390 



My. Bakewell on Lunatic Asylums. 



hicnt of tlicm, fts it rcirards llic cure, re- 

 quires tliat lliey should have niorr hhcrty, 

 ftnd be put upon more corporeal and 

 mental exertions, than they could jjos- 

 sihiy be intrusted v\ itii in society. Cer- 

 tain it is, tliat a removal from home and 

 the irritations of family intercourse, and 

 an experienced medical raid moral treat- 

 ment, arc very often absoinleiy neces- 

 sary to the cure in cases of n)ental de- 

 rangement; — and where arc lliosc so 

 likely to be found as i/i v. f II rejcnlated 

 luad-hon.-es? Certain too it. is, tiiat 

 somcthiu'^ is absolutely vioces:..''.ry as a 

 national n-icaf-ure, from tiie vast number 

 of incurabie lunatics, and the alarming; 

 increase of insanity, particularly anicug 

 <lie lower classes of society; for, thougli 

 it may not be possible to prevent ;lic in- 

 crease' of new cases, if i-n'.y, I think, be 

 ▼cry possible to reduce <lie number cfisi- 

 cnrabies to a mere triSe. MerJal dc- 

 iranpjenient, being no proof of the waut of 

 virtue, or the want of intellect, can be 

 no disgrace to the unfortunate individ'tal 

 who sutlers under it; but the gcneial 

 treatment of it, and the consequent 

 number of mcurablcs, I consider a« a 

 very great national disgrace, liierefo/c 

 "Tell it not in Gath," of the frightfrl 

 ninnUers that are at this moment kii- 

 gnishing in liopeless confinement r sin- 

 curable lunatics in this our land, for they 

 order tliese things better in other coun- 

 tries; and, in whr.t I woukl wish to re- 

 commend, I have no claim to the merit 

 of invention. I have only drawn simple 

 conclusions from the consideration of 

 plain facts. 



The reason wc know so little of the 

 particulars of treating insanity by the 

 antients, is no doubt owing to those who 

 underiook it as a profession, purposely 

 Concealing their nietiiods under the 

 cloak of mystery, for the sake of gi\ ing 

 tliem consequence; we learn Jor certain 

 that insanity did exist, was considered as 

 a curable disease, and that particular 

 places were famous for efleciing the cin-e. 

 ■W bite Hellebore is mentioned as having 

 been wonderfully cflTicacious, but that it 

 grew in perfection no whe-e so nnich as 

 in the two islands of A nticyra, and that 

 it was prepared too for use, in the great- 

 est perfection, by the physicians living 

 upon the islands, where it was mixed 

 ■with other (bugs, so that the medicine 

 administered was a compound, bearing 

 that name. — Now, there is good reason 

 for supposing, that the journey to the is- 

 land, the novelty of the scenery, the 

 salubrity of the air, and an experienced 

 ^oral treatment, contributed as much to 



a 



[Dec. i; 



the recovery, as the medicine used, 

 though mi dical treatment w.'is not neg- 

 lected, ^vhile the cure was solely attri- 

 bu(ed to the use of a drug that others 

 con id not use with safety. 



The priests of ancient Egypt under- 

 took to cure the most obstinate mental 

 diseases by the sole agency of super- 

 natural power, and we may well sup- 

 jjoso that tliese wily priests would be very 

 carcfid not to submit their god, Saturn, 

 to the exposure ari^illg from frequent 

 failures ; nor did they, for it appears that 

 their cflorts were so varied and judicious, 

 that recovery was brought to an almost 

 moral certainty. Their patients, or ra- 

 ther votaries, were kept under a very 

 strict regimen, and in a constant round 

 of active amusements; and wliatever was 

 calculated to allure the senses, or prove 

 incentives to rational pleasure, were 

 amply provided for them. To the effect 

 upon the imagination, occasioned by the 

 ceremonies of an imposing and pompous 

 superstition, were added every thing that 

 could delight the eye, or fascinate the 

 ear, — the sweetest music took prisoner 

 the captive sense ; the most magnificent 

 temples, adorned with costly ornaments, 

 and the most valuable of paintings, the 

 most enchanting gardens, lawns, and 

 graves, decorated with statues, Mater- 

 falb, and fountains, kept the wondering 

 thoughts in continual delight; while 

 sports and pastimes, dances and other 

 athletic exercises, left no space for 

 moping melancholy to exert its baneful 

 intluence. 



At Saragossa, which I am told is the 

 roost healthyand delightful part ofSpain, 

 there is an institution called, "City of 

 the World," indicating that the diseased 

 of all nations arc admissible: it is a very 

 large enclosure, containing farms, and 

 vineyards, and olive grounds, and gar- 

 dens, and workshops, of all descrijjtions; 

 and the iimiates, instead of being closely 

 confined in a state of total inactivity, aie 

 put as much as possible to some useful 

 emj)loyment, untler the care of proper 

 keepers; we arc told by Penel, that in- 

 curable lunacy among tlie working 

 classes is s^;arccly heard of. In an institu- 

 tion consfitntod with so much wisdom in 

 other respects, we cannot suppose that 

 medical treatment is neglected ; I should 

 suppose too that none are retained after 

 being pronounced incurable ; if they are, 

 it is so far a defect that must do injury to 

 the curative means. Earl Gower, who 

 is now upon the Continent, has made me 

 a promise to obtain all the particulars of 

 this uoblc institution; and, as Joboi Bui! 



is 



