The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1899-05-10
Every Fifth Person In the Place Is a LunatIc,
but All Are at Liberty.
METHODS OF TREATMENT ARE SIMPLE
Kindness and Occupation Are The Only Remedies
Employsd, and Their Efficiency Is Proven bI
The Many Cures That Are Effected.

Gheel. Near Antwerp, May 3.-Every
fifth person in this lively market town
of 10000 inhabitants is a lunatic, yet a
tolerably observing person may remain
here week without even suspectng
the great enterprise carried on-the
wholesale treatment OF insane by the
simplest and most natural methods,
guaranteed TO be effective by five cen
turtles OF good results.
Gheel men and women are born mad
house Keepers and the youngsters take
TO the task OF managing. employing and
amusing maniacs as naturally as 10
their native diet of potatoes. bacon and
coffee. In fact. TO give up part of ones
house or bedroom accommodations 10
crazy strangers is as much OF an indus
try here as agriculture, tanning and
cloth and sabot making. And no won
der. for the town owes its origin to the
mother protectress OF the mentally dis
eased. ST. Dympna. who has had
shrine on the spot where the city stands
since times immemorial.
The burgomaster says that long be-
fore the present town was thought or,
in the thirteenth century, bishop or
Antwerp recommended pilgrimage TO
the saints tomb-then situated I'm
waste country--as a means OF securing
HOly INlnDild lllltINtSSioll ibI
relatives and friends at the throne OF
tine Almighty. The mother protectress
seems TO have worked many miracles
in those days, but. as "A general thing,
took her time about them.
The pilgrims, agreeable to the bish-
ops injunction. had TO smain with
their charges In the neighborhood untli
a cure was effected, and waited often
months and years, in some ca ses whole
iiifetl4aG-Thus temporary settlement
grew up around the shrine. then viii
,age. The latter has developed into
town whose community achieved fair
success in various industries. yet with
al stuck 10 the occupation OF the EARL,
est settlers.
The Gheelers are the real medicine
men i'm this mental health resort today,
as their ancestors were before them,
but they succeed, Notwithstanding, they
remain simple minded peasants as of
old. Common sense is their strong
point. and medical science SO much out
of their line that there are not more
than two native doctors in the place.
p on the other hand, they pride them
selves on two never-failing household
remedies, simplicity and patience.
As 20 each family's specially. there
are the Steens for instance. For the
past two or three centuries they have
made a speciality Of taking care of epi-
leptics, the experience gained I'm the
treatment descending from father tc
son. They could give points TO many
a college professor. The Nrooms are
just as we'll up i'm mania OF persecution
as tho Steens are I'm the other branch
of suffering. And so IL Is with the Van
Zakens. hereditary attendants on de-
lirium tremens, the Brealmonts. the
Bergeres, the Boulangers Bruits and
Maasns. who have q reputation for
managing victims OF menancholia. mo-
nomania OF fear. or suspicion. or pride.
and of emotional madness, respectively.
But while all Gheelers are professions
al madhouse keepers. more or less, none
are allowed TO engage In this business
exclusively each family. no matter how
high it's reputation In any special
branch may be. receiving only as many
boarders as their house can hold with
out being turned into an asylum. Every
crazy man. woman or child living in the
shadow OF Saint Dympna's shrine must
work with his or her hands or go TO
school. respectiN ely That is one of the
conditions Of their acceptance.
1t is, moreover, an integral part of
the Gheel treatment. Complete absence
OF coerciVc measures, plenty or good,
nourishing food. fresh air and sunshine.
and temperance are the other remedies
prescribed and Insisted upon. But all
rules are enforced i'm the gentlest man
ner. Friends" or "innocents' must
never be irritated, else cure becomes
impossible, and the peasant doctor who
harhors them loses caste with his fell
lows. As a further consequence the
authorities Immediately shut down on
his supply Of boarders.
The entrance OF q lunatic iuto a Gheel
family Is marked 10y a feast 4 tablet
with the word welcome" i'm glaring
oolors is hung over the street door. and
all members OF the household dress in
their best paterfamilias. styled Dom
tuncle) for that occasion. introduces the
newcomer as n distant relative. cousin
or brother. and the reunion is celebrat-