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Miscellany: Insanity

Miscellany: Insanity image
Parent Issue
Day
3
Month
February
Year
1845
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

The following extract froin the annual report of tlie Physician of the Vermont Lunatic Asylutn will interest and instroet raany of our readers: None but those who have learned by sad experience are a ware of the difficultie of managing the insane in a private farnily. The insrme conceive that they have claims upon their friends, and it they are not aided by tliem in their wild and unreasonabie plans, they are apt to look upon them with suspicion, and frequently with hatred. Henee the dislike and complete ennn'ty, which they frequently cherish towards those whom they had most loved. And all the watchful solicitude and kindassiduilies tha-t friends can afterwards bestow upon them are suspected and misconstrued. But when. placed in a public Asylurn, they cheerfully subtnit to the rcgulations which govern their litlle community, and irequently become sincorely attached to those from whom they have received kindnessand attention. We have in the Asylum an incurable case of a young man about thirty years of age, who has been insane for ten years. He has been under the care of different persons, who had made him as comfortableas could be expected out of a public Asylum. The last year his mother took him home and had him chained to the floor, being the only situation in which it was safe for her lo take care of him; and manifested for him all that sympathy which none but a mother ieels, and bestowcd upon him all that kind assiduity which none but a mother would perform. But all her kindness, attention and sympathy was misconstrued by her unhappy son, and lus condition was made more miserable than when taken care of by strangers. After remaining in this situation one year, he was ünchained and brought to this Asylum, abou -four months ago. From the time of his admission, he has worn no article of re straint, has destroyed no property, ha assisted on the farm, has associated with the rest, and is now comfortable and hap py. It is of the fïrst importanco thnt the friends of the insane should place them in an Asylum in the first stages of tho dis ease. The prospect of their recovery is in an inverse ratio of the duration of their insanity. It also requires a much langer time to restore an old case, when it is curable than a recent case requires. The expen ses. of course are much greater. A re gard to economy. therefore, as well as to a prospect of cure, requires, that the in sane should be placed in a proper Asylun in the eommencement af ihe dfsease. We would not Iiowever, disepuragp Ihose wish to mak o a trial for th restoration of ' their ihsane fr.iends. Welave had several patients who had been asane six, eighl, and even ten years, who ecovered. But the proportion of these ases is stnall. We should ahvays. remember ihat while there á life there is íope, and no efTorts should be spared to estore the patiënt, however discouraging he ease muy appear. Several have reovered, whose casos at the time of their admission appeared entirely hopeless.- n September, 1840, a lady who had ap)crently passed into a demented state, vas brought to this Asylum. Her friends id not expect her restoration, but suposed sho would be mucli more comíbrtable ín an Asylúm than in any other lacc. During the first two years after íer admission, our efforts seemed unavailng. The third year her improvemént vas slow but gradual, and at the end of he third year there were decided proofs of her convalescence. Sho remained vith us until February, 1844, a term of hree years and five months, and then reurned to her family perfectly restored. - Fhere were seven or eight years of her nsanity of which she has now no recolection. She continúes well, and her mind has now all the energy and vigor vhich it possessed belbre she was insane. Iad she been removed f rom the Asylum, is is too frequent! y the case, at the end of hree, six, or twelve months, she would undoubtedly have remained insane tbr ife. Our accommodalions have been greatly mproved the past year. The enlargenient ot our building has furnished about sixty additional rooms. Our means of classification have also greatly increased. We can divide each sex into six separate classes, and adapt the treatment according 0 their several conditions. We ahvays cndeavor to place those patients together which shall be of mutual benefit or at eastshall not be injurious to each other. Tliis classifying of the patients according to their condition, greaily tends to créate 1 self-respect, and awaken a desire for the good opinión of others. They are induced to exercise a degreeof self concontrol, ihat they ma y retain their placesor be prometed, which greally contributes to their recovery. It is a great object wiíh those who have the charge of the paüents, to keep their tninds agreenbly occupied on subjects disconnected wilh the subject of their delusions. For most of our patients, useful employments have better effect to restore the ]osl balance of the mind than those vvhich serve merely for amusement. - Olher exercises and amusements are great auxiliarles, and aid in their restoration. The. combined effect of boih is mych better than eilher, when enjoyed separately. Our male patients are employed in the garden, on the farm, in ihe carpenler's shop, in the shoe-shop, and in various other services about the premises. They also amuse themselves at the billiardtable, in the bowling-alley, at quoils, backgammon, cards, and various other amusements. They frequenlly walk abroad for exercise, and also to -fish, or view scènes of natural curiosity. Our female patients employ themselves according to their forme r educnlion, habits and tastes. Many of them assist in making clothing for themselves and the other patients, and in preparing bedding and olher articles for ihe house. They usually Hde every fair day, and walk in the su mm er season in the garden and about the premises, to gather flowers anc enjoy the cool shade. Some employ themselves in riding, painting, drawing, &c. and also in playing chess, backgammon, battle door, the graces, and othei amusements. Those who havo been accustomed to play'on the piano, beguile their time by playing on the same at the Asylum. Our library annually increases, and furnishes much reading matter for the patients. We have nearly five hundrec volumes. Our library hns been riëarly abandoned of late, for the newspapers we receive in exchange for our little paper, published at the Asylum called the Asylum Journal. We have more than two .hundred exchango newspapers, coming f rom the different paris of the Unitec States. The patients seek with great avidity those coming from the vicinity ol their late residence. I v.ouid take this opportunity to express our grate ful obliga tions to those who have sa generously sent their papers in exchnngo for our lit tle sheet. Could they witness.tha happi ness they confer on the unfortunate, they would feel abundantly rewarded for thei kind ness. Th publishing of the Journal ha greatly contnbuted to the employment comfort and restoration of our patients ít has furnished agreeable employmen to many. Several have recovercd while engaged in printing. Many havo been diverted from their delusions, while wri ting or lelectirig for the paper. Few canvrile, but inany can seject for the same. nd I know of nothiug better calculated o rouse the insane f rom their listless incfivity, or fix theattenlion from wande rng to different subjects, than writing or electing for a weekly periodical. The vriting and selecting the matter, the set"ng the type, the printing the papers, the biding and directmg them to their friends nd its patrons and exchanges, awakens n interest and furnishes a va ried amount f employment which is highly beneficial o the patients.

Article

Subjects
Signal of Liberty
Old News