The insane in the United States and Canada : by D. Hack Tuke.

  • Tuke, Daniel Hack, 1827-1895.
Date:
1885
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The insane in the United States and Canada : by D. Hack Tuke. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library at Yale University, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library at Yale University.

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    PREFACE. In the following pages the writer lias endeavoured to re- cord briefly, but be bopes correctly, the impressions re- ceived in regard to tbe condition of the insane in tbe United States and in Canada during a recent tour in these countries. In tbe first cbapter be has sought to describe tbe early treatment of the insane, medically and morally, in the States, at a period in which Dr. Rush formed the central figure on the stage of medical practice. The substance of the second chapter was written in 1876, and contains a sketch of the provision made for the care of the insane up to that time, which had the advan- tage of the late Dr. Ray's revision. It must be read from tbe standpoint of the period at which it was written. The hospitals for the insane opened between that and the present year are added in order to complete the series. The continuation of the narrative is pursued in the account given of the actual state of the American asylums at the present time, so far as tbe writer's personal know- ledge enables him to describe it. For tbe notice of individual institutions which follows, he must claim the indulgence of those who preside over them. It has been found difficult to decide how much to give of the copious information obtained from superinten- dents and others, to all of whom he must express his grate- ful sense of obligation. The attempt has been made to bring into relief, the points which chiefly struck tbe visitor, rather than to burden his pages by transferring the contents of his note-book to them. He is only too well aware that he must have fallen into some errors, but be asks bis American friends, and he believes he will not ask them in vain, to attribute these to any other cause than intentional mis-statement. If he has been so fortunate as to