Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1897-07-15
A BROKEN DOWN MAN.
BY WILLIAM A. HAMMOND. N. D. /
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T Had had busy day, and was look
ing forward with pleasure to the
close of my hours for consultation, when
distinguished journalist was an
nounced-one whom had long known,
and who had done al excellent piece of
work in showing how easy it was to
incarcerate a perfectly sane man in a
unatic asylum. His visits were always
pleasure to me, SO directed him to be
at once shown in. He entered laughing.
You have not yet got me into your
clutches" he said, though if I con-
tinue much longer in Washington as a
newspaper correspondent fear some
one of your long-named monstrosities
will fasten on what brain / may have
left. want you to let me bring brok
en-down man to see you. He is worm
out financially, socially, mentally, phys
ically, and every other way.
He cannot pay you cent, and prob
ably he will not even thank you for any
services you may render him. On the
contrary, he may do you an injury If he
can get good chance, solely for the
purpose of working evil. He used to be
prince among men. Now he is an en-
cumbrance on the public. His friends,
all but me, have long since abandoned
him to his vicious inclination for NOR
phia."
knew something of the depths of
degradation to which opium could bring
man or woman. knew that it abol-
ished the moral sense, SO that stealing,
lying and hypocrisy are practiced with
perfect equanimity by persons who have
formed the habit of using it; but
wreck so complete as j described
was, even In my experience, unusual. I
told him / would do what could for his
so-called friend, 2 and appointed three
o'clock the next day for the consulta-
tion. This was out of my Office hours,
for / wished to have plenty of time for
the study of the case, and perhaps for
initiating cure. I waited in my con-
sulting-room the next day till a quarter
past three, and then, as J. and his
disreputab1e friend did not appear, 1
went to the Army medical liorary and
was deep in number of French and
German medical journals when heard
J-'s voice at my shoulder.
Your man told me you were here"
he said, 80 hurried over to catch you.
OF course, the scamp disappointed me,
but am inclined to think that this time
twas not his fault; for if he is not sham
ming-and he is quite capable of that
he is probably dying. l want you to go
with me at once. / have got him in a
room adjoining my Office
''Now," said, when we were seated in
the carriage, ''tell me something more
about this man."
Il have known him." answered j,
after a moments reflection, "for about
year. He was practicing medicine in
New York when we first met, and
seemed to be occupying an excellent po-
sition. knew that he had some of the
best people for his patients, and that
he was man of wealth. He spent a
great deal of money in experiments and
in charity. was doing special work
for the Reformer at the time, and often
met him, dressed in shabby clothes,
prowling about the slums of New York
in search of objects of benevolence, or
for material for q work on sociology
Il at he was writing.
HE came to see me first" j went
on, ''in consequence of my successful
attempt, in connection with my jour-
nalistic work, to get myself shut up in
lunatic asylum as dangerous mad
man, in order that might ascertain the
truth or falsity of reports respecting
cruelty to patients. That experiment
seemed to rouse the most intense inter
est. He often mentioned the fact that
many persons slammed insanity, or
feigned other diseases, for the purpose
of accomplishing some end, OF simply
from an impulse to deceive.
sOf course know all about the malin-
gering of prisoners, soldiers, sailors and
others to avoid duty, or to escape pun
ishment; but he carried his views far
beyond that, and enunciated so many
original notions that found him not
only entertaining but instructive. He
appeared to enjoy my society, and con-
sequently we were very much together.
He has written good deal. and his
books and monographs are somewhat
known. Surely, you must have heard
Of DIR. Lanville?"
'sDr. Lanvillei" exclaimed. ''You
don't mean to tell me that your broken
lown friend is DIR. Lanville?"
Yes, do; but he has changed his
name and has dropped the doctor. Well,
TO go on. When was ordered here he
was greatly distressed, and announced
his intention of following me, not only
in order to be with me. but, as he said,
to work up some SUBJECTS he was study
ing and to avail himself of the libraries