126 I N S A 
No conceffions however humble, nor complaints, nor 
threats, were allowed to interfere with the obfervance of 
this law:, the guilty was inftantly diliniffed from the fer¬ 
vice. It might be fuppofed, that to fupport a fyftem of 
management fo exceedingly rigorous, required no little 
fagacity and firmnefs. The method which he adopted 
for this purpofe was fimple, and I can vouch my own 
experience for its fuccefs. His fervants were generally 
chofen from among the convalefcents, who were allured 
to this kind of employment by the proSpeCt of a little 
gain. Averfe from active cruelty from the recollection 
of what they had themfelves experienced; difpofed to 
thofe of humanity and kindnefs from the value which, 
for the fame reafon, they could not fail to attach to them ; 
habituated to obedience, and eafy to be drilled into any 
taffies which the nature of the fervice might require ; 
fuch men were peculiarly qualified for the fituation. As 
that kind of life contributed to refeue them from the in¬ 
fluence of fedentary habits, to difpel the gloom of folitary 
fadnefs, and to exercife their own faculties, its advantages 
to themfelves are equally apparent and important. 
“ The great fecret of mattering a maniac under an un¬ 
expected paroxyi'm without doing him injury or receiving 
violence from him, confifts in going up to him boldly 
and in a body. Convinced of the inutility of refiftance, 
and impreffed with a degree of timidity, the maniac thus 
furrounded will often Surrender without further oppo- 
fifion or r'eluCtance. An instrument of offence will, 
however, fometimes arm him with extraordinary refo- 
lution. A madman Shall be fuddenly feized with a pa- 
roxyfm of phrenitie delirium, with perhaps a knife, or a 
ftone, or a cudgel, in his hand at the time. The go¬ 
vernor, ever faithful to his maxim of maintaining order 
without committing aCts.of violence, will, in defiance of 
his threats, go up to him with an intrepid air, but flowly 
and by degrees. In order not to exafperate him, he 
takes with him no offensive weapon. As he advances, he 
fpeaks to him in a firm and menacing tone, and gives 
his calm advice, or iffues his threatening fummons, in 
fuch a manner as to fix the attention of the hero ex- 
clufively upon himfelf. This ceremony is continued 
with more or lefs variation until the affiftants have had 
time, by imperceptible advances, to furround the maniac, 
when, upon a fignal given, he finds himfelf in inftant 
and unexpended confinement. Thus a feene which threat¬ 
ened fo much tragedy, generally ends in an ordinary 
event. The fituation of the madman at the time mult 
determine the choice of different means of arreft. A 
piece of iron of a femicircular form, with a long handle 
attached to it, and adapted by its convexity in the mid¬ 
dle for its intended purpofe, is fometimes found of great 
fervice in the mattering of maniacs, by forcing them up 
to a wall, and incapacitating them in that pofition for 
ufing their hands. In other cafes, when with impunity 
they Can be more nearly approached, a piece of cloth 
thrown over their face fo as to blind them, will enable 
their keepers to fecure them without much difficulty. 
By harmlefs methods of-this description, a maniac may 
be Sufficiently repreffed, without fubjeCling him to the 
danger of a wound, or the indignity of a blow. Of this 
mode of coercion, the former governor of Bicetre adopted 
entirely the reverie. During his fuperintendence, the 
refraftory were abandoned to the unreftrained cruelty of 
the domeStics. Confident with their policy, the great 
objeCt was to bring the unruly maniac to the ground by 
a brutal blow : then one of the other keepers or fervants 
inttantly jumped upon' him, and detained him in that 
pofition until 'he was Secured, by prefling his knees 
againtt his chelt and Stomach—a procefs by which that 
important part was frequently crushed and injured. I 
cannot fpe.ik without horror or the barbarous methods 
for the repreflion oS maniacs, vtr.ich are Still employed at 
fome hofpitals, and which I know to he in too many, in¬ 
stances the caufe of a premature death.” 
Stach cruelties are Sometimes revenged in a manner Still 
N I T Y. 
more horn'd. The following cafe is related by Mr. Haf- 
3 am:—T. C. had remaine'd many years in the hofpital 
on the incurable establishment. He had been a fchool- 
mafter at Warrington in Lancashire, and was a man of 
acutenels and extenfive mathematical learning. As lie 
became very furious on the attack of his maniacal dif- 
order, he was placed in the Lunatic Afylum at Man¬ 
chester, where he killed the perfon who had the care of 
him, by Stabbing him in the back with a knife. The 
following is the account he gave me of that transaction, 
and which I immediately committed to paper, as it con¬ 
veys a ferious and important leSfon to thofe who are 
about the perfons of the infane. It ought to be more 
generally understood that a madman feldom forgets the 
coercion he has undergone, and that he never forgives an 
indignity. 
“ The man whom I Stabbed richly deferved it. H® 
behaved to me with great violence and cruelty; he de¬ 
graded my nature as a human being; he tied me down, 
handcuffed me, and confined my hands much higher 
than my head with a leathern thong; he Stretched me on 
a bed of torture. After fome days he releafed me. I 
gave him warning; for I told his wife I would have juf- 
tice of him. On her communicating this to him, he 
came to me in a furious paffion, threw me down, dragged 
me through the court-yard, thumped on my breaft, and 
confined me in a dark and damp cell. Not liking this 
fituation, I was induced to play the hypocrite. I pre¬ 
tended extreme forrow for having threatened him, and, 
by an affectation of repentance, prevailed on him to re- 
leafe me. For feveral days I paid him great attention, 
and lent him every affiftance. He feemed much pleafed 
with the flattery, and became very friendly in his beha¬ 
viour towards me. Going one day into the kitchen, 
where his wife was bufied, I faw a knife: (this was 
too great a temptation to be refitted;) I concealed it, and 
carried it about me. For fome time afterwards the fame 
friendly intercourfe was maintained between us; but, as 
he was one day unlocking his garden-door, I feized the 
opportunity, and plunged the knife up to the hilt in his 
back.”—He always mentioned this circumstance with pe¬ 
culiar triumph, and his countenance (the moft cunning 
and malignant I ever beheld) became highly animated at 
the conclufiott of the Story. 
Mr. HaSlam’s mode of treatment will give the humane 
reader much pleafure in the perufal: “'Speaking of the 
effeCts of management on a very extenfi.ve fcale, I can 
truly declare, that, by gentlenefs of manner and kindnefs 
of treatment, I have Seldom failed to obtain the confidence 
and conciliate the efteem of infane perfons, and have fur^ 
ceeded by thefe means in procuring from them refpeCt 
and obedience. There are certainly fome patients who 
are not to be trufted, and in whom malevolence forms 
the prominent feature of their character : fuch perfons 
Should always be kept under a certain restraint, but this 
is not incompatible with kindnefs and humanity. For 
fourteen years I have been daily in the habit of vifiting 
a very considerable number of madmen, and of mixing 
indiferiminateiy among them, without ever having re¬ 
ceived a blow' or personal infult. During this time I 
have always gone alone, and have never found the ne¬ 
cessity for the afliftance or protection of a keeper. The 
luperintendant of the Bicetre, according to Dr. Pinel’s 
account, is ufually attended by his keepers, though he is 
faid to poffefs ‘ vine fermete inebranlable; un courage 
raifonne, et foutenu par des qualites phyfiques les plus 
propres a rmpofer; une Stature de corps proportionnee, 
des membres pleins de force et de vigeur, et dans des 
mermens orageux le ton de voix le plus foudroyant, la 
contenance la plus fiere et la plus intrepide.’ Not being 
myfelf endowed with any of thefe rare qualities; carrying 
no thunder in my voice nor lightning in my eye, it has 
been requisite for me to have recourfe to other expe¬ 
dients. Tn the firft place, it has been thought proper to 
devote fome time and attention to difeover the character 
of. 
