TROY LUNATIC ASYLUM INCURABLE HOUSE.
In this house I lay more than nine years, like persons at home; many a time nigh unto death.
In the summer of 1870, I had a long fit of sickness. My wife, my brother B., and brother J. were sent for, and informed I could not live long. During this sickness I was very weak; and, strange as it may seem, it is nevertheless true, my bowels became indisposed, and moved not for thirty-two days. I was under the treatment of Dr. Lomax. As the cool weather came on, I finally recovered. As I gradually grew strong in body, my mind strengthened. The cloud that hung o'er my mind, during my captivity, gradually disappeared. The sweet singing of the birds was again music to my ears. All nature, which had been shrouded in darkness to me, seemed now to praise the great Creator and gladden my heart. After O'Donnel destroyed the Bible in the main house, familiar passages of Scripture seemed to rush upon my mind as though I was reading them. I will give one. Rev. chap. ii, verse 17: "He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. To him that overcometh, will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it." Most of all, this verse seemed to encourage me. My spirits revived, and not a cloud has gathered o'er my mind since. I became talkative, cheerful, and happy. After I had been in the asylum more than ten years, without having an almanac, in 1870, I gave the steward a note with the exact time I entered to a day, saying it would be ten years and six months the 29th of September, and that is to-morrow. I never lost time but once, to my knowledge. I always tried to remember what day of the week the month came in on, then I could say thirty days hath September, and so on, as my mother learnt me when a boy.
After I was delivered from the spiritual mistake, and happy, I sought every opportunity to reason with Dr. Lomax, knowing I must show myself a sane man in his judgment, or stay in the asylum. Previous to this, I did not talk with the doctor. I began on Scripture reasoning, for here my mind ran from a boy. He is a Greek scholar. I asked him if Emmanuel was a Greek word. I asked some other Scripture questions. After a time, he waived the subject, saying he was a doctor; I must ask some clergyman. We had some pleasant interviews, but I perceived he wanted me to do the talking, and that upon pleasing temporal matters, such as telling anecdotes. This I could do, for I was jovial as a hungry pig squealing for his dinner. I mind one. A Dutchman, who had spent a fortune by intemperance, after which becoming a good and temperate man, says: "I know more than any Dutchman in town." "How is that?" says doctor or Haunse, who were standing by. "Can't you furstawn, Haunse? I have found out that I am a fool."
Again, a funny joke on the doctor. Going into his office: "Good morning, doctor," said I. "Doctor, do you know where I can get a calve's rennet or a cod-fish to grease my hair?" I asked the doctor how he found me, when I first began to talk with him. He said: "Reasonable." Brother B. has come for me, this 13th day of October, 1870. "Good-bye, doctor; I'm going home—I'm going home."
CHAPTER VIII.
SINCE I LEFT TROY LUNATIC ASYLUM AS A PATIENT.
More than three years have elapsed since I left the asylum, yet I have often visited it within that time, taking a survey with diary and pen in hand, minuting down names of persons, localities and transactions, to refresh my mind in this direction that I might be better prepared to do justice to my God, the People and myself while wielding the pen in this great and awful disclosure, not forgetful to implore aid from that spirit which guides into all truth.
Since I left the asylum I have availed myself of books written by different authors who have been shut up in lunatic asylums, whose disclosures correspond with the facts herein set forth in regard to the treatment of patients.