A CERTIFICATE OF INSANITY, OF 1797, Signed by Dr. Benj. Rush, with obligation by a friend of the Patient, and an order for admission, directed to the Steward from a Manager.

On the reverse side of this page is the Endorsement and Order of the Court, With signature of Judge McKean.

Pennsylvania & It gapeering to me from inspection, cave sination Gotter verdener, that Mt. John Leone? Poncufortic is by the visitation of god in x state of lunacy Ederang coment, and

in his présent state of mind be, et large, I do heresy author Composer any Constillazor offer diversect Bitizer to take hom She said John Leonard Dinaloicle, and himzonocy to the Berniguente Hospital, where there to be sewered to thee toward there of, and dreated with humanity and as other unities & anthriche state be then a base de discharged by due course of lin Sorensender my hand steal at Philadelphia the 13th day of recary 1799. Tho M Fran

Gentlemen:-When our late illustrious fellow Citizen Dr. Franklin walked out from his house to lay the foundation stone of the Pennsylvania Hospital, he was accompanied by the late Dr. Bond and the Managers and Physicians of the Hospital. On their way Dr. Bond lamented that the Hospital would allure strangers from all the then provinces in America. Then (said Dr. Franklin) our institution will be more useful than we intended it to be.-This answer has been verified in a remarkable manner, and particularly in the relief our Hospital has afforded to persons deprived of their reason from nearly all the States in the Union. As great improvements have taken place in the treatment of persons in that melancholy situation, within the last thirty years, I beg leave to lay an account of them before you, as far as I have been able to obtain them, from the histories of Asylums for mad people in foreign countries, as well as from my own experience during five and twenty years attendance upon that class of patients in the Pennsylvania Hospital.

By adopting them, we may extend the usefulness and reputation of the hospital, and thus contribute to add to the high character our city has long sustained for wise and benevolent institutions.

The improvements which I wish respectfully to submit to your consideration are as follow:

1. That small and solitary buildings be erected at a convenient distance from the west wing of the hospital, for the reception of patients in the high and distracted state of madness, in order to prevent the injuries done by the noises to persons in the recent, or convalescent state of that disease, and to patients in other diseases, by depriving them of sleep, or by inducing distress from sympathy with their sufferings.

2. That separate floors be appropriated for each of the sexes.

3. That certain kinds of labour, exercise and amusements be contrived for them, which shall act at the same time upon their bodies and minds. The advantages of labour have been evinced in foreign hospitals as well as our own, in a greater number of recoveries taking place, among that class of people who are employed in the ordinary work of the hospital, than in persons elevated by their rank in life above the obligations or necessity of labour. Exercise and amusements should be the substitutes for labor in such persons. The amusements should be Swinging, Seesaw, riding a hobby horse, or in what are called flying Coaches, playing at Chess and checkers, listening to the music of a flute, or violin and in making short excursions into the City, or Country. Perhaps kinds of labor might be discovered for every class of mad people, of such a nature as to afford a small addition to the funds of the hospital.

4. That an intelligent man and woman be employed to attend the different sexes, whose business shall be to direct and share in their amusements and to divert their minds by conversation, reading, and obliging them to read and write upon subjects suggested from time to time by the attending physicians. While we admit Madness to be seated in the mind, by a strange obliquity of conduct, we attempt to cure it only by corporeal remedies.-The disease affects both the body and mind, and can be cured only by remedies applied to each of them.

5. That no visitor be permitted to converse with or even to see the mad people (the Managers and officers of the hospital excepted), without an order from the attending physicians unless he depute that power to one of the resident Apothecaries. Many evils arise from an indiscriminate intercourse of mad people with visitors, whether members of their own families, or strangers. They often complain to them of the Managers, officers and physicians of the hospital, and at

Letter from

Dr. Rush

to the Managers

with

Important

Suggestions.

with her Father the King of Great Britain, at the rate of 3 half pecks of Gold, 3 Observations half pecks of Silver, and 3 half pecks of Copper heaped measure. To be upon a Case remitted to her Annually, free of Commissions, from every Coinage of the of Insanity. Kingdom. This she applied to support the Pennsylvania Hospital, which she called her Palace. Here she allowed her domestics to live in Splendour, equal to the rank which She, their Royal Sovereign, held in the World.

Another

Soon after Hannah landed from England, she took possession of a small tenement in Willing's Alley, a Stone building, one Story high, about 12 feet Square and appear'd to have been raised as a Summer house only in this she lived alone, calling it her Castle, & defending it valiantly against the rude boys. The Antique appearance of this little homestead attracted the Notice of those who approached it, being Shrouded over its one window and the Stoop, with Ivy & creeping Vynes-From this place She would sally forth into the Streets, brandishing her wood Sword, on many Occasions.

At this time She would Attack the boys, with a Silver headed Cane which She had bot. of the late Philip Syng. From this Castle she was removed to the Pennsylvania Hospital. Here she made her own Cloaths, selecting scarlet or some bright colour for a border to her Gowns & Pettiecoats, which She cut in Scollups, half up to her Knees, to look grand and be distinguished from her Subjects.

Hannah could eat almost anything & I once caught her eating Mice.

She formerly took snuff, but latterly gave it up for the fine ground Ginger, which w'd not soil her Cloaths, & when She could pass a pinch to a Stranger under Cover of the dark, she wou'd laugh heartily at the Notion of taking them so handsomely by the Nose.

The infirmities she laboured under required a daily Allowance of Rum, for the last twelve years, which She received till within a few days of her death; her rations was one Gill of Rum p. Diem, pure, which She mix'd with her Tea, Coffee and Gravy at dinner.

From her Father she received a good Estate, which She reduced to fifteen pounds p. Annum by her Expenses to England & by her Roving about, until she was sent to the Hospital, which Sum was accepted for her maintenance & where She was comfortably supported for 17 years, or until the 89th year of her age, when She Died, being Confined to her bed only 3 or 4 days, but She Never recover'd her Reason.

On examining her Chest, nothing was found, except her Cloaths, very Clean and carefully put up, & a few pieces of glass, pebbles, &c., which She Valued as Jewells, with the heads (for what I know) of One hundred thousand Musquitoes and Flies, which She had Decapitated for their Presumption in daring to bite the King's Daughter. S. COATES.

Another patient named " Polly" Mr. Coates considered one of the most interesting cases of insanity in the Hospital:

Polly-I believe it is forty years since this beautiful Girl first was brought to interesting the Pennsylvania Hospital. Her insanity was attributed to disappointment in Case. Love.

One Night She was chained to the floor and to her Ancle in bed: in this situation with a saw or file, She separated the link next to her skin. This Secret She kept to herself, and continued in bed, holding in her hands the Ends of her chains.

In the morning Doctor Hutchinson, passing her Cell door, She called to him & requested a favour, that he would shut the Window, for She was chilly. The Doctor immediately mounted a chair & drew the Sash down; but, turning his

Back instead of his face to the patient, She slyly Slipt out of bed, &, before he

could dismount from his high Station, She was out, & bolting him in, escaped: Escapades there he was detained the best part of an hour, calling on Dick, Tom or Harry, of a Patient. any one he cou'd see to deliver him from Prison.

The hue and Cry for Polly was soon made; at length she was found, wading up to her knees in Mud & water, thro' the mouth of the Culvert or common Sewer, into the Dock, nearly opposite to Joshua Gilpin's house. Where She first entered into this Subterraneous passage, I do not remember, tho' I recollect her returning in high Glee to her old quarters, Exulting in the trick she had played upon the doctor.

The apparently mild and attractive Charms of this beautiful Woman were apt to lure young & Old into long & familiar Conversations with her. She was often treacherous, tho' She seemed so Agreeable-The following is an Instance.

One day, in the line of his duty, Dr. Parke paid her a Visit-She was then Dr. Parke's rather High-the Doctor view'd her with Interest & continued talking with her Experience. some time, during this interview, which seem'd on both sides agreeable, I have no Doubt but Polly was preparing to finish; for, having her hand in her pocket, while he was speaking to her, she suddenly thrusted a long Knife at his body which She pulled out unobserved & pierced thro' his Coat and Jackett; and entering the Wall, it drew from it a triangular plug of Mortar, about an inch in length on every side & even scraped the very brick, leaving the marks of the Knife upon it for several years till the Chasm was filled. The Doctor, I expect will remember this freak, which cost Polly a few ounces of Blood.

Many Years since, I was walking on the Commons & heard a great Noise. Where it came from I could not tell, but list'ning Attentively, I discovered it was from the blue house, and directing my course there, I found it to be the Shouting of a great number of people. They were Assembled to a Bull baiting, which in those days, was a common practice.

The Animal appeared to be in a great rage, tho' much exhausted by the Dogs, before I reached the Scene of Action. Soon after I got there, a Small Mastiff was sett on, which he threw about ten feet high, & he fell to the Ground with his upper Jaw broke & Every tooth Out.

A short rest was now again given to the Bull, when a presumptious little Man, to shew what he cou'd do, run towards the Animal, but Returned faster than he went, for the creature took him under his breech & tossed him about 12 feet from the end of the Rope.

A New pack of dogs being procured to renew the fight, every Eye was turned to the Onset.

At this moment, Polly scaled the high fence, thro' the Cracks of which she saw the battle & pitying the Bull, She pierced unseen thro' the Circle & ran up directly to the Ring; and without Shoes or Stockings on; with her Bosom all open; her neck bare And her beautiful Ringlets wildly dangling over her Shoulders her other Cloathing was her Shift only and a white petty coat; so that she Appear'd more like a Ghost than a human Creature. When She reached the Bull, (tho' previously & almost immediately before, he was in a Rage) She Accosted him thus-"Poor Bully! have they hurt you? they shall not hurt you any more," & stroking his forehead & his face She repeated "they shall not, They shall not hurt thee." This was indeed Wonderful; but the Animal's behavior was not less so, for he no Sooner saw her approaching him, than he dropt his Head & became Mild & gentle, As tho' he knew She was sent to deliver him.

Interesting

Case Related to Mr. Coates by Timothy Matlacke.