Manawatu Herald. THURSDAY, JAN. 5, 1898. The Lunacy Laws.

Manawatu Herald, 5 January 1893, Page 2

Manawatu Herald. THURSDAY, JAN. 5, 1898. The Lunacy Laws.

The danger to any one exhibiting eccentricity in his manners is very great. An action harmless enough in itself may be objected to by witnesses and by their rough course of action turn what was only a i peculiar action into confirmed madness, or, by exciting the mind, cause death. We have lately had a painful case under discussion in this colony which has properly raised a doubt as to whether the system pursued towards the insane is as it should be, and now we have come across the report of an English case which shows, what is also likely to be the case in this colony, that persons choosing to presume that another person is insane can act so carelessly as to cause the death of the suspect from fright. at what it is possible for them to effect. We hold with the outspoken remarks of the coroner that it is most wise " to keep friendly with your neighbonrs." The case is one that came to light during the inquiry into the death f aDr Mun-ay who was in constant practice up to his death. He had however been drinking heavily, and had had two fits a month or two previous. Owing to •• information received " the parish relieving officer laid a sworn information against Dr Murray and obtained an order for two doctors to examine him. The officer th^n went to Dr Murray, by himself, and remarked to him "You do not look well." The deceased then veplied " What is that to do with you, are you armed with an authority. If so produce it ?" The officer then did so when the deceased said " You apparently know your duty. You are only carrying out the Act of Parliament as it stands." The deceased then, retired to his room and shortly after he was found dead, due " to syncope from a diseased heart, coupled with excitement incident upon receiving information that he was to be taken away as a lunatic." This unfortunate man had some time previously lost his wife and had been left "with two little children of whom, it was deposed, he was very fond. No wonder the shock was awful. How came this complaint to be made ? Simply irom the assertion that the deceased had written to his sister hinting that he might destroy himself, and because a priest thought he ought to be placed under restraint. That and nothing more. No near relative moved in the matter, only the parish relieving officer, and before the medical experts see him he enters and acts upon his own responsibility. Certainly a remarkable unp easant state tit " the Hot of Parliament as it stands." The Coroner spoke very clearly his opinion to Mr Hall, the relieving officer and asked him : —Then before any medical man saw him strangers go into the house and upset him. It is enough to give any one a fright. Do you always go to the patient's house before the doctor sees him ? " Witness : If I anticipated immediate danger a magistrate's order would not be neccessary. The Coroner : All you had to work on in this case is the bare word of a stranger. I know what I should do if a stranger entered my house. He would go out quicker than he came in. If you are only drunk I suppose you will next be considered a raving lunatic and at once carted off. It seems to me that anybody has the power to lock up another person at ten minutes' notice. Yon have only got to let the relieving officer Know, and somebody swoops down upon tju©

; individual immediately, but you must make your oaie bad enough. I should advise you, gentlemen of the jury, to keep friendly with your neighbours.