The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-08-04
LUNACY ~ IRELA
Causes OF tho Growing Number Of Patients
In the AsyIums for the insane.

In the Asylums for the Insane.
DUBLIN. July 2e.-The lunacy question
in Ireland has lately received much stten-
ton. II has been asserted for q long time
that the people Of Ireland have been steadily
degenerating mentally. and that the mad
houses. which years ago were almost empty.
are now full to overlooking. Various
reasons have been given for this state OF
things, ranging from the persecution
practised by the landlord down TO the
abuse OF tea.
The writer has made Investigations in
most OF the county asylums and has made
inquiries among the people who could
throw light upon the matter. including
the doctors who look after the insane.
The information thus obtained indicates
that the people have lost their dread Of
the poorhouse and the mnatic asylum,
just as the English people have lost the
same dread. Twenty years 9 It was
considered a disgrace to have a relative
in either institution; now the feeling Of
disgrace has disappeared.
Therefore when the farmer becomes
too old to look after his property and sits
down in the chimney corner to smoke his
life away and to chat with himself during
tti0 PEOCo5u, LIE roub uCCtuO tuut hC 10
queer" or "of his head" and they have
him examined and sent 10 the asylum.
He is thus provided with good quarters
and they save the expense Of keeping him.
This 10 one reason for the fulness Of the
lunatio asylums .
Other reasons may be supplied by the
lunacy doctors and their desire 20 better
themselves and their brethren. Each ssy-
lum must nave one doctor for q certain
number Of patients. and a. the patients
increase 90 does the strength Of the medical
staf. Then a doctor having spent a short
time in an asylum and becoming unfit for
his work is pensioned OF for life. Ont re-
suit OF this is that the asylum doctors will
pass as insane anybody who exhibits signs
Of ecoentrioity. however Insignificant, the
main object being to employ a. man
medical men as possible. each OF whom
takes his pension when he considers that
his time has come.
As a matter Of fact. I find that the mad
house. which some time ago was dreaded
much more than the prison. 10 now pre-
ferred to the poorhouse. and tits asserted
tina IL a commission Of independent mental
experts visited the asylums and examined
the inmates q large proportion Of the pa
tents would be discharged a. not being
entitled to the hospitality Of the estab-
lishments. As for the great Central Grim
inal Lunatic Asylum outside Dublin, 1t 10
declared TO be a notorious fact that most
Of the inmates are sane.
To this asylum are sent prisoners con-
victed Of violence or murder when the
juries find that they were insane at the
time their crimes wero committed. Ihave
recently played cricket with those dan
gerous criminal lunatios" in the asylum
and oonversed with them. ! have found
much less rational men in the clubs and
streets Of Dublin.
The agrarian war in the country has
beer a long and serious one. and has no
doubt told upon a proportion Of the people
who were evicted or dreaded eviction; but
statements that Ireland Is fast turning
into a vast lunatic asylum must be taken
with a grain Of salt