I-"The Lunacy Law Tested" - Julius Chambers - New York Tribune

THE LUNACY LAW TESTED: HOW TO IMPRISON A SANE MAN AND WHAT IT COSTS MEDICAL SCIENCE AT FAULT--AN EXAMINATION CONFINED TO THE COUNTING OF THE PULSE-- AN EXPERT DECIDES A LUNACY CASE IN LESS THAN ONE MINUTE--A POLICE JUSTICE COMMITS WITHOUT THE EXAMINATION REQUIRED BY LAW, THOUGH CERTIFYING THE EXAMINATION WAS MADE--THE STRICTEST REGULATIONS OF THE ASYLUM EVADED BY ITS PHYSICIAN MEMORANDA THE REPORTER'S STORY THE BRANDY TEST OF INSANITY A FAILURE A MEDICAL EXAMINATION BLOOMINGDALE SUGGESTED THE PHYSICIANS ALLOWED TO DRAW THEIR OWN INFERENCES THE NIGHT WITH THE NORSE OPENING THE BALL THE MOMENT OF CONQUEST ANOTHER ATTACK ON THE NURSE ANOTHER RELAPSE AND EXAMINATION WATCHED BY THE MEDICAL STUDENT RETURN OF THE PHYSICIAN RESULTS OF THE CONSULTATION SWEARING AWAY A MAN'S WITS THE ASYLUM REGULATIONS IN THEORY THE ASYLUM REGULATIONS IN PRACTICE A PERMIT OBTAINED WHAT IT COSTS TO IMPRISON A SANE MAN

Byline: Julius Chambers; 1872-08-29; The New York Tribune; pages 1:4

Report: Bloomingdale Asylum Exposé - Julius Chambers - The New York Tribune

Tags: asylum, Bloomingdale Lunatic Asylum, Julius Chambers, mental institution, New York Tribuneu, posed as patient, undercover

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"The report which follows details the experiences of a Tribune reporter in obtaining admission into Bloomingdale Insane Asylum. The test of the law of commitment and the management of the Asylum are so distinct that it was found advisable as well as necessary, in order to give time for the preparation of the articles, to make separate narratives of the adventure in getting into custody and the experiences and observations while incarcerated in the Asylum. . . . The commitment of this reporter to the Asylumb grew out of an invitation by Dr. David T. Brown, Superintendent of the management, who in conversation with the one of writers for The Tribune stated the willingness of the management to submit to a thorough investigation of the whole Asylum . . .

Description:Opening article by Julius Chambers describing his four-day incarceration at the Bloomingdale Insane Asylum and how the assignment came about.

Rights: public domain

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Opening article by Julius Chambers describing his four-day incarceration at the Bloomingdale Insane Asylum and how the assignment came about.