The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-06-15
TOWN Of CRAZY FOLKS
In lndo-China There Is Such
an Anomaly.
THREE HUNDRED FAMILIES
Curious Methods of 0etermin-
ing Insanity.
THREE HUNDRED FAMILIES

New York, June 1.-THE World says:
In Indo-China is the only village OF mad
men in the world. The village. which IL
called Ban-Keune. is composed OF some
three hundred families. is highly organ
lied as . community. is industriously
prosperous and pays yearly a goodly
tribute to France. Yet it has not sin
gle sane inhabitant
Admission 10 Ban-Keune IS. ii must be
confessed. trying affair. No mere vic
TINS OF melancholia, OF shattered
nerves" OF hypochondria or any OF the
similar ailments so fashionable In the
opposite quarter OF the world are granted
dwelling place in this most exclusive OF
towns.
To enter IL one must be downright
mad-or. as the natives call It, "pl2o2."
The conception of insanity prevailing in
this part of the world is not that of
disease, but OF possession" There
fore IL an inhabitant OF this region, rs Is
frequently the case. displays halluciua-
tons or conducts himself in a fashion not
consistent with Indo-Chinese etiquette.
his neighbors take II upon themselves TO
determine whether any malign spirit PES
sesses HMM other words. whether he
is "pipop." And this is the way II is
done:
The unfortunate person. whether IL be
man, woman or child, that has fallen un-
der suspicion of possession is made the
subject of ceremony on the banks OF the
River Namngume participated IN by hun
dreds of persons gathered together from
all the country for miles about. The vic
TINS hands and feet are first bound by
the native priest, who is the master OF
ceremonies.
Absolutely helpless from this time on,
the supposed maniac in spite OF his cries
and struggles. is cast into the river. II
is firmly believed by the natives that
supernatural agencies then reveal the
victims true state. II he IS genuinely
''pipop' he sinks to the bottom OF the
river and stays there until he is rescued.
revived and formally committed TO the
famous village of madmen. On the other
hand, If he is not possessed he rises
again like an ordinary drowning person
to the top of the river. where he Is more
easily rescued and then set free.
Probably no secret society in the world
has so severe or dangerous an initiation
as this. Yet so conscientiously is Il per-
formed and so carefully are the half
drowned victims watched and rescued
that the immersion. It IS said. never
proves fatal. Nor has the Justice OF the
performance ever been questioned.
And possibly. after all. the sink-or-swim
method OF testing mental alienation may
be in the long run fully as reliable as
that IN which courts. doctors. experts and
has been no revolt against It. at all
events.
So generally topsy-turvy are the condi-
tons in the Laos, that portion of Indo-
China through which the NamnEume river
flows, that only acknowledged nnaniacs
live in any sort Of social relation with
each other. The majority Of the people
lead solitary life, dwelling at the most
in groups OF twos and threes.
Ban-Keune, with Ats three hundred
families. Is therefore the most densely
populated spot in the country. It's inhab-
itants cultivate to their hearts delight
the idiosyncrasies which have served 10
commit them. And they not only live
peaceably, but fan in love. marry and
have children, who in most cases are
even more eccentric than their parents.
Nobody ever RECEIVERS or is discharged"
they remain "pipop" to the end Of their
days.
Ban-Keune residents suffer no social
stigma Nationality Is so infrequent in
this curious country and partial madness
50 common that almost everybody has
at one time or another been a candidat.
for admission to the mad village No
stones Of contempt are thrown. because
everybody who might be critic lives
himself in a glass house.
Indeed. it is rather an advantage ana
distinction 10 have been pronounced gen
timely 'pipop.' ss the certificate insures /
lifelong protection from the other mem !
beers Of the ''pipop" clan.