The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-04-12


Music AZ N Cure for Insanity.
There is a society in New York known
as the St. Cecilia Guild, which advocates
the cure OF insanity by music The lead
ing alienists OF that city do not encourage
the plan. although it is not new by any
means and the theory that lunatics were
benefited by a concord of sweet sounds
was held as long ago as the fifteenth cen
fury. Charles Loomis Dana, the neurolo-
gist. says:
Il do not regard music a. a therapeutic agent in
any respect I have found that it attracts the at
/ tention Of degenerates and idiots. The life Of a
[ patient will sometimes be rendered agree
/ able by il. Just as it may he by 4 soft bed a
! wall papered with pictures. Music may soothc
| a lunatic, but 50 does a borsehair brush"
This seems to be. the view of most physi-
clans who have made a study of nervous
diseases. and none of them has expressed
the intention Of learning to play the piano
in order to utilize this means Of cure
There is undoubtedly something in the
idea, although insanity is so variable a
disease that the music cure would have to
be used with considerable skill and eau
]
by music especially certain tunes. It does
not take any great stretch of the magma
| ton to picture a poor mortal, condemned
to hear certain popular songs or vaudeville
/ hymns from morning till night eventually
| being carried to the nearest lunatic
I asylum. a hopeless maniac. 1t would be
interesting to know how many Of the
Objectionable characteristics of certain
fanatics are due to the music of which they
are fond. A combination of bloodthirsty
or sickly sentimental imagery, with a
melody like a very bad imitation Of rag
time, ought to account for a great deal of
what is euphemistically called total de-
pravity. There really is some connection
between the arts and morals of humanity
as well as between artistic and intellectual
development. and between brain power and
intelligent goodness. The human OOnsti-
tuition is so complex in its makeup that
physique, intellect, and morals are often
more or less interdependent.
1t follows. then, that whatever may be
the effect of music upon the insane the
substitution OF good music for the opposite
type may in some cases prevent people
from going crazy. 1t is not at all unlikely,
moreover, that this agency would be of
benefit to the patients Of an insane
asylum. The influence Of harmony over
sensitive nature is so great that it Will
soOthe tangled nerves. drive away melan-
cholia. and almost cure disease, and as
insanity is largely -a-natter-of the nerves.
it can be sasilYsseen that q. person Of this
type would take. comfort in listening TO
the notes of z. piano. violin, or small or
chestra. and might perhaps. even be cured
by this means, 1900
One OF the unhappy mistakes which were
made in past years in dealing with the in
sane was in eondemning them to an Idle
and vacant, if not solitary. existence. 1t
may be stated on general principles that
any human being child or adult. sane or
insane. good or bad, is better of for having
some sort of interesting occupation. The |
average sane person, if placed in an asylum |
full Of demeuted beings. with nothing to /
do but think Of himself and watch the /
vagaries of the other inmates. would be- /
come like his companions in misfortune. |
The effect OF large institution like this |
is so unfortunate that ii is not much to /
be wondered at that in many cases people /
prefer to incur the trouble and risk Of |
keeping a dangerous lunatic at home, |
among his friends, rather than place him .
in an asylum. II might be very good 1
thing if large charitable institutions could
be broken up. and small buildings scat
tered here and there through the country.
and filled with groups Of people who
might be in one way or another congeaial
Human nature was never intended to be
taken care Of in platoons.