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deficiency be made known, that we may make provision for supplying it, and not proceed, contented with our present means, as if they were already adequate. The tendency of the human wind is to become accustomed to existing defects, and never to think of remedying them, till some accidental occurrence displays their magnitude and turns the attention to further improve

ments.

"As matters now stand, the higher classes of lunatics are in one sense the most unfortunate of all. Accustomed at home to the refinements of educated and intelligent society, to the enjoy ments arising from change of scene, to horse and carriage exercise, and to the command of numerous sources of interest, they find themselves transported to an asylum where they may be no doubt be treated with kindness, but where they are necessarily cut off from many of the comforts to which they have been accustomed, and must encounter prejudices, feelings, and modes of thinking and acting, to which they are strangers, and with which they can have no sympathy. Being there restricted almost exclusively to the society of keepers, who, from their rank, education, and manners, cannot be considered qualified to gain their confidence or elicit friendly interchange of sentiment, the patients are, in a great measure, deprived of that beneficial intercourse with sound minds which is indispensable to health, and of the numerous opportunities which such intercourse presents for gradually stirring up new interests and leading to new trains of thought. The medical attendant, indeed, is often the only being to whom patients of this class freely unburden their minds, and from whom they can seek comfort; but unfortunately, in most establishments his visits are so few and short, that they can scarcely be reckoned as part of an efficient moral regimen.

"The poorer patients, on the other hand, although too much left to their own society, have still the advantage of being, to a certain extent, in daily communication with minds in harmony with their own both in feeling and in intelligence; as the keepers are always men of the same rank, education, and manners, as themselves. They consequently are less sensible of the change in their situation, and feel less acutely any actual indignities to which they may be exposed.

"Experience has already shewn that great benefit arises to the insane from the frequent association and sympathy of persons of tact, intelligence, and kindness, who feel a real interest in the happiness of the patients, and visit them from a wish to soothe and comfort them, and not from mere idle curiosity. Nothing tends so much as this to break down the formidable barrier which still separates the disordered in mind from the sympathies of society, and to dispel those sinful prejudices which stamp in

sanity with the stigma of crime, and impel us to shroud its victims in obscurity and neglect.

"It may be said, That is all true, and very proper for medical men to know, but why introduce it into a book intended for the general reader?" My answer is, that I introduce it here purposely, 'because it is from among the public that the directors and managers of institutions for the insane are chosen ; and so long as they remain unacquainted with the wants of the patients, little can be done to provide a remedy. Medical men may direct, but society must co-operate, and cheerfully and earnestly take a part in the good work. Besides, there are thousands of warm-hearted beings who would delight in this very duty, if they only knew how to set about it; and they can be reached only by writings addressed to the general public.”

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That he may not be considered as either too severe in pointing out existing defects, or too visionary in his conceptions of the improvements required, Dr Combe contrasts the Pauper Lunatic Asylum at Hanwell with that in Edinburgh, and gives a brief account of Esquirol's system of management at Ivry, near Paris. In commenting on the defects of the Edinburgh Asylum, he gives every credit to the managers of the institution. "I am quite aware," says he, "of their anxiety to better the condition of the patients, and that they have already done more than could have been conceived possible with their imperfect means. But it is on this very account,-that the public may be stirred up to provide the necessary funds,-that I am so anxious to direct attention to the miserable accommodation; for I cannot help considering the asylum, in its present state, as a disgrace to the metropolis of the country."

Just as we were sending off this article to the printer, there was handed to us the Fourteenth Report of the Directors of the Dundee Lunatic Asylum, for the year ending 31st May 1834. That asylum is admirably conducted; and the report is of so gratifying a nature, and so strikingly confirms many of the observations of Dr Combe, that we shall present our readers with an extract from it in next Number.

We saw it mentioned in a newspaper, some months ago, that the province of Antwerp possesses, instead of a lunatic asylum, a lunatic village. It is called Gheel, and the poor creatures are allowed to roam at large in it; and where their infirmity does not incapacitate them, the inhabitants give them work. Many districts in the Netherlands send their lunatics to reside in this village, and pay for their board and clothing. It is said to be found, that for one cure effected under confinement, ten are brought about by kindness and the absence of coercion. We shall be obliged to any correspondent who can send us farther information respecting the village of Gheel.

ARTICLE X.

PROCEEDINGS OF SOCIETIES.

1. The Phrenological Society.

21st November 1833.-Dr William Gregory read an account of the progress and prospects of Phrenology in Paris.-Mr Robert Cox read Notes, chiefly historical, on the philosophy of apparitions; and correspondence between himself and Mr G. M. Schwartz of Stockholm, in September last, regarding casts of the heads of two Laplanders, and of the skull of a Swedish criminal. Dr Gregory explained the characteristics of the individuals under mentioned, casts of whose heads were presented by him to the Society. Letters from the Rev. Thomas Liddell and Donald Gregory, Esq. Sec. A. S., relative to skulls presented by them, were read. The following donations were laid on the table:-Seven skulls of Thugs or Stranglers of Central India; presented by George Swinton, Esq. late Chief Secretary to the Supreme Government in India. Casts of the heads of two Laplanders, and of the skull of a Swedish criminal; presented by Mr G. M. Schwartz of Stockholm. Six skulls of Druids, from the Hebrides; presented by Donald Gregory, Esq. Skull found in April 1833 under the foundation of the old steeple of Montrose; presented by the Rev. Thomas Liddell. Cast of the head of Linn, a pugilist and parricide; presented by Dr M'Donnell of Belfast. Cast of the head of a musical child, a Negro, and a Charruas Indian savage of South America; presented by Dr William Gregory. Additional plate illustrative of the Théorie des Ressemblances; presented by the Chevalier da Gama Machado. American edition of Dr Spurzheim's work on Physiognomy; presented by Nahum Capen, Esq. Boston, United States.-An application by Mr John Ritchie, 6. Hill Square, for admission as an ordinary member, was read; also a letter from Mr William Slate, resigning as a member of the Society.

5th December.-The following gentlemen were elected OfficeBearers for the ensuing year:-George Combe, President; George Monro, Bindon Blood, John Anderson jun. and Arthur Trevelyan, Vice-Presidents; James Crease, Patrick Neill, John F. Macfarlan, Lindsay Mackersy, Charles Maclaren, and Henry M. T. Witham, Councillors; Dr William Gregory, Secretary; Robert Cox, Conservator of the Museum; D. Campbell, Clerk. -Mr Simpson read Observations on the phrenological standard of civilization. Donation: "Discours de la Mission du Philosophe au Dix-neuvième Siècle, &c. &c. par le Docteur Fos

sati;" presented by the author. Mr John Ritchie was unanimously admitted an ordinary member.

19th December.-Mr Cox read an Account of the Thugs or Stranglers of Central India, by H. H. Spry, Esq. Bengal Medical Service, Saugor; with remarks by himself on seven of their skulls presented to the Society by George Swinton, Esq.

23d January 1834.-Mr Simpson read Observations on the connexion between the present unfavourable condition of the British people, and the imperfections of their education. The following work was presented by the author:-" Epilepsy, a case of twenty years standing cured, with the treatment and remarks thereon. By John Epps, M. D. London, 1834."

6th February-Mr Cox read an Account of the life, character, opinions, and cerebral development of Rajah Rammohun Roy. Donations:-Cast of the skull of Dr Spurzheim; presented by the Boston Phrenological Society. Two French marked busts, and marked cast of the brain; presented by Dr William Gregory.

20th February.-Mr Simpson read Observations on the ef fects of defective education on the condition of the middle and higher classes of society.

20th March.-Mr Cox read an Essay on the elementary function of the organ of Combativeness.-The Secretary read a letter which he had received from J. J. F. Hely, Esq. Rome, relative to the skull of Raphael; upon which the Society expressed themselves highly gratified by that gentleman's atten

tion.

17th April.-The following papers were read:-An Essay on the existence of a faculty of Modesty or Shame between the sexes, with an attempt to explain the origin of the institution of marriage; communicated by a phrenologist resident in France. Notes respecting two suicides, casts of whose skulls are now presented by the Dunfermline Phrenological Society. In voting thanks to that Society for this esteemed donation, the meeting expressed their high satisfaction with the zeal and activity which have so long distinguished the phrenologists of Dunfermline,

2. The Warwick and Leamington Phrenological Society.

4th April 1834.—The Society held its first meeting; John Conolly, Esq. M. D. in the Chair. The President, on taking the chair, expatiated at some length, in an interesting and eloquent address, upon the advantages likely to be derived by society at large from the study and general reception of Phrenology as the true doctrine of the mind; and concluded by energetically urging the members to exert themselves for the promotion

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of so desirable an object.-The Secretary then read communications from Mr Combe, Dr Elliotson, and Dr Kennedy, consenting to become Honorary Members of the Society.-Seven new Ordinary Members were announced, (the names of the original members were mentioned in our last number, p. 663), namely, Peter Francis Juard, Esq. M. D., Warwick; John Wilmshurst, Esq. Surgeon, Warwick Rev. George Childe, A. M., Chaplain to the County Prisons; George Cattell Greenway, Esq. Solicitor, Warwick; W. E/Buck, Esq. Solicitor, Warwick Henry L. Smith, Esq. Surgeon, Southam; and S. Levason, Esq. Leamington. Some conversation took place respecting casts, busts, &c., when the Secretary was commissioned to write to Mr Combe to solicit his assistance in obtaining what might be requisite. The thanks of the meeting were voted to Mr Levason of Leamington and also to Mr Rider of Leamington, for having offered their services gratuitously, the former as caster, the latter as artist to the Society. Henry Jephson, Esq. M. D. of Leamington was proposed as an Ordinary Member. Mr Watson then read an Essay on the history of Phrenology, &c. which the President was requested by members present to transmit to the Editors of the Phrenological Journal, for publication in as early a number of that work as would suit their convenience.*The Secretary was requested to procure four copies of Mr Combe's Elements of Phrenology, to be kept in constant circulation amongst the members.

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6th June. For the benefit of the non-medical members, Mr W. D. Watson demonstrated the anatomy of the scalp, muscles, skull, and other coverings of the brain; and adverted to the various impediments to the formation of a correct estimate of the development of certain cerebral parts during life. He also pointed out the situation of the different organs, taking for this purpose the aid of a brain, phrenological bust, and the beautiful

mechanical brain" of Mr Bally of Manchester, a copy of which he had procured for the occasion. Dr Henry Jephson of Leamington was elected an ordinary member. It was announced that an essay on some subject connected with phrenology would be read at the next meeting, on 1st August, by Dr Conolly.

3. The Edinburgh Ethical Society for the study and practical application of Phrenology.

4th November 1833.-The following office-bearers were elected: Dr William Gregory and Robert Cox, Presidents;

• The essay here mentioned was forwarded to us accordingly; but though it is a production of considerable merit, and well adapted to the audience before which it was read, we have respectfully declined to insert it-for two reasons: 1st, The subjects treated are already familiar to a large proportion of our readers; and, 2dly, Our materials are at present in a state of inconvenient superfluity. ED.

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