THE TOWN BOARD AND THE LUNATIC ASYLUM.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 187, 21 June 1862, Page 5

THE TOWN BOARD AND THE LUNATIC ASYLUM.

i To the Editor of the Qtago .Daily Times. „...., ■ Stii^— The treatment of lunatics is asubject which , has been occupying the-winds of the .Victorian publiclafcoly.to a very greatextont/causedprincipally bythe' -Superintendent" of. tlie'Ysrra-Bdnd'liunatic' AsylUm; .prosbc"ut ng *t]ie""editbi'1 of th'e'/tav/ui for'lib'el' The1 "discipsmies n^ade at th.e'trial certainly were of a nature' ! which.' wpuld^jfor tlie sake.' 'of D}:.. .Bowie, have, been ; much" he tier tp be privately hnriei.in the,depths.of the ■evefrflofling.Yaira. MeJicaJ jnsn.gave theUropinions 'to the e£ ect thatliarsli.measures weremore .likoly-to-prolong ;he disease of insanity than to 'eifeota cure ; but^iii estromt cases> x st was'necessary" to -use a liitle restraint, to'prevent patients from injuring themselves ■or 'ptherk' 'lieing'-'accustomed * to-' visit a" "Lunatic' ■ Asylum b6easion4Hy (not inahy thbusari'd .'mile's froiii D.unecjinh,' I fouuet ampngst.th'e patients tlierc several whoVere jn^ane. 011 a fp_ vv subjects only, and, of course, perfectly! sane on all,others.. ~The.,following anecdotev ■mayjproye. interesting,to some.of j'onr- town. readers:—. "A ntiinbei' of the .patients-, (some -of-wjipm-were very insane), .would .assemble .oh every .Monday,? and \forhi thems.elves.juto r ii kind, of .meeting. Tiieyiaricieci they had the'full.contrpl ,Qf,.all the.s.ti^eta.andbye-., ways in and around .the pretty little, town of .Muddle-, :tdn ;-,jn fabt,' tlieycoiisii'iered" tliemselves 03 i'pwii! 'Conjicilljirs;* 'O;ie"o"f their numher occupied'the chair." One of tne^attcrfctants'usuatlyattehrled'to' ta,k'e'"nbtes of .the proceedings, anUrepott tFiesa'ftie to the Super'inte.iideqt, in order lhat he "-might see if the patients were inajung; any progress toward? recovery. On sorheoceasions.they would appcsif perfectly sane to a casual obseryerl On others, .theij. outbreaks of. passion -knew no Ijofinijls The .Superintendent, had. occasion to:adT-- ■ lainisteij some.. slight., chastisement to, the, yhoie.^ "'" body* j for carrying theiivabsurdities jipp far, the re-, 'sulfc/of which was that the'member)), on tlieir next mei|tijigirave(.\'aiid'stornied in a manner"whichTonly lunatics] call do''to sbcll''v>erft:cti'n'ri; The attendant' ; \vas rqttaldng- foi"' fear' of: his persoiiril': saf.Jty, 'atld one' of the in'Gmb'or* (a-most'tlan^errius ■ lunatic),' 'Bug-' gestedtaat heshpultl at once be kicked outyafe if was ■ erroneously stated tlmt hs fthe.ai;tenflant)jrepresented the, probeeduii;s, of. thsr meeting -in :a. false Ught.; Anotheri of.the patient;),, who. tous convo,lesccn.t,.' sug-r ."{■■'esteil'tiat-they shpul'd hii\t;,in\a; c.iyil manner, that, the '■'Sup.erintenclent oughi'to''. be.iishamed of himself, whicli'sjiggest;bn> to 'the great "delight' of "the attendant,' was' adopted. r However/ 'diifing^'tlie ■ remainder of" tlie day, the "patients ' were' 'in' a-mbst jjxcitablc' s'h'te.*' This .was' stated to be'oWin'g" '■ to ; aii ■ eciiiis'e-of • the■ moon -which: .took- place" a • lew1 ,'niglits" prevtouSi ■■ A .great-minibnr. of'tliosa unibr--tiiiiiitps |ancy/thc.y occupjdaud'round and about Mud-; dletoii, and will..often amqiifi'strtiiemselyes..concert -.plans;.to1 .inukd .roads.aa<! ol.ijer..iniprov.emfints.ad--.'jfliningf- their supp.oScd property, in,.©rdev, to .make it more yu'jtiable ; wiien such is the case, a child may go amp'n^.=t-'t!i(!m, for then'they' are perfectly harip'less.'' On .sevr-ral. oe'ea'sious1 the kjuporiutendehf'playfully .assert.them "wliat'^thoy iutundoil' floirig with" the ■phblic roarlsj rrs they'wanted repairing,"' and 'was. an-: -swercd withn slyness peculiar to parsons lof unsound 1 itellecfcjj "'Hint thty-had-no money to.spare.". On •another bcaision, some ofthfim-to'ok a notion-to get a fiiie .tootji comb for the .lisa of the members generally. After sohie discussion,.i.t wius agreoil to: get one, mid. the'.cler(£ was^desired. to write immediately,tp the K.orth• Bole, m\<l enquire tlie price of a'second-hand oner-.- I■'iriight give ,-j'ou amusing instances of this . kinii-;ad j lib., but poor creatures'; instead of laughing'at '.thehj nWurflittw,\"we''. o'ug-lit ' rathei'1 to :pity' them.' I be!i.3Teit i-Ttheiirtentioit'of " the powers that hs," jbo.Establish- a- Lunatic Asylum- in Diinediu li-i(by the bye it is 'badly wanted)/ I' would Yespeut.ully recommend that a suffitdentspaG9.be sot-aside forrecrea--■tion.' and that an oxperionce.iL, person.-,be appointeil. to comlupt.the.same, onß.who..wi.H l in. ey.ery'particular, allow the poor patient;? to.act.as.they please,, for, 'as , I said before. (and Ispealc from experience),.harsh or: sevwe iajeasu'ves'iu'the treatment of lunatics will iii—variably icausc an increase of insanity, instead of a' .'curej'.pn {proof- of which I need onlyreier -you to the Daily TimeSi »f the'-lTQiinstant;-; :." :.-;- ~: -'i ■: .-Apologisingfpr trespassing so far on your valuable.' .space,.- i—• > ;-'— > ';'.'■■■':■■.. r:~: \i " " '."" 1 .-'.--vj-' I:remain, &c.y:-" ■-■'.-. : •!"... . .'■':; .■.;:...., ../... Quiz.;". ; D.une:dio,,Ju,ne2ofch,.l3C2. . ..,;...; ;.."..