The Pennsylvania Journal of Prison Discipline and Philanthropy (Vol. IV, No. II, April 1849)Philadelphia Society for Alleviating the Miseries of Public Prisons
History
The Pennsylvania Journal of Prison Discipline and Philanthropy (Vol. IV, No. II, April 1849)
Philadelphia Society for Alleviating the Miseries of Public Prisons
Charities -- Periodicals; Prisons -- Periodicals
Among the causes of insanity, are religious anxiety 178, loss of
property 86, sickness and death of kindred 74, excessive study 51,
intemperance 67, Millerism 36, disappointed in love 53, abuse by
husband 28, blows on the head 24, fright 24, excessive labor 33,
anxiety about absent friends, 18. Among the amusements of the patients,
debates, tableaux, singing and dancing, and theatrical performances.
Of the whole number, (2014,) 251, (108 men and 143 women,) were
disposed to suicide. This variety of insanity is by no means the most
incurable. On the contrary, some of the most permanent and complete
recoveries, are from this form of disease. From a register kept by Dr.
Bingham for four years at this hospital, of all the suicides occurring
in the State of New York, and noticed in the public prints, it appears
that 74 cases occurred in 1845, 64 in 1846, 106 in 1847, and 88 in 1848.
In relation to hereditary insanity, the report shows that of the 2014
patients received at the institution, 637 are known to have insane
relatives, and 273 are known to have had insane parents, or nearly 1 in
7. Dr. Brigham expresses the opinion that _all other causes combined
have not so much influence in producing insanity, as the transmission
of the disease from parents to their offspring_, p. 36. In other words,
that the exciting causes would be inadequate to produce insanity, but
for the inherent constitutional tendency to it. Dr. B also declares
his belief, that there is more insanity in this country than in any
other, especially in the northern and eastern States, and _that it is
fearfully on the increase_, p. 38.
Some valuable suggestions respecting the prevalent causes of insanity
and the means of obviating them, are thrown out, and are entitled to
the earnest and studious regard of parents and teachers, as well as of
professional circles.
4. In the _M’Lean Asylum_ there were received during the year 1848,
153 patients, (71 males and 72 females.) Dismissed, 155, (87 males, 68
females,) of whom 82 were restored, (55 males, and 37 females.) There
were 23 deaths during the year. The total number of patients received
from 1837, is 1696. The average of the first six years of this term was
115, and the average of the second six years, was 166. Of the whole
number, 884 were discharged as cured, and 184 died. The report enters
at much length into a history of the construction of the buildings, and
of the recent alterations, amounting almost to a reconstruction of the
largest and most modern building on the male side.
In conjunction with these alterations, a new heating and ventilating
apparatus has been introduced, and as we know the very great solicitude
that is felt in respect to this point by those who are commissioned
to devise the plan and oversee the construction of such edifices, we
extract so much of the report as relates to it.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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