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Astounding Disclosures! Three Years In A Mad House

Creator: Isaac H. Hunt (author)
Date: 1851
Publisher: Isaac H. Hunt
Source: Patricia Deegan Collection
Figures From This Artifact: Figure 2  Figure 3

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193  

Mr. Friel, an Irishman, had his ribs broken by the attendant; but whose business was that? He was taken to the hospital to be cured of insanity, and that was the kind of medicine administered to him.

194  

One time, when the patients were taken out to walk upon the banks of the river, one of the attendants threw one of them roughly down and jumped upon him violently with his knees. A bystander observing the transaction, asked the attendant if that was a crazy man. Yes, he is, said the attendant. Then, said the bystander, if you jump upon him again, I will jump into you !

195  

One time, when the patients were out milking the cows, a person saw the hired man knock one of the patients down by throwing a milking-stool at him, and, farther, beat and pounded him with his fist. Was not this a soothing pill to give a poor and helpless maniac?

196  

A patient by the name of Barrett, has been shamefully abused by being whipped with a strap.

197  

Another patient was brutally whipped and beaten by the hand or fist of the attendant.

198  

An old man, of four score years, was dragged from his bed at night, and dashed upon the floor for some trifling offence or noise; and seized by the throat and choked in the usual barbarous manner by the attendant. I think that all will probably acknowledge that it was very kind and soothing to such an old gentlemen in his declining years, to administer such a balm of Gilead as that to his troubled spirits. I have no proof of the above three cases, except what I learned of a patient who was assistant to the attendant, but I have no doubt of its correctness.

199  

MR. BROWN, a patient, had a very bad boil or sore upon his neck. He besought Dr. Bates in the most deplorable manner, to put a poultice upon it, so as to draw it to a head and relieve him of his distressing pain, to all of which he would reply, with his usual sneer, "O you will do well enough; I will risk you!" Yes, citizens of Maine, I wish you to know that your friends are thus not only shamefully and inhumanely neglected, but they are barbarously abused and maltreated. They are bound in chains (not of iron) more terrible than those worn by Baron Trench in the Prussian Prison, or than any galley slave. The Government of that inquisition is a perfect reign of terror. Dr. Bates is literally the absolute Monarch and Tyrant of all he surveys, in that Institution.

200  

JOHN PITTS, of Dover, was given deleterious medicine, such as had the effect to so destroy his sight, so he could not distinguish small objects, however near him. He asked Dr. Harlow for what purpose the medicine was given him. To which Dr. H. replied, it was to blunt the susceptibilities! At the end of six months the wife of Mr. Pitts applied for and obtained an order from the selectmen to Dr. Bates, for his discharge. Upon her presenting this order, after paying his charges, Dr. Bates said that he was an insane man, and he should not release him, and he had an order from one of those selectmen to detain him, and he should keep him! But Mrs. Pitts took him out to walk, with the apparent design of having a little private conversation with him, and when some rods from his prison, a young man drove up a horse and wagon; Mr. and Mrs. Pitt both jumped in, and drove Jehu like into the city of Augusta. Dr. Bates made great exertions to regain his victim, but all of no avail. He had fled to his friends, and was free again. There is no doubt but he kept that man for experimental purposes, and the result would have been that he would have been reduced to imbecility and death! Since his return home, Pitts has attended to his affairs like any other perfectly sane and rational man. Dr. Bates had also other motives for keeping him, which will be hereafter shown.

201  

The following is a letter, or extracts therefrom, from Mrs. Dyke, of Raymond, to me:

202  

"One thing I do know, and can testify to. I was taken by the attendant, and a strap buckled around my wrists, another around my ankles, and bound in such a manner that I could not help myself. She then cut off my hair, and put me by force into the cold bath, and kept me there until I was so cold and thoroughly chilled, that it seemed to me that I should perish. Furthermore, I can testify, that I was clinched by the attendant, and then by Dr. Bates, who gagged me with a hard wood wedge, so as to turn down medicine with a tunnel. He broke out one of my sound teeth in so doing. They strangled and choked me to that degree I verily thought I should never breathe again. At another time two attendants choked me to take medicine. Dr. Bates stood and looked on, saying if they could not succeed he would help them. A bystander said I was as black as her shoe. Suffice it to say, that many other things I could testify and say were it necessary."

203  

I think this letter speaks for itself, and comment is quite unnecessary, by me. I would here merely notice, -- in fact my want of space compels me to be brief in all my statements, -- the case of MR. SARGEANT, of Patten, a man who went in person to the select-men of his town, for them to give him a permit to go to the hospital, as he was very much debilitated in mind and body, and thought the attention he should receive at the hospital would be beneficial to him. After a brief sojourn there, Dr. Bates began to administer doses of spirits of turpentine. Sargeant objected after having taken this stuff for a short time, saying it was killing him. Dr. Bates persisted; and it is said that he begged and prayed not to be compelled to take it, but all to no purpose; and it is said that he died a most horrible death. The mechanics, at work on the new wing, who had become acquainted with him, were astonished when they heard he was dead, and said they did not think much of the benefits of spirits of turpentine experiments.

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