Not only did the friendly attendant frequently exhibit more wisdom than the superintendent, but he also obeyed the dictates of a better conscience than that of his nominal superior, the assistant physician.  On three occasions this man treated me with a signal lack of consideration, and in at least one instance he was vicious.  When this latter incident occurred, I was both physically and mentally helpless.  My feet were swollen and still in plaster bandages.  I was all but mute, uttering only an occasional expletive when forced to perform acts against my will.

One morning Doctor No-name (he represents a type) entered my room.

“Good morning!  How are you feeling?” he asked.

No answer.

“Aren’t you feeling well?”

No answer.

“Why don’t you talk?” he asked with irritation.

Still no answer, except perhaps a contemptuous look such as is so often the essence of eloquence.  Suddenly, and without the slightest warning, as a petulant child locked in a room for disobedience might treat a pillow, he seized me by an arm and jerked me from the bed.  It was fortunate that the bones of my ankles and feet, not yet thoroughly knitted, were not again injured.  And this was the performance of the very man who had locked my hands in the muff, that I might not injure myself!

“Why don’t you talk?” he again asked.

Though rather slow in replying, I will take pleasure in doing so by sending that doctor a copy of this book—­my answer—­if he will but send me his address.

It is not a pleasant duty to brand any physician for cruelty and incompetence, for the worst that ever lived has undoubtedly done many good deeds.  But here is the type of man that has wrought havoc among the helpless insane.  And the owner represented a type that has too long profited through the misfortunes of others.  “Pay the price or put your relative in a public institution!” is the burden of his discordant song before commitment.  “Pay or get out!” is his jarring refrain when satisfied that the family’s resources are exhausted.  I later learned that this grasping owner had bragged of making a profit of $98,000 in a single year.  About twenty years later he left an estate of approximately $1,500,000.  Some of the money, however, wrung from patients and their relatives in the past may yet benefit similar sufferers in the future, for, under the will of the owner, several hundred thousand dollars will eventually be available as an endowment for the institution.

IX