588 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



were drawing nigh ; but lie labored on, modestly and devotedly, 

 apparently without a thought of the great political storm raging 

 about him. 



His first step was to throw overboard the whole theological 

 doctrine of " possession," and to discard utterly the idea that in- 

 sanity is the result of any subtle spiritual influence. He simply 

 put in practice the theory that lunacy is the result of bodily dis- 



It is a curious matter for reflection that, but for this sway of 

 the destructive philosophy of the eighteenth century, and of the 

 Terrorists during the French Revolution, Pinel's blessed work 

 would in all probability have been thwarted, and he himself ex- 

 communicated for heresy and driven from his position. Doubt- 

 less the same efforts would have been put forth against him which 

 the Church, a little earlier, had put forth against inoculation as a 

 remedy for small-pox ; but, just at that time, the great church- 

 men had other things to think of besides crushing this particular 

 heretic : they were too much occupied in keeping their own heads 

 from the guillotine to give attention to what was passing in the 

 head of Pinel. He was allowed to work in peace, and in a short 

 time the reign of diabolism at Bicetre was ended. What the 

 exorcisms and fetiches and prayers and processions, and drinking 

 of holy water, and ringing of bells, had been unable to accomplish 

 during eighteen hundred years, he achieved in a few months. 

 His method was simple : For the brutality and cruelty which had 

 prevailed up to that time, he substituted kindness and gentleness. 

 The possessed were taken out of their dungeons, given sunny 

 rooms for habitation, and allowed the liberty of pleasant ground 

 for exercise. Chains were thrown aside. At the same time the 

 mental power of each patient was developed by its fitting exer- 

 cise, and disease was met with remedies sanctioned by experi- 

 ment, observation, and reason. Thus was gained one of the great- 

 est, though one of the least known, triumphs of modern science 

 and humanity. 



The results obtained by Pinel had an instant effect, not only 

 throughout France but throughout Europe : the news spread 

 from hospital to hospital; at his death, Esquirol took up his 

 work ; and, in the place of the old training of judges, torturers, 

 and executioners by theology to carry out its ideas in cruelty, 

 there was now trained a school of physicians to develop science in 

 this field and carry out its decrees in mercy.* 



A similar evolution of better science and practice took place 

 in England. In spite of the coldness, and even hostility, of the 



* For the services of Tenon and his associates, and also for the work of Pinel, see espe- 

 cially Esquirol, "Des Maladies mentales," Paris, 1838, i, 35; and, for the general subject 

 and the condition of the hospitals at this period, see Dagron, as above. 



