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Au, :A AB IlJAL URA P P E A~ ~k~fS CORNE
FOR THE
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FIRST HOME FOR THE INSANE
ON
MOUNT LEBANO
BY
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THEOPHILUS WALDMEIER,
FOUNDER AND LATE SUPERTNTENDENT OF THE }
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Jntrobuctor1? (!tot.
My friend Theophilus Waldn1eier needs, I think, .little
introduction to British readers; his work in theEast speaks for
itself, and is well known to all who havevisited the Lebanon.
Mr. and Mrs. Waldmeier have a hvofold object intheir visit to
Europe-to see and investigate the bestinstitutions for the insane,
in order to gather knowledgefor their work, and to arouse interest
in the hearts ofthe charitable, that the necessary n1eans may be
provided.
As regards the first aim, they have visited andcarefully
exan1ined a great 111any of the best asylun1s inSwitzerland,
Gennany, France, and n10re recently inEngland and Scotland. SOlne
of our large new countyasylums, such as that at Claybury, where
they werekindly entertained by the Superintendent, Dr. Jones,are
built on excellent modern principles. Dr. Clollston,of Morningside,
Edinburgh, Dr. Yellowlees, of Gartnavel,Gla gow, Dr. Percy Sinith,
of Bethlen1, London, Dr.Whitco111be, of the City Asyhun,
Birmingham, Dr.Bedford Pierce, of the Retreat, York, \vith
otherleading mental physicians, have helped Mr. Waldmeier\vith
advice and sympathy, and joined the localcommittees in aid of the
work.
The second aim, that of rai~ing funds, is renderednecessary by
the con1parative poverty of the countryitself. Let it not,
ho\vever, be thought that Syria is notdoing her own share. A large
committee has beenforn1ed of the leading persons in Beyrout,
representingall sections of the town, and all religions (although
theundisguised aim of the founder is to work the Home for
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the Insane upon Christian principles from the outset)to
undertake the general responsibility of the asylum'with an
executive of nine well-known Protestantresidents. Dr. Wortabet IS
President; Dr. JessupPastor of the large American Church at
Beyrout, andSecretary of the Alnerican Mission, is General
Secretary;and Mr. Charles Slnith, an English banker in the
town,Treasurer. This Conlmittee at once collected amongstthemselves
about roo. When the Honle is opened,it is probable that in course
of tilue a nlaterial SOurce ofinconle nlay be found in paying
patients. But at first,and for all the foundation expenses,
considerable Ineanswill be required, estinlated at ro,ooo. Local
Conl-mittees have been formed in various centres for thecollection
of funds, and Sir R. Tangye has taken theoffice of Treasurer for
this country.
The asyltull will be built on the cottage system,which is now
approved by the be t authorities; it lUll tbe placed on the plain
of Beyrout, \vithin easy accessof that town, and where there is a
good supply of water.The large medical college belonging to the
AnlericanMission may probably utilise the new institution as
avaluable place of clinical study, and the resident doctorof the
asylunl may be invited to lecture on mentaldiseases in the college.
It is Mr. Walchueier's earnestdesire that the poor insane should be
treated not onlyon the humane principles of the alienist medicine
ofto-day, but with Christian love and kindness. The workin Syria
will probably be a difficult one, as prejudices ofa deep-rooted
character will be encountered; not onlyl&nOrance and
superstition, but active fanaticism mayhInder the work; but those
who know Mr. Waldmeier,and what he has aCcomplished in the past,
will hardlyd?ubt that hIS great experience and tact in dealingWith
Eastern people \vill enable hinl to succeed.
Some may say, what claim have the insane of thisprovince of the
Turkish Empire upon our sympathies andhelp? The answer is, that
care for the sick in body ormind IS one of the fruits of
ciVilisation, and that it is the;
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. part of favoured Western States, su~h as ?~r own, tohelp the
East to a hig~er plane of lIfe,.,relIgiously andsocially. It is a
pioneer work. 1 he Home. Mr.Waldnleier would establish will be a
gral~d obJ~ctlesson and its use will extend far beyond the
Inllnedlatehelp df those to whonl it gives a shelter.
R. HINGSTO. ~ Fox, M.D.
Finsbury Square, E.C.
January, r897.
"ROYAL ASYLU:\I,
l\10I{I IXGSIDE, EDI~BURGH.
Inlet Mr. and Mrs. Th. Waldlueier in .Beyrout inth . of r896 and
found Mr. Waidmeler about toe spnng , ( . 1 t raisestart for Europe
and Alnenca to el~c eavo.ur 0 .funds for a new Home for the Insane
In Syna, a projectwhich excited nlY keenest syn:p~thy. I had see1
:~rnl self the urgency of this mISSion on acc~:)llnt ~ eby . ble
way the insane are now treated In Syna. I
a onlInda' cal men clergymen and business nlen of reputesaw nle
I , , 1 th 11 agreed. S ria in regard to this matter, anc ey a (
.III tYno better man than Mr. Waldmeier could be got 111~h~ia for
this mission. He has experience, enthUSIasma~d hi h character; he
is backed and _supp~rted by a
g tatI've conlmittee and has a beasuler for therepresen ,fund
collected.
T. S. CLOUSTO. T, M.D., F.R.C.P.E.,
Physician Superintendent, Royal Edinburgh Asylum."
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fl SOine fZ'otlthe Insane in :Bible Lands.THE LONDON COMMITTEE
FOH. 'I'HE
Sir Richard Tangye, F.R.G.S., 35, Queen Victoria Street,E.C.
(Treasurer for Great Britain).
Rev. W. Wright, D.D., ofthe British and Foreign Bible
ociety.Rev. Dr. A. Tien, 25, Mansfield Gardens, Hamp tead.Dr.
Hingston Fox, 23, Finsbury Square.Dr. John Dixon, 39, Gloucester
Road, Finsbury Park.R. Cope Morgan, Esq., Editor of Tlze Christian,
Paternoster
Buildings.Dr. R. Jones, Superintendent of the Lindon County
Asylum,
Claybury, Woodford, Essex.Dr. F. R. P. Taylor, Claybury
Asylum.Dr. Percy Smith, Superintendent of Bethlem Royal
Hospital.Francis William Fox, Esq., 14, Deans Yard, Westminst r.Dr.
A. T. Schofield, 141, vVestbourne Terrace, Hyde Park.Dr. T. Gilbart
Smith, 68, Harley Street, Cavendish Square.Colonel J. F. Morton,
Superintendent of the Mildmay Par
Conference Hall.Dr. Whitcombe, Superintendent of the Birmingham
Cit
Asylum.
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HOME FOR INSA E 0
SYRIA.
MOD T LEBA ON, As I have been for 38 years a mIssIonary in
theEast, first in Abyssinia, and afterwards in Syria,I have had
abundant opportunities for studyingthe needs of these countries. I
speak especially
no\v about the urgent need of Syria, and feel constrainedto
bring it before the public. I am sure that thispressing need will
find Inany helping hands and heartsfor poor suffering human.ity. .
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The urgent need whIch I desIre to bnng. be~oreChristians and
lovers of down-trodden hUInanIty IS ahOlne for the insane. I think
I anl right in saying thatsince our Lord Jesus Christ had pity on
the poor lunaticsand healed their diseases, nothing more has been
donefor this class of sufferers in that country. I thereforebelieve
it is right to follow also in this resl:ect ourDivine Master's
example, and do what we can In orderto bring help and relief to
these afflicted people ofBible lands.
Alnerican and European missionaries have done a:great deal for
Syria and Palestine. Schoo~s haye beenbuilt, colleges opened,
churches and hospItal~ erected;.the Holy Scriptures have been
translated, pnnte~ andcirculated, and other good books have been
pnnted,and various means have been eInployed to elevate
andenlighten the people. All honour and praise. is due tothose
noble missionaries who have done theIr utmostlor the social and
religious elevation of the country ;
ut there is still one great need to be supplied, and thisneed is
that of the totally forsaken sufferers from nlentaldiseases.
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'chitect for this special purpose, including the mostodern
equipnlents, in a locality where there is plenty. good water, not
far from Bey~'out. .The cost of such a construction, according to
the
':>ttage systeln, would be about 10,000, including thepd on
which it is built, which should be large enoughI occupy the
patients in garden work. A well-qualified
loctor (specialist) should be engaged as residenthysician at the
asyluln, supported by a staff of \vell-Llalified and experienced
men and women nurses.The general management of this establishment
should
est in the hands of the business superintendent, whovould be
supported by the needful overseers and~rvant. The doctor of the
asylunl and the businessllperintendent should be guided by a local
C0111Inittee"proininent gentlenlen at Beyrout, who \vould IneetJery
three months for the consideration of the generalrelfare of the
home.Those patients who are able to pay must defray their
III expenses during their stay in the retreat, and thosewho are
too poor to pay anything ought to be InaintainedLnd cared for
gratis. One part of the asyhun should belppropriated for imbecile
and epileptic patients, \vhoave likewise a great c1ainl to be cared
for by nledical
lelp and Christian pity and kindness.The honle should be built
by donations and collections
'Specially Inade in different parts of Europe andAmerica, in
addition to the funds raised in Syria itself.The current expense
should be nlet by annual sub-scriptions. COlnlnittees in various
parts of Europe andAlnerica should be organized, and linked
together bytheir respective secretaries, in order to keep up
theinterest in the establishinent. Sir Richard Tangye,F:H..G.S.,
35, Queen Victori~ Street, London, E.C.,. h~skIncUy consented to be
the rreasurer for Great Bntmnand Ireland, and \vill be glad to
receive funds fromindividuals a'nd fronl the local treasurers for
the Home.Annual reports and accounts will be Igiven b~
.theexecutive comnlittee at Beyrout. As regards rehglon,
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~urin~ the l~st seven years I ha\'e been greatly in-telestedln
the Insane, and ha\'c .sYlnpathised deeplv \viththenl, but I could
not do. anythIng for theIn, as thadon .Iny ha~lds the
supenntendence of the large Ini8sio11statIon wluch I orgalllzed "'3
ye'll'S 'lgO 1'11 BMt L b J ~ rLunana, on
. e anon, for the SOCIety of Friends. As the L . Jh3:s no\v sent
17 native and 12 European helpers ~~~.th~ w.ork, I feel tha~ I can
leave the \vork in their handsa~l h gllv.e nlylself enh~-ely to ~he
great and pressing needo e pIng t le poor In ane In the East. ~ha.d
no idea of the large nUlnbe;' of lunatics \vho areIn rr~a, but,
when I began to tudy their deplorablecone Ihon," I found that there
are more of the e unfortu-nate suffel er than I ever
'lntiCl'l1ateel 'l"'hf th D" . e governoro e Istnct of EI Metn told
Ille that 1 f d" . l' . . ( le nun 20Insa~e I.n us dl~tnct alone,
who are bound hand andfoot In tr~l~ chaIns, and a the Lebanon is
divided into~ev?nl~ IS ncts, \-ye nlay count about 1+0 of these
notInc UC Ing the mIlder cases. In the re 1 of S ,.' 1othel- 1" 1 .
th O' yua ane
~) aces In e nent wheI'e thel"e I'S1 . , no properaccomnloe.ahon
for theIn, the only refuges for these
poor lunahcs are dark danll) aIlel iI'ltllY 11. It " ) aces
caveshal vau. ,s, In hso.nle convents, where they are fett~red
in
eavy lIon c alns.The only acknowledged fo' f . ". th 1 '. un 0
InsanIty In the Orient
IS e e emono-manla (devII-l)ossessioIl) allel .que f t1 '. ,c:
In conse-. nce.o lIs:we hnd that the only treatment of tl
e~~~a~~i~~t~~~~~~s~~ew~diChtht~s been .kept in the hands ~f
I 0 es nne unhl the present dacanno~ now enter upon the cruelty
with \vhicl; Yihe
poor lunatIcs a~e ~reated and tortured to death in theseplace~,
but I WIll Just ~xplain \vhat should be done forth~~:I}~~d~r to.
alnhe.hor~te their deplorable conditionabout 11 s s ep In t IS
dIrection is to build a honle fOl:
40 Inen and 40 \VOnle 'I""'h'should be erected . h It! n. . IS
establislunentwhere we en' In a e.a. ly locahty on Mt.
Lebanon,great Iibert JOd a Chnshan g:o-yernlnent, good laws,built
accorct'n~ntol~any l~tl~er.prdIVr1eges. It should be
c: we -c eVIse plan by a European
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nu special creed or sect should guide this establislll11ent,but
the silllple Gospel Truth should be taught, and JesusChrist should
be preached as the power of God un tosalvation. All those who are
engaged in the honlCshould feel the call fr01n God and be
cOllst.raincdby the love of Christ to bring relief to the snf-erers
froln mental diseases. The institution shouldbe undenominational In
its character, and receIvepatients from all creeds and sects, froln
differentnationalities and religions, without the slightest
prefer-ence to the one or to the other, as its support should notbe
restricted to one nationality alone, as Dr. Cloustonsays, but all
nations and denonlinations should have ashare in this noble work in
Bible lands. 1 he Con-stitution and Bye-laws of the Lebanon Home
for theInsane have already been drawn up and printed atBeyrout.
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obstinate during the first course of exorcism the monksthink it
right to engage in more severe measures.. Theybind the hands and
feet of the poor sufferer \vllIle theiron chain, by which he is
kept close to the wall, is stillround his neck. A priest is then
called to perform theexorcism; he takes a heavy boot in his right
hand, andbeats the insane person repeatedly upon his forehead,while
he is holding in his left hand the stoia and thebook from which he
reads the formula of exorcisnl. Headdresses himself to the devil,
saying: "Get thee awayfronl this person, accursed devil, and enter
into the RedSea, and leave the telnple of Gael. I force thee in
thename of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost to goto the
everlasting fire," etc., etc.
H is a sad and not surprising fact that the patientsscarcely
ever recover under such inhunlan and crueltreatnlent, but go from
bad to worse, and generally die.The nlonks then say that St. Antony
has loosened thepatient frOlll his chain, and has taken hinl
straighhvayup to heaYen, for which the nlonks and priest ask a
heavyfee from the relatives of the poor deceased.
Near Mount Cannel is another cave, not far fronl theconvent of
the Carnlelite nlonks, and tradition saythat the prophet Elijah of
old dwelt in this cave inconsequ~nceof ~hich the people regard it
as a l~olyplace. with heallng power. They often bring theirlunatics
and those who suffer from nlental diseases intothis ca~e. wher.e
they ~re locl~~d in for three days andthree nlght~. WIthout llght.
.1 he people say that thep~ophet EllJah appears to the Insane at
night, and peaksWIth them, and heals thenl froln their diseases
andcasts out .the evil spiri.t fronl thenl, but the expel~iencethe
relatives have with their unfortunate patients inthis cave also, is
very sad.. Anot~ler. lnethod of exorci~nl is the following:
TheInsane IS tightly bound to a pIllar of a house with strongropes
fronl head to foot.. A priest is called upon to cast~he ~leInon out
of tl:e patient, and he goes with the censerIn hIS hand many times
round the poor man, fUInigating
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him, and reading the formula of exorcism. Of coursethis has
never been satisfactory. However, the ignorantsuperstitious public
have looked upon the pnests asmagicians froIn the oldest tinle
until now, believingthem to be eillpowered to heal spiritual
diseases.
The Inany different kinds of spiritual and nlentaldiseases
present a very difficult field for enquiry, andnluch nlight be said
in support of different opinions onthe subject.
But it is Iny belief that nledical and spiritual meanswill have
to be employed together in order to bringrelief to these objects of
our sympathy. Hippocrates,Caelius Aurelianus, and others of the
olden time, nladea study of the diseases of the mental faculties,
and laidin nlany ways the basis of the ilnprovec1 treahnent of
theinsane without restraint. ~ Pinel and Esquirol, inFrance, the
Tukes and others in England, Heinroth andHoffbauer in Genllany, and
others in other parts ofEurope, have been the Refonners of the
LunaticAsylunls, and have delivered the insane fronl their
ironchains, and lifted thenl up once nlore to the rank ofhUlnan
beings. Heinroth especially elllphasizec1 thereligiou and spiritual
means to be used for thepsychical disturbance, as well as the
proper Inedicaltreabllent of the physical diseases. These nlen
prepareda solid foundation, and nlarked out well hovv to buildupon
it the refornled systelll of doing better work intreating the
sufferers fronl mental diseases.
The treatnlent of the insane at Danlascus will like\viseshow how
needful it is to gather thenl into a properhome. A gentlenlan of
DalllaSCllS told nle that thereis a place in that town for about
twelve nlen who sufferfrom ll1ental diseases. Each nlan is bound by
an ironchain to the wall of a little cell of about five feet
square:it has a snlall door for entrance. The patients are\vatched
by a guardian, and when they get their attack
flo Mr. Hills, in England, said, 60 ycars ago, that in a
properly construckd Asylumwith thc proper and sufficient nursing,
restraint is ncyer necessary, never justifiableand always injurious
in all cases of lunacy.
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not recover her reason, and was not merely as insane asbefore
but lnuch worse. She ran away fronl Brumanadown to the sea, where
she drowned herse~f.
In the neighbourhood of Bethlehenl IS a conventcalled EI Khudr.
It is dedicated to St: George theDragon Killer, and stands ~n~ler
the ~upenntenc~el~ce-,ofthe Oriental Orthodox ChnstIan Patnarch of
Jerusalem.The leo-end tells us that St. George killed the
dragon,hI'and that the dragon was a denlon, ane In c?nsequence
of this the people believe that St. Geo~&e IS also ableto
subdue and cast out demons. I herefore, theInonks of St. George's
convent have a few ~mall cellsappropriated for the madjallccn.
Ho:vev~r,. It appearsthat St. George has not succeeded III lnlhng
all thedelnons, as there are still, I am sorry to say, ll1anydemons
who take possession of the people. In thesecells the insane are
half or quite naked, with heavy ironchains round their necks,
running through a hole of thewall of the cells into the church of
St. George, where theyare fastened round a stone pillar.
From these statenlents we can clearly see how pressingis the
need for a home for the insane in Bible lands.I believe that when
once a nl0del asylunl is establishedin Syria, others will soon
follow .il~ diife~'ent parts of theOrient. A native doctor of
nlechclne sard to me, " I cunquite ashanled of my fellow
countrylnen that they havenot yet sufficient synlpathy and noble
feelings forh uinanity to arouse thenl fronl their indifference to
thesufferings of their afflicted brethren, and to induce theln todo
their utnlost to establish the needful accollllnodationfor theln.
But, alas! although they see the increasedpressing need
JI am sure that nothing will be done un til
Christian Europe and Ainerica lay the first founclationstone for
a regular lunatic asylunl in this land."
In May, 1896, I began Iny work for the poor lunaticsIn the East,
and have travelled In Switzerland,Germany, England, and Scotland,
and organized localCOlnnlittees and appointed local Treasurers in
Geneva,Lausanne, Neuchatel, Le Ponts, Berne, Zurich, Bale,
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Heidelberg, Frankfort, Elberfeld, Barmen Bielefeld,London,
Edinburgh, Glasgow, Birminghanl, Newcastle-on-Tyne, and York. In
this last place I visited theRetreat, when I was nlost interested
and learned a greatdeal. I have held meetings in all these places,
andhave visited the best asylums in order to becomeacquainted with
the architectural requirements and thebest nlethods of treatment to
be pursued. I have alsoobtained very useful information and good
suggestionsfronl the greatest authorities on Inental diseases
inSwitzerland, Gennany, and Great Britain in regard tothe
treatnlent of the insane, as well as to the arrange-Inents and
building of asylums suitable to an eastern,c1ilnate. While my \vife
and I were travelling in Europe,"ve received an Arabic newspaper
frolll Syria, thetranslation of which nlay be interesting here-
Babda, Mount Lebanon, Syria,May 4th, 1896.
'" We have had the pleasure of having a most interestingmeeting
of 46 of the best and most highly esteemed and influen-tial men of
Beyrout of all denominations-Europeans, Syrians,Mohammedans,
Druses, Christians, and Jews-who cametogether, in the house of Dr.
J. Wortabet, to constitute aCommittee to consider the question of
erecting a homefor the poor insane in Bible lands, which will be
the first asylumin th Orient. These poor sufferers from mental
diseasesare treated most cruelly, running about without shelter,and
going from bad to worse by the brutality and heartlessnesso~ the
pe?ple. We need to build a home for t~em, where theyWIll be kmdly
treated and taken care of. ThIS home will beunsectarzau and
z"nternatzonal, and all mentally afflictedwill have access to it
without exception. Our dear andhighly esteemed friend, Mr. Th.
\Valdmeier, has dedicatedthe rest of his life to this noble and
philanthropic enterprise,and has undertaken the journey to Europe,
and perhaps alsoto America, to raise funds for a home for our
insane. MayGod abundantly bless and reward all who have
compassion()n the poor and sorely afflicted insane of Bible
lands."
Out of this large Comnlittee of 46, an Executive ofnine,
nlembers was s~lecte~l, in order to give strength,conhdence, and a
sohd baSIS to the undertaking.
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The following are the nanles ofTHE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE AT
BEYROlJT:-
Rev. John Wortabet, M.D., President (late professor otAnatomy at
the American Protestant College at Beyrout).
Rev. Henry Jessup, D.D., General Secretary (Pastor of
thePresbyterian American Church at B,eyrou~, ~nd, Gen~ralSecretary
of the American Presbytenan MisSlOn III Syn~.).
Charles Smith, Esq., Heald & Cie, Treasurer (EnglIshBanker
at Beyrout).
Esbir Eff. Shkeyr, Assistant Secretary (Dragoman of theBritish
Consulate General).
Assad Cheyrallah, Esq., Assistant Secretary (Clerk of
theAmerican Mission Press).
Dr. Brigstock (English Physician at Beyrout).Dr. Graham,
(Physician at the German Hospital of the Knights
of St. John, and Medical Professor at the AmericanProtestant
College at Beyrout).
Dr. \Villiam Van Dyck (Physician at the Greek Hospital ofSt.
George at Beyrout).
Theophilus Waldmeier, Founder and General Agent of theLebanon
Home for Insane.
It is interesting to know that the Conl1nittee started
asubscription among the natives of all c1enonlinations inSyria, and
soon more than 100 were collected for theHome.
Of the many recomlnendations which I received, Igive here three
only, which will show the reader theopinion of elninent gentlelnen
\vho have lived in Syriafor many years, on this great subject.
Beyrout, Syria,Feb. 28th, 1896.
" It gives me great pleasure to commend to th' Christianworld
the beneficent project now undertaken with so much ofself-denial,
practical wisdom, and true consecration by myfriend Mr. Theophilus
Waldmeier. '
My observation for forty years in Syria have convinced methat
there is an urgent need for an Asylum for the Insanethe Imbecile
and Epileptic. There being no provision fo;these unfortunates, they
are treated with brutal violenceconfin~dwith iron chains, or left
at large, a terror and a periito SOCIety.
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. Mr. "\Valdmeier's plan is wise and entirely practicable, andIS
worthy of support of the benevolent and humane in allChristian
lands. His long experience in Mount Lebanon, hiskn?~ledge of the
:people, and h,is successful planting andtraIllll1~ of the
admIrable schools III Brl1mana, have given himexceptlOnal
advantages for the successful founding of thehumane insti~ution now
proposed. No better person could befound to begll1 the work, and
Christian philanthropists canrest assured that he will make wise
and conscientious use ofthe funds entrusted to him for this
object.
HE RY H. JES '"UP, D.D.Stated Cl rk of the American Presby-
terian Mission in Syria.GEORGE POST, M.D.,
and Professor of Surgery at theAmerican Protestant College."
---Dear Mr. 'Valdmeier, Beyrout, Feb. 20th, 1896.
" I have hard with much interest and pleasure that youare about
to undertake a work of great benefit to the poorinsane of this
country. Nothing in my opinion is so muchcalled for as an asylum
for this unfortunate class, who are~tterly unprovided for
throughout the whole of Syria, and itIS truly heartrending to see
how cruelly they are treated; andcases which might recover become
utterly hopeless fromignorant and bad management. Let me wish you,
therefore,and with all my heart, God speed and a complete success
inthis most humane enterprise. You have done much goodduring the 2S
years I have known you, in Syria, especially inconnection with the
schools and hospitals of your BrumanaMission, and you cannot close
and crown your life with a moreuseful de~d than with that which ha
engaged your thoughtsfor the last seven years, and to which you now
propose todevote your remaining years. Having put your hand to
thisplough, I hope you will never turn back without
fullyaccom-plishing the design which you have in view. Of course I
neednot, remind you that the success of the scheme will
dependentIrely on the full equipment of a lunatic asylum
accordingto the latest developments of such institutions in Europe.
Inthis work you have my best wishes.
Yours very sincerely, JOHN WORTABET, M.D.,and late Professor of
Anatomy in the
Medical College at Beyrout."
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Fr01ll Her Britannic l\Iajesty's Con ul-General, H.Drun1nlond
Hay, of Beyrout :-
Syria, 11th April, 1896.Dear Mr. \Valdmeier,
" Your design of buildin,O" an Asylum for the Insane in Syriahas
my keenest sympathy, ~and cannot fail to .commend itselfto all who
are interested in the welfare of BIble lands, andindeed to all
actuated by the desire to do what in them lies torelieve the misery
of their fellow men.
I sincerely wish that your pr~iseworthy endeavour maymeet with
all the success they so nchly deserve.
R. DR oro D HAY."
Dr. T. Clouston, of Edinburgh, and Dr. Yello\vlees,of Glasgow,
hvo eminent physicians and great authoritiesin mental di eases,
\vho have lately travelled throughPalestine and Syria, have een for
thelnselves thepitiable condition of the poor in those countries,
andhave helped Ine a great deal in Scotland, and I thinkI cannot do
better than repeat "Vvhat they said at Inypublic n1eetings In
Edinburgh and Glasgow, held inNoven1ber and December of 1896, which
appeared inpart in the Scotsman and in the Glasgow Herald.
Dr. T. Clouston, Superintendent of the Hoyal Asyluln,in
Edinburgh, said :-
20th November, 1896." I became interested in the subject of the
insane in yria
when I was in the East in the beginning of this year. I met.Mr.
Th. Waldmeier and some of the doctor, and found themunited in the
opinion that the condition of the insane was adisgrace to humanity.
Along with other medical men I madepersonal investigations into the
existin
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By Subscription per Chas. Linney: s. d.
Anna Maria Fox 5 0 0Robert Fox 2 0 0
aomi B. Fox I 0 0Sundry other items 3 12 0
Miss Von ieburh 3 8 0Mary Jane Fox 5 0 0Miss Margaret M. McCrae
300 0 0Sir Richard and Lady Tangye 200 0 0A Friend, per W. C. Allen
25 0 0vV. Catchpool . I 0 0Mrs. A. C. Bryant I 0 0Miss E. Beck . 0
10 0Col. J. F. Morton I 0 0Miss Florence Grimshaw 0 5 0The Misses
Tylor I I 0Mrs. Ellen Barclay 2 0 0Mr. J. G. Barclay 25 0 0
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Mrs. E. F. \V. 0 10 0Forster Green .
20 0 0
Miss F. Bruce 3 0 0Maj or T. n. Richey I I IMrs. Grimke . 25 0
0Major T. D. Richey 4 4 4Miss Petter . 3 3 0Mrs. E. M. Nettleton. 0
10 0Miss Ellen Robinson 0 5 0Mrs. ] ane Miller I 0 0Mrs. John
Sinclair 0 10 0M. J. Hillman 0 5 0
LIST OF SUBSCRIPTIONS TOWAHDS THE
SYRIAN HOME FOR THE INSANE,
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/ 'p'r()m the Month 0.1 October, 1896, to 14th 0.1 January,
1897.I '
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THEOPHILUS WALDMEIER,
Gene1'al Agent 0./ the Home .lor the Insaneon Mt. Lebanon.
11Y London address :-
c/o \/\7. C. Allen,7, Cowper Street,
Finsbury, London, E.C.
Major T. D. Richey, R.A., who is about to proceedfrom Edinburgh
to Londonderry, is Honorary Agent forIreland.
In conclusion, I should like to say that, after so manyen1inent
Inel1 , both in Europe and Asia, have so en1-phatically expressed
their approval and interest in theproposed Home for the Inentally
afflicted in the Orient,I feel encouraged in n1Y work, trusting
that God willdirect the hearts of His people to help n1e. To
thosewho have already helped in this cause, as the followinglist
'will sho'w, I convey in the nan1e of the COlnn1ittee,and in the
nan1es of the poor insane in the East, n1Ycordial thankfulness.
As it is intended to build the Asylum on the Cottagesysteln it
"vould be interesting to allot different blocksto different
nationalities. Say, first, the Administrationblock to Great
Britain; second, a cottage to Gern1any;third, to Switzerland;
fourth, to An1erica; fifth, toSyria; thus delnonstrating to the
East and to the worldat large that there can be unity for good work
alnongChristian nations.
"Blessed are the Inerciful, for they shall obtainmercy."
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