity for suf-
fering is unb0unded, | think every
thing Is in favour of vacuity.
Where, for example, is the sense in.
endeavouring to awaken glimmer Of
consciousness in creature so vacant
as to take no notice of blow in the
face with six inch bag of beans
" hich is highlyprized exercise in idiot
asylums. Can we, with acutely con-
scious suffering everywhere around US
look upon a trained, intelligent woman
spending hours daily throwing bag
of beans at o vacuous idiot, and call it
O wise, or even a rational proceeding.
In the end we are rewarded by know
ing that the poor idiot has learnt 10
ward off the blow from its face
with it's hands, much as de-
capitated frog tried to remove a
drop of acid from its side with its foot
hut where is the benefit 10 the world 2
What is the benefit to the individual :?
The vacuous dement's, of whatever age,
class with the idiots.
The chronic m melancholiac is a person
in continual pain and incapable of
pleasurable feeling: while the chronic
maniac is one having no pleasure and
frequent pain. These persons lives
are curse to themselves, and curse
of incessant suffering to their best
friends. When at length, they sue
cumb, all who cares for them
rejoice.
Of the last class those suffering from
painful, incurable disease, such as can
Ger, little need he said. Most people
car picture for themselves what the
latter end of such life is. The dis
eased one all object of honor and
loathing to those who love him. most
praying (when not stupetied with drugs
to deaden his pain) to God for relief in
death; while those around echo the
prayer in hiding, and become impa-
tient that their united prayers have
remained 80 long unanswered.
Such are those which we propose to
deal.
Now, with full appreciative sense
of the great responsibility such dec
laration entails, L would, i'm all lserious-
ness and reverence, advocate for. these
creatures the lethal chamber. Here
they would find that peace for which all
of them who have sufficient reason
plead. I may say that it is the almost
universal feeling of those who are
brought into contact with these suffer-
ers, that there should be power given
to some authority to release them and
my eXperience-and it has been large
among the relatives of such, assures
me that they would welcome with
thankfulness such painless emancipa-
ton for the blighted ones they love.
There is one argument to be advanc-
ed against my proposal, and only one.
That is "tbe sapctity Of human life"