Year: 1874

A correspondent of the San FreneiscC
Chrontcte having visited the CalifOrni;
State Insane Asylum, at Stockton, thu
sketches some of the inmates:


Passing through ward after ward, seeing
on the right and left vacant faces, ant
faces in which no peculiar appearance
could be observed by the practiced eye
unlocking and locking heavy doors, the
reporter and the guide reached the cour
IN which, summing themselves, were about
10 crazy men. That heart must indeed
be hard one that failed to be deeply
touched by the sight of all of these un.
happy ones who, destitute of the light Ol
reason, have been set apart from the
world. Standing, walking, sitting, run,
ming, lying down, their occupations, att.
tudes, and motives were as varied as TIT
methods" of their "madness." Some
sat qUetly on the ground in the sun or
shade. while others were running rapidly
about the enclosure. Under an awning
three or four were playing cards, theiI
stakes being small pieces of tobacco. A
griZzled man, who said with a lOrdly all
that he was King William of Prussia, his
head and clothing decked with woolen
strips, hung about the entrance of the
court, informing all within hearing that
he wouldn't 90 to Napa, and that this was
his dominion, where he meant to stay. In
an open building, with benches around its
sides, half dozen were eagerly reading
the leading California and literary papers.
while the benches were occupied for the
most part by men who seemed wrapt in
thought.


DIGGER INDIAN


walked back and forward in shady cor
ner, cleHching his fists, making most hide
Gus grimaces, and occasionally breaking
forth into low cry. A quiet man called
the reporter aside and said, Tell the pO-
lice TO come here after me, for can't get
OUT


Here a middle-aged Mexican was chant
ing, not unmusically, the Roman CathO-
lie Church service for the dead, and there
a man, with face inflamed with anger,
shouted that. he was being poisoned by
the DOCTORS" A young man was lying
on the ground near the card-players cry
ing as though his heart was breaking, and
walking by him, and almost stumbling
over him, was a negro who never ceased
to invoke curses on some unknown per-
sOnages. A few were gathered together
in groups, but they talked but little One
was looking through a knOt-hole in the
gate out into the world; day after day he
goes there as soon as he reaches the ward,
and remains until he has to return to his
room, never speaking, always looking for
some one who does not come. On the
right hand, one whose appearance gives
not the least evidence of insanity, asks
the reporter if he is Socrates, and on the
lefta tall man wells, IL am the living God
this world is mine, and | will destroy it
utterly"


A CHINAMAN


lies on the ground untormented by his as
sociates; a negro breaches at the top of
his voice TO an inattentive audience. and
among them all half a dozen attendants
are continually moving, now with word
quieting one man, and now leading anOth-
er to his room. 1t is difficult to realize
that all here are insane, and harder still to
how, destitute of their reas-
oning faculties, all of them with some false
or exaggerated ideas, they can associate
with one another without danger. Yet
this is but one of several Enclosures in
which the maniacs assemble together
daily. 1t is a curious fact that not only is
it common 20 find patients in such an inSti-
tuition who are aware of the unsOundneSS
of the minds of these about them ard treat
them with a proper tenderness and COM
passion, but there are many who will con-
cede that they themselves are subject to de-
lusiOnS, and do not murHur at their con-
tinement here; while there are still others
who defend the sOundness of some prepOS-
ferrous theories, and, admitting they are
no. in accordance with the opinions of
the world, maintain that it is unjust to
class them as lunaticS for believing as
they do.


THE DANGEROUS PATIENTS.


From the Fairgrounds of the inoffensivc
the party went to the ward of the danger
Gus insane, where are confined those of
hOmicidal or suicidal propensities, meE
who are dangerous to themselves or to
others, the class who are properly denom-
mated madmen." These men are in a
ward by themselves, and require more at
tendants or keepers to protect them from
and each other. Many are not
permitted to leave their rooms when others
are in the ward hall but for the most part
they are allowed to roam at will within the
limits of their own apartment. But only
a single glance seems to show the visitor
the class of insane men before him. They
are all in straight-jackets, or have their
limbs so secured as to make it impossible
for them to commit any acts of violence.
The time when dangerous madmen were
reduced to subsection by blows, starvation
and ill-treatment has passed; and now, i'll
stead of the heavy chains,


''Tra ling in rugged ruthless twist,


Down 10 the ankle from the wrist,


Thence gliding like a living thing,


To grapple with an iron ring,''


those to whom restraint is necessary have
their arms encased in leather muffS so
secured that they cannot be re-
moved, and yet intlict no pain on their
or their wrists are held in


LOCKED LEATHER HANDCUFFs,
around their waist. The bands about the
feet of the most violent, too, are of strong
leather. No chains whatever are used. but
perfect safety is insured; for these men are
unlike criminals-destitute of reason,
and the knives, which could speedily free
them. are kept out of their reach.


The unaccustOmed sight of a new face
among them attracted at once the atten-
ton of these men, and two attendants sta
toned themselves behind the supervisor
and the reporter. Half dozen of them
followed from one end of the ward to the
other and back, but with a single excep-
ton, no demonstration was made. One
man became much excited, but he was
calmed by the attendants. Sullenness was
the expression of most of them, but in
some faces there was that awful, indescrib-
able ferocity, that savage, hungry, animal
look which madmen alone have. The re-
porter could not remain long here. The
presence of strangers eXcites these patients
to such degree that few are permitted to
see them, and before the Chronicle man
left yells and curses filled the hall, and sew
eral who had been before walking about
were removed to their rooms.


THE DEMENTED,


having a court to themselves, are those who
have totally lost their sense and reason.
They are utterly imbecile, without the
faintest glimmer of reason, and are as help
less as babes. They eat their food when it
is placed before them, eat it like animals
but they are incapable of asking for it if it
were not furnished them. In all their
functions they are not above the beasts of
the field. Many of them have no use OF
some of their organs or limbs, and the ma
iority Of them never saw the light OF rea-
SON language is almost unknown TO them.
! hanks TO the care which they receive,
their appearance eXcites no disgust in the
minds of the visitor profound pity is the
only emotion that fills the heart at a sight
of them.


THE CONvALESCENT WARD
tho los pf,a r-ici.11 HarA ara fhnEn