68 TEE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



with his hostess, whom he accused of the most abominable outrages, 

 among them of pouring melted lead into his head ; while the woman 

 listened to his vagaries with a smiling and motherly calmness. The 

 poor man had become deranged after losing his wife, about ten years 

 before. 



The houses in which these patients were domiciled were all, even 

 the most humble ones, of comfortable capacity, light, airy, cheerful, 

 and well kept. Our general impression was that in some cases larger 

 or better-ventilated rooms might be desired for the indigent patients, 

 but that there was a general tendency toward improvement ; and that 

 this will come in time, by the force of circumstances, without its be- 

 ing necessary to make special new regulations. The clothing of the 

 patients appeared suflScient and suitable ; and their food was evidently 

 nothing else than the food of the family. It would be exaggeration 

 to say that perfection has been reached at Gheel, or that the medical 

 organization and surveillance are all that they should be. Criticism 

 is not out of place there, and there is room for reform. That very 

 great improvements have been made during the last thirty years may 

 be attested by reviewing the debates that have taken place in the 

 Belgian Chambers, since 1850, concerning the condition of the colony. 

 In one of the later discussions, M. Vleminckx said — and his remarks 

 apply to the present condition : " Can any one mention an establish- 

 ment that combines all the advantages to be found at Gheel ? There 

 is none such, and there can not be, for it is not enough to say, we 

 will go somewhere and get so many acres and establish a new colony. 

 No, no, more is needed than that. To make a colony like that of 

 Gheel, we must have inhabitants like those of that place, who will not 

 object to living a family life with lunatics, and who have accus- 

 tomed themselves to such a life from generation to generation for 

 hundreds of years." 



Dr. Peeters, who is thoroughly acquainted with the colony and its 

 needs, decslare that no fundamental modifications are required. The 

 system has worked for several centuries without trouble ; and only 

 minute improvements are wanted here and there in the machine as a 

 whole. The most important matter is to increase the number of 

 guards, who would now be wholly insufficient in case of any emer- 

 gency. The medical service also should be assured a sufficient com- 

 pensation to justify the doctors in giving up everything else, to devote 

 themselves wholly to their duties here. 



The principle that rules at Gheel is certainly more humane than 

 any that prevails in close asylums, but it is applicable only to particu- 

 lar forms of mental alienation. Provided the patients to be sent there 

 are judiciously selected, the possible inconveniences and abuses of the 

 family regime are a small matter compared with the advantages 

 which the lunatics may derive from it. Possibly some of the existing 

 little abuses will never wholly disappear ; but do not and will not such 



