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THE ASYLUM FOR IMBECILES, NEW
CASTLE.
When m Newcastle Intel), the wnters had the op
portunity, b\ the courtesy of Mr Cun* the supenn
tendent of the As) lum for Imbeciles, Newcastle, oí
inspecting the whole of the establishment, and of see-
ing and conversing as much as possible with some of
the afflicted inmates The sight of so many human
beings hopelesel) and incumbí) idiotic, was rather a
saddening one, and the only relief to the distressing
picture is the very evident care and consideration
with which they are treated Every endeavour is
made to giv*e occupation to such (unfortunately a very
fen ) as are able to undertake light work, and such
amusementsns are possible are also furnished, but the
difficultv, m this direction does not lie so much in
the saircit) of amusement as m the hopelessly clouded
state of the intellect of the ra a jon ty of the inmates
The) are for the most part subject to no sensations
of joy or sorrow, of hope or fear, and nothing but
the * inarticulate mjstic Bpeech of mufio" seems to
reach some dim and hidde» chord in their hearts
connecting them vv ith the world m which they dwell,
and im ikemng interest and pleasure A few can
read, and some take an interest m pictures, but the
majont) care for nothing, and pass their liveâ in
dull ManknesB Thev art. all harmless, but some
few are «ubject to occasional fits of excitement (not
like the paesion of lunac), however), and display ft
certain viciuuaneee impelling tbeni to inflict pam on
ot era, but all such tendencies are repressed bv the
firm but gentle governance of the attendants,
who walk about among the patients humour
thetr vagaries, listen to their complaints with
interest, promise compliance to their wildest
demands, and perform man> offices which the
afflicted ones have no idea of performing for them
suives, for they are more helpless than children, and
require more attendance Many of the males seem
to have been prisoners m gaols, and there is nothing
in their outward appearance to distinguish them
from that class of people, except peihaps their
greater listiessness ot demeanour, their lack lustre
e)Ls, and the absence of that uniformity m dress,
h ur, and beard which marks pnsoners m gaols, but
others are deformed as well as idiotic, and present
the spectacle of a body warped oa completely as the
mental faculty is awry,-and tlvse are the mont
pitiable objects of ill Most of the children, too,
are deformed a* well as m°ntall) deranged, but
some have, notwithstanding, a verypleosing childish
look, and one poor little fellow, who has been ap-
pointed door keeper, is most assiduous and polite
and receiv s the notice of visitors with an air
of pnde and complacency that is sure to call forth
those attentions which arc so much prized bv him
And this pride and pleasure in being chosen for some
useful occupation extends to those of the older
patients who can be induced to do am thing at all,
the) regard it as quite an honor and their fitful
efforts, added to the more wisely directed labours of
the attendants, keep the paths, )ards,and enclosures
of the establishment in verj* complete order Bve-ry
tmng too, is scrupulously clean, and the food sup-
plied is of the best descnption The dormilones are
well aired, and as many of the patients are epileptic,
beds on the floor aré provided for these lest in their
paroxysm* thev. should hurt themselves bj falling
from a raised bed Mr Cains intends as soon as
possible to organize a encket club among the inmates,
and to give something like organization to tbeir
labours, by instituting a code nf rules to guide such
as are susceptible of influence from a sjntem of re-
wards and deprivations, the whole aim of theso pro-
jects being of court« to furnish amusement and
variety to the afflicted ones, and to ensure to them a
larger Fhare of bodily health -which however now
seems sufficient^ good Efforts are also to be made
to establish a reading room, and to provide periodical
entertainments of a musical character, music being,
as we_ha\e said the one art which seems to delight
the largest number, and to re ch the most obscured
intellect* And another endeavour for the gratifica-
tion of the patients is also in contemplation, namelj
to cult» ate a part of the space m front of
the building* as a flower garden, where the people of
the cits ,DftS i"61* and mingle with the patients, and
where the baud of the Volunteers may impart de-
light bj its »weet and enlivening strains If these
ideas are carried out, the establishment will be made
as perfect in everj respect as it is now as s place of
detention merelj, and the poor patients will bave
everything supplied that can possibly minister to
their comfort and also to their amusement. At pre-
sent their comfort is amply secured, and we may as
well add here that our inspection was made after
visiting hours, and when no idea was entertained by
the Superintendent that we contemplated coming to
the establishment, so that of course we saw every-
thing in its usual state, and have pleasure in record-
ing that the unfortunate imbeciles in this asj lum are
cared for m every conceivable waj, and that the
course of their treatment is most judicious, and cal
culated to alleviate, as far as possible, the woes of
then: unhappy mental condition
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