that the
evolution of methods for the treatment and cure of the insane might be
divided into four historical periods: First, the era of exorcism, on
the theory that insane patients were possessed of devils. Second, the
chain and dungeon era, during which persons exhibiting signs of
insanity were imprisoned and shackled in such a manner as to prevent
the infliction of injury upon others. Third, the era of asylums.
Fourth, the present era of psychopathic wards in general hospitals for
the acutely insane in cities, and colonies for the chronic insane in
the country, which is only just beginning to develop.

From this classification, the ordinary reader would suppose that
nothing at all was done for the insane during the first two periods,
except exorcism in one and confinement in the other. As a matter of
fact, the number of the harmlessly insane has always been much larger
than the violent, and the latter, indeed, constitute only a very small
portion of the mentally ailing at any period. Exorcism, as a rule, was
applied only to the violent and to the hysterical. In the asylums at
all times there were a number of patients who were not chained or
confined to any great degree, and unless one had shown some special
violent manifestation, severe measures were not taken. It is the
treatment of the great mass of the insane rather than of the few {369}
exceptional cases, that must be considered as representing the
attitude of mind of the generations of the Middle Age toward the
mentally afflicted, and not what they found themselves compelled to do
because of their fear and dread of violence.

For those who were mentally afflicted in a mild degree, abundant
suitable provision was made by the generations of the fourteenth and
fifteenth centuries. When historical writers suggest the contrary,
they are only making one of the usual assumptions from ignorance of
the details. Because in some cases insanity was supposed to be due to
possession by the devil, to say that, therefore, in all cases no
provision was made for the insane is nonsense. It is comparatively
easy to find, from records of the hospitals of the fourteenth and
fifteenth centuries, that there were what we now call psychopathic
wards for the acutely insane in the cities, and some colonies for the
chronic insane in country places.

Knowing nothing of this, Prof. White, for instance, says: "The stream
of Christian endeavor, so far as the insane were concerned, was almost