File:The insane in foreign countries (1889) (14755268216).jpg

Identifier: insaneinforeignc00letcuoft (find matches)
Title: The insane in foreign countries
Year: 1889 (1880s)
Authors: Letchworth, William Pryor, 1823-1910
Subjects: Mentally ill -- Hospitals Europe
Publisher: New York : G. P. Putnam's
Contributing Library: Gerstein - University of Toronto
Digitizing Sponsor: MSN

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re numerous tombs and tablets, and the walls have paint-ings and other decorations in keeping with the sacred char-acter of the place. As we entered, through the ga*:heringshades of evening, we descried at the farther extremity astar-like light which burns unceasingly at the shrine of thesaint. On one of the church pillars, near the altar, is a cano-pied statue of St. Dymphna, and opposite to it on the corre-sponding pillar, is a sculptured figure of Father Gerebernus,the religious guide and protector of the maiden saint. Thealtar of white marble has sculptured representations of in-sane persons with manacled limbs, in the act of supplicatingSt. Dymphna. The silver shrine, believed to contain herrelics, is elaborately wrought, and is preserved with religiouscare. The tomb of the saint is elevated on short pillars,but sufificiently high to admit of persons passing under itupon their knees. The stone pavement about it is muchworn by the feet of weary pilgrims, who, through many <<
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S 3 PECULIAR CEREMONIES. 24I generations, have here sought relief from their afflictions.On the walls near by are legendary inscriptions relating toher romantic life. In apartments connected with the church and under thecharge of a resident sacristan is a goodly sized room with tilefloor, and massive beams overhead. On each side of a largeopen fire-place are iron rings in the wall once used to secureviolent patients near the fire without endangering them.Adjoining this room is one not so large, which receives lightfrom the other through a smalfcf-rated window. The smallerroom, unoccupied at the time of my visit, and now seldomused, was furnished with a table and a comfortable bed. Ac-cording to Esquirol, who visited Gheel in the year 1821 : Itwas formerly the custom for a patient to be placed, on hisarrival, for nine successive days in the house adjoining thechurch, along with a few others, in a room under the guardof two old women. A priest came every day and said massand read prayer

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