Au,

IlJAL U R

:A AB

A P P E A~ ~k~fS

CORNE

FOR THE

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FIRST HOME FOR THE INSANE

LJ---t---+--+--+-+-+--+----+--r------t------t-~____r_I'{~

ON

MOUNT LEBANO

BY

THEOPHILUS WALDMEIER,

lfJ

if
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FOUNDER AND LATE SUPERTNTENDENT OF THE }<RIENDS' MISSION

ON MOUN1 LEBANON,
AND
AUTHOR OF "TEN YEARS IN AnYSSINL\ AND SIXTEEN YEARS IN SYRIA."

LONDON:

HEADLEY BROTHERS,
14,

BISHOPSGATE STREET WI' HOUT, E.C.

.-

Jntrobuctor1? (!tot.

My friend Theophilus Waldn1eier needs, I think, .

little introduction to British readers; his work in the
East speaks for itself, and is well known to all who have
visited the Lebanon.
Mr. and Mrs. Waldmeier have a hvofold object in
their visit to Europe-to see and investigate the best
institutions for the insane, in order to gather knowledge
for their work, and to arouse interest in the hearts of
the charitable, that the necessary n1eans may be provided.
As regards the first aim, they have visited and
carefully exan1ined a great 111any of the best asylun1s in
Switzerland, Gennany, France, and n10re recently in
England and Scotland. SOlne of our large new county
asylums, such as that at Claybury, where they were
kindly 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 other
leading mental physicians, have helped Mr. Waldmeier
\vith advice and sympathy, and joined the local
committees in aid of the work.
The second aim, that of rai~ing funds, is rendered
necessary by the con1parative poverty of the country
itself. Let it not, ho\vever, be thought that Syria is not
doing her own share. A large committee has been
forn1ed of the leading persons in Beyrout, representing
all sections of the town, and all religions (although the
undisguised 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 Protestant
residents. Dr. Wortabet IS President; Dr. Jessup
Pastor of the large American Church at Beyrout, and
Secretary of the Alnerican Mission, is General Secretary;
and Mr. Charles Slnith, an English banker in the town,
Treasurer. This Conlmittee at once collected amongst
themselves about roo. When the Honle is opened,
it is probable that in course of tilue a nlaterial SOurce of
inconle nlay be found in paying patients. But at first,
and for all the foundation expenses, considerable Ineans
will be required, estinlated at ro,ooo. Local Conlmittees have been formed in various centres for the
collection of funds, and Sir R. Tangye has taken the
office 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 t
be placed on the plain of Beyrout, \vithin easy access
of that town, and where there is a good supply of water.
The large medical college belonging to the Anlerican
Mission may probably utilise the new institution as a
valuable place of clinical study, and the resident doctor
of the asylunl may be invited to lecture on mental
diseases in the college. It is Mr. Walchueier's earnest
desire that the poor insane should be treated not only
on the humane principles of the alienist medicine of
to-day, but with Christian love and kindness. The work
in Syria will probably be a difficult one, as prejudices of
a deep-rooted character will be encountered; not only
l&nOrance and superstition, but active fanaticism may
hInder the work; but those who know Mr. Waldmeier,
and what he has aCcomplished in the past, will hardly
d?ubt that hIS great experience and tact in dealing
With Eastern people \vill enable hinl to succeed.
Some may say, what claim have the insane of this
province of the Turkish Empire upon our sympathies and
help? The answer is, that care for the sick in body or
mind IS one of the fruits of ciVilisation, and that it is the;

5
. part of favoured Western States, su~h as ?~r own, to
help the East to a hig~er plane of lIfe,.,relIgiously and
socially.
It is a pioneer work. 1 he Home. Mr.
Waldnleier would establish will be a gral~d obJ~ct
lesson and its use will extend far beyond the Inllnedlate
help df those to whonl it gives a shelter.
R. HINGSTO. ~ Fox, M.D.
Finsbury Square, E.C.
January, r897.
i

"ROYAL ASYLU:\I,
l\10I{I

IXGSIDE,

EDI~BURGH.

Inlet Mr. and Mrs. Th. Waldlueier in .Beyrout in

th
. of r896 , (and found. Mr. Waidmeler
about
to
e spnng
1
t raise
start for Europe and Alnenca to el~c eavo.ur 0 .
funds for a new Home for the Insane In Syna, a project
which excited nlY keenest syn:p~thy. I had see1 :~r
nl self the urgency of this mISSion on acc~:)llnt ~
e
by . ble way the insane are now treated In Syna. I
a onlIn da ' cal men clergymen and business nlen of repute
saw
,
. S nle
ria Iin regard, to this matter,
anc1 th ey a 11 (agreed
.
III tYno better man than Mr. Waldmeier could be got 111
for this mission. He has experience, enthUSIasm
a~d hi h character; he is backed and _supp~rted by a
represen
g tatI've conlmittee , and has a beasuler for the
fund collected.

~h~ia

T. S. CLOUSTO. T, M.D., F.R.C.P.E.,

Physician Superintendent, Royal Edinburgh Asylum."

fl SOine fZ'otlthe Insane in :Bible Lands.

\
,

THE LONDON COMMITTEE FOH. 'I'HE

HOME FOR INSA E

MOD T LEBA ON,

SYRIA.
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, 14 1, 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.

I have been for 38 years a mIssIonary in the

East, first in Abyssinia, and afterwards in Syria,

I have had abundant opportunities for studying
the needs of these countries. I speak especially
no\v about the urgent need of Syria, and feel constrained
to bring it before the public.
I am sure that this
pressing need will find Inany helping hands and hearts
for poor suffering human.ity.
.
.
The urgent need whIch I desIre to bnng. be~ore
Christians and lovers of down-trodden hUInanIty IS a
hOlne for the insane. I think I anl right in saying that
since our Lord Jesus Christ had pity on the poor lunatics
and healed their diseases, nothing more has been done
for this class of sufferers in that country. I therefore
believe it is right to follow also in this resl:ect our
Divine Master's example, and do what we can In order
to bring help and relief to these afflicted people of
Bible lands.
Alnerican and European missionaries have done a
:great deal for Syria and Palestine. Schoo~s haye been
built, colleges opened, churches and hospItal~ erected;
.the Holy Scriptures have been translated, pnnte~ and
circulated, and other good books have been pnnted,
and various means have been eInployed to elevate and
enlighten the people. All honour and praise. is due to
those noble missionaries who have done theIr utmost
lor the social and religious elevation of the country ;
ut there is still one great need to be supplied, and this
need is that of the totally forsaken sufferers from nlental
diseases.

,~

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~urin~ the l~st seven years I ha\'e been greatly in- 'chitect for this special purpose, including the most
telestedln the Insane, and ha\'c .sYlnpathised deeplv \vith odern equipnlents, in a locality where there is plenty
.
thenl, but I could not do. anythIng for theIn, as thad . good water, not far from Bey~'out.
on .Iny ha~lds the supenntendence of the large Ini8sio11 The cost of such a construction, according to the
statIon
'lgO 1'11 B rLunana, on ':>ttage systeln, would be about 10,000, including the
Mt L bwluch I orgalllzed ~"'3 ye'll'S

. e anon, for the SOCIety of Friends. As the L . J pd on which it is built, which should be large enough
occupy the patients in garden work. A well-qualified
h3:s no\v sent 1 7 native and 12 European helpers ~~~.
th~ w.ork, I feel tha~ I can leave the \vork in their hands loctor (specialist) should be engaged as resident
a~l h gllv.e nlylself enh~-ely to ~he great and pressing need hysician at the asyluln, supported by a staff of \vellLlalified and experienced men and women nurses.
o e pIng t le poor In ane In the East
. ~ ha.d no idea of the large nUlnbe;' of lunatics \vho are The general management of this establishment should
In rr~a, but, when I began to tudy their deplorable est in the hands of the business superintendent, who
cone Ihon," I found that there are more of the e unfortu- vould be supported by the needful overseers and
~rvant. The doctor of the asylunl and the business
nate
f th suffel
D" er. than I ever 'lntiCl'l1ateel 'l"'h e governor llperintendent should be guided by a local C0111Inittee
o"
e . Istnct
l'
.of .EI Metn told Ille that
( 1le f nun d 20 " proininent gentlenlen at Beyrout, who \vould Ineet
Insa~e I.n us dl~tnct alone, who are bound hand and
foot In tr~l~ chaIns, and a the Lebanon is divided into Jery three months for the consideration of the general
~ev?nl~ IS ncts, \-ye nlay count about 1+0 of these not relfare of the home.
Inc UC Ing the mIlder cases. In the re 1 of S ,.'
1 Those patients who are able to pay must defray their
othel- ~)
1" 1
. th e O'
ane III expenses during their stay in the retreat, and those
aces . In
nent , wheI'e thel"e I'S noyua
proper
1
accomnloe.ahon
for theIn, the only refuges for these who are too poor to pay anything ought to be Inaintained
Lnd cared for gratis. One part of the asyhun should be
poor
are dark " danll) aIlel iI'ltllY 11
. lunahcs
It
) aces caves lppropriated for imbecile and epileptic patients, \vho
al vau. ,s, In hso.nle convents, where they are fett~red in
h eavy lIon c alns.
ave likewise a great c1ainl to be cared for by nledical
acknowledged
.
" In the Orient lelp and Christian pity and kindness.
. The
th only
1
' .fo'un 0f InsanIty
The honle should be built by donations and collections
ISue e e emono-manla
(devII-l)ossessioIl) ,c:allel In
. consef
t1
'
.
.q nce.o lIs:w e hnd that the only treatment of tl e 'Specially Inade in different parts of Europe and
America, in addition to the funds raised in Syria itself.
~~~a~~i~~t~~~~~~s~~ew~diChtht~s
been .kept in the hands ~f The current expense should be nlet by annual subI
0 es nne unhl the present da
canno~ now enter upon the cruelty with \vhicl; Yihe scriptions. COlnlnittees in various parts of Europe and
poor lunatIcs a~e ~reated and tortured to death in these Alnerica should be organized, and linked together by
place~, but I WIll Just ~xplain \vhat should be done for their respective secretaries, in order to keep up the
th~~:I}~~d~r to. alnhe.hor~te their deplorable condition interest in the establishinent. Sir Richard Tangye,
about 11 s s ep In t IS dIrection is to build a honle fOl: F:H..G.S., 35, Queen Victori~ Street, London, E.C.,. h~s
kIncUy consented to be the rreasurer for Great Bntmn
40 Inen and 40 \VOnle
'I""'h'
should be erected .
h It!
n. . IS establislunent and Ireland, and \vill be glad to receive funds from
where we en'
In a e.a. ly locahty on Mt. Lebanon,
individuals a'nd fronl the local treasurers for the Home.
great Iibert
JO a Chnshan g:o-yernlnent, good laws,
Annual reports and accounts will be Igiven b~ .the
built accorct'n~ntol~any l~tl~er.prdIVr1eges. It should be
executive comnlittee at Beyrout. As regards rehglon,
c:
we -c eVIse plan by a European
J

9
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nu special creed or sect should guide this establislll11ent,

but the silllple Gospel Truth should be taught, and Jesus
Christ should be preached as the power of God un to
salvation. All those who are engaged in the honlC
should feel the call fr01n God and be cOllst.raincd
by the love of Christ to bring relief to the snferers froln mental diseases.
The institution should
be undenominational In its character, and receIve
patients from all creeds and sects, froln different
nationalities and religions, without the slightest preference to the one or to the other, as its support should not
be restricted to one nationality alone, as Dr. Clouston
says, but all nations and denonlinations should have a
share in this noble work in Bible lands. 1 he Constitution and Bye-laws of the Lebanon Home for the
Insane have already been drawn up and printed at
Beyrout.
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TEI<H.IBLE TREATMENT OF THE INSA E

IN THE EAST.
Kuzheya is a Maronite convent on the heights of the
northern part.s of Mount Lebanon in the dist.rict of
Batrool1. Its positi?n is r01nantic and its building is
old and strong. It IS one of the oldest of the numcrous
con\'en~s. of Batroon and. Kasra\van.
The general
superstItIon of the people IS, that these convents are
holy places \vhere God.\vo~ks. many nlirac1es; and tha:
eac~ of these mona~tene? IS In possession of a special
healIng power! and 11: tIllS \vay Kuzheya, with it.s largo
~ave, has the 1 eputatIoll of beIng able to cure the insane.
fhe cave h~s a. small cntrance at the side of a deep
v~ll1cy, .but It \~ld.ens and extends insidc to a great
d1111enslOn, and It IS bot~ dalnp and rugged. The water
drops down on every SIde and fonns here and thcre
small stagnant pools. ~he illside is in winter extre1ncly
cold, and the water whIch drops down contains a great

I~

deal of linle, an~l forms sta.lactit~s of different shapes,

generally long pIllars of vanous SIzes. The monks take
the sn~allest of these and break them int.o little pieces, and
bore lIttle holes through theIn, in order to sell them as
relics to the visitors, who hang thenl around their
, children's necks, believing that by doing so they will
preserve thenl fronl all evil and hinder the devil from
taking possession of thenl. Along the rough, natural
wall of t~le cave are. blocks of stone, placed as seats for
the lunatIcs, and belllnd every seat is a heavy iron chain
bolted and strongly fixed into the solid rock. The poo;
lunatic one is forcibly put do\vn on this block of stone
flnd his neck is fastened by the chain to the \\'111. Th~
Syrians believe, as a rule, that every insane person is
possessed by a denlon, a:ld, as there is no proper
acconlIllodatIon .for theln In that country, the people
\vho can Clfford It take ~heln to the cave of Kuzheya. As soon a the lunatIc has reached thi notorious
convent, his relations deliver hinl to the Abbot and he
conveys the afflicted patient to the heartless nlo~lks who
arc in charge of the cave. T'hese begin at once to treat
the poor victinl very cruelly, in order to illlpress on hinl
their unlinlitcd power. He is pulled by the nlonks
through the narrow entrance into the glOOIlly cave and
there hc is forced to sit clown upon the block of ~tone
nlentioned before, and if he sho\vs the 'least resistanc~
he is beaten do\vn. The chain is then put round his
neck and strongly fastened into the \vall. In thi horrible
position, in that dark, filthy, and unhealthy ca\'e the poor
\~ictiln of ignorance, superstitio~l, and cruelt)r, has to
lI~lger for three days and three nIghts. During the third
nIght the nlonks say that St. Antony (who is the Patron
of the convent and its cave) \\'ill appear to the insane
person in the cave, and cast out the demon loose him
froI11 his chains, and restore hinl to his r~ason. But
if this is not. the case, the poor patient is subjected
to another 1uore severe treatnlent. It is however
often t.he case that he dies during the 'first cruel
operation. If the delnon has shown hiIl1Self very

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obstinate during the first course of exorcism the monks

think it right to engage in more severe measures.. They
bind the hands and feet of the poor sufferer \vllIle the
iron chain, by which he is kept close to the wall, is still
round his neck. A priest is then called to perform the
exorcism; he takes a heavy boot in his right hand, and
beats the insane person repeatedly upon his forehead,
while he is holding in his left hand the stoia and the
book from which he reads the formula of exorcisnl. He
addresses himself to the devil, saying: "Get thee away
fronl this person, accursed devil, and enter into the Red
Sea, and leave the telnple of Gael. I force thee in the
name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost to go
to the everlasting fire," etc., etc.
H is a sad and not surprising fact that the patients
scarcely ever recover under such inhunlan and cruel
treatnlent, but go from bad to worse, and generally die.
The nlonks then say that St. Antony has loosened the
patient frOlll his chain, and has taken hinl straighhvay
up to heaYen, for which the nlonks and priest ask a heavy
fee from the relatives of the poor deceased.
N ear Mount Cannel is another cave, not far fronl the
convent of the Carnlelite nlonks, and tradition say
that the prophet Elijah of old dwelt in this cave in
consequ~nce of ~hich the people regard it as a l~oly
place. with heallng power. They often bring their
lunatics and those who suffer from nlental diseases into
this ca~e. wher.e they ~re locl~~d in for three days and
three nlght~. WIthout llght. .1 he people say that the
p~ophet EllJah appears to the Insane at night, and peaks
WIth them, and heals thenl froln their diseases and
casts out .the evil spiri.t fronl thenl, but the expel~ience
the relatives have with their unfortunate patients in
this cave also, is very sad.
. Anot~ler. lnethod of exorci~nl is the following: The
Insane IS tightly bound to a pIllar of a house with strong
ropes fronl head to foot.. A priest is called upon to cast
~he ~leInon out of tl:e patient, and he goes with the censer
In hIS hand many times round the poor man, fUInigating

---

him, and reading the formula of exorcism. Of course

this has never been satisfactory. However, the ignorant
superstitious public have looked upon the pnests as
magicians froIn the oldest tinle until now, believing
them to be eillpowered to heal spiritual diseases.
The Inany different kinds of spiritual and nlental
diseases present a very difficult field for enquiry, and
nluch nlight be said in support of different opinions on
the subject.
But it is Iny belief that nledical and spiritual means
will have to be employed together in order to bring
relief to these objects of our sympathy. Hippocrates,
Caelius Aurelianus, and others of the olden time, nlade
a study of the diseases of the mental faculties, and laid
in nlany ways the basis of the ilnprovec1 treahnent of the
insane without restraint. ~
Pinel and Esquirol, in
France, the Tukes and others in England, Heinroth and
Hoffbauer in Genllany, and others in other parts of
Europe, have been the Refonners of the Lunatic
Asylunls, and have delivered the insane fronl their iron
chains, and lifted thenl up once nlore to the rank of
hUlnan beings. Heinroth especially elllphasizec1 the
religiou and spiritual means to be used for the
psychical disturbance, as well as the proper Inedical
treabllent of the physical diseases. These nlen prepared
a solid foundation, and nlarked out well hovv to build
upon it the refornled systelll of doing better work in
treating the sufferers fronl mental diseases.
The treatnlent of the insane at Danlascus will like\vise
show how needful it is to gather thenl into a proper
home. A gentlenlan of DalllaSCllS told nle that there
is a place in that town for about twelve nlen who suffer
from ll1ental diseases. Each nlan is bound by an iron
chain 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 Asylum
with thc proper and sufficient nursing, restraint is ncyer necessary, never justifiable
and always injurious in all cases of lunacy.

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obstin:
think j
bind t:
iron c
round
exorCl
beats
while
book j
addre~

fron1 t
Sea, aJ
name
to the
It i~
scarce
treatm
The n
patien
up to
fee fre
Nea
convel
that t:
conse<
place
lunatil
this cc
three
proph
with
casts I
the n
this c;
Ane
1nsalH
ropes
the de
in his

'---,----

or fits, he just pours over them a pail of cold water, from

head to foot of the naked body.
They are, as a
general rule, badly fed and cruelly beaten; on account
of this ill treabuent, and the filthiness of their prison
the cases generally tenninate fatally. These scene~
were \vitnessedlast year by Dr. Clouston, of Edinburgh.
In Syria and Palestine, and in the whole of the E~st
we find that the poorer people, and n1any of the highe1~
classes of all deno1ninations, consider those \vho suffer
frol11 mental diseases as being influenced and possessed
by a den10n (in Arabic djdn, whence lJ/adjllooll-possessecl
of a demon). The Mohall1l11edans, \vho call their ill 'ane
1/ladjanccn (plural nlunber), regard thenl as under a
sUl:ern~tural influence! and oHer thelu a kind of re pect.
It IS scud that not far troln abloll (the old Shechenl or
Sychar) is a l\10hanlnledan sheyk, \vho i in connection
\vith the demon , and that they are subjected to hinl in
consequence of which he is able, as thcy say, to cast ~ut
the demon frOlU the insane; but he asks a great alllOll11t
of 1uoney for tl:is, his w?l~clel~ful \vorle The sanlC thing
I have seel~ In, Abyssllua In the story of the lmda
(deluon)! wh~c.h IS, as the Abyssinians say, a possession
o~ an eVIl SpIrIt. Nobody is able to cure this appalling
dl~ease, except thosc few people who arc in conllcction
WIth the buda, to \v,honl the .dcnlons are 'ubjectecl. I
have seen fearful tlungs of tlus sort durin O' 1ny tell ye'lrs
stay in Abyssinia.*
b
(
The lVIohan1111edans have a place at Tablous for those
who have lost their reason, and this place is called 1
~{hud~" tl~e patron of. which ~s thc prophet Elijah, \\'ho
sho\~s ]us power In castIng out devils 1'0111 the
madJ.tIllccn. If there is any l\Iohanulleclan \vho is
~/!a(~/lloon,. they bring hinl up to El Khuclr at
ab10us.
I here he IS put at once into a horrible position' his
anns and feet are put round a pillar and as they are
ll~t long. enough to lueet, they are' fastened together
WIth chaIns . In tIl1'S cr-u e1 pOSI"t"1011 t 1le poor suHerer
..
,~ Sec" Demon Possession" b Rev
T
'
-the Chinese. (Fleming H lievc11 Co " Dr. JO 11l1. L. NevlUs,4 0 years missionary to
C
1
.
ll1pany, 11cago and New York.)

sits naked, day and night, on the ground, deprived of the

use of his arms and feet. A little food is given him by the
n1an who has the oversight of the place. Of cleanliness
we cannot think here, the filth defies description. A
Mohm11luedan sheyk conles fr0111 time to tilue and reads
to the insane portions fron1 the Koran, and il11plores the
prophet Elijah to cast the den10n out from the 111an.
Then the sheyk binds anlll1ets round his anns and
feet as channs, and bleeds hin1 in different parts of
the body.
Another instance of exorcism will illustrate its cruelty
and inhun1an treatn1ent.
A \voman fro111 Brumana
becan1e insane in consequence of a severe illness. Her
relations having no other resource, went to a Maronite
Priest, and a ked hi1n to con1e and cast the demon
out of her. The old prie t, whon1 I knew very \vell,
caIne, and began to perform the exorC1S1n In his
priestly dress, carrying the censer and the big silver
cross In his hands; these were the visible \veapons
by which he would fight against the invisible den10ns
that possessed the poor won1an. The woman was
put into a fearful position, being placed on her head,
while two n1en held her body straight up, and she \vas
bound \vith ropes to a pillar. The priest read the
fonnula of exorcisl11, fun1igating the \VOlUan all the tinl ,
and \vhen he con1manded the delnon to depart, it said
\vith a loud voice, "Yes, I shall leave this \VOlnan, but I
shall enter into the souls of those \vho are standing
outside the house." A cro\vd of people \vere standIng 'watching the proceedings of the priest, \vho,
on hearing this threat, ran quickly a\vay, 'while
the priest continued his work of exorCl nl; but the
den10n \vas obstinate and would not obey. The \VOlnan
becanlc so excited that she began to curse the priest,
\vho bccan1e also excited, and \vas not ashmned to use
his large silver cross by beating her very hard upon
her face, until the blood strealued do\vn upon it. After
this brutal treabuent she was half dead. When she had
recovered her strength again, it was evident that she did

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not recover her reason, and was not merely as insane as

before but lnuch worse. She ran a way fronl Brumana
down to the sea, where she drowned herse~f.
In the neighbourhood of Bethlehenl IS a convent
called EI Khudr. It is dedicated to St: George the
Dragon Killer, and stands ~n~ler the ~upenntenc~el~ce-,of
the Oriental Orthodox ChnstIan Patnarch of Jerusalem.
The leo-end tells us that St. George killed the dragon,
h
and that
the dragon wasI
a denlon, '
ane In c?nsequence
of this the people believe that St. Geo~&e IS also able
to subdue and cast out demons.
I herefore, the
Inonks of St. George's convent have a few ~mall cells
appropriated for the madjallccn. Ho:vev~r,. It appears
that St. George has not succeeded III lnlhng all the
delnons, as there are still, I am sorry to say, ll1any
demons who take possession of the people. In these
cells the insane are half or quite naked, with heavy iron
chains round their necks, running through a hole of the
wall of the cells into the church of St. George, where they
are fastened round a stone pillar.
From these statenlents we can clearly see how pressing
is the need for a home for the insane in Bible lands.
I believe that when once a nl0del asylunl is established
in Syria, others will soon follow .il~ diife~'ent parts of the
Orient. A native doctor of nlechclne sard to me, " I cun
quite ashanled of my fellow countrylnen that they have
not yet sufficient synlpathy and noble feelings for
h uinanity to arouse thenl fronl their indifference to the
sufferings of their afflicted brethren, and to induce theln to
do their utnlost to establish the needful accollllnodation
for theln. But, alas! although they see the increased
pressing need J I am sure that nothing will be done un til
Christian Europe and Ainerica lay the first founclation
stone for a regular lunatic asylunl in this land."
In May, 1896, I began Iny work for the poor lunatics
In the East, and have travelled In Switzerland,
Germany, England, and Scotland, and organized local
COlnnlittees and appointed local Treasurers in Geneva,
Lausanne, Neuchatel, Le Ponts, Berne, Zurich, Bale,

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17
Heidelberg, Frankfort, Elberfeld, Barmen Bielefeld,
London, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Birminghanl, Newcastleon-Tyne, and York. In this last place I visited the
Retreat, when I was nlost interested and learned a great
deal. I have held meetings in all these places, and
have visited the best asylums in order to become
acquainted with the architectural requirements and the
best nlethods of treatment to be pursued. I have also
obtained very useful information and good suggestions
fronl the greatest authorities on Inental diseases in
Switzerland, Gennany, and Great Britain in regard to
the treatnlent of the insane, as well as to the arrangeInents 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, the
translation of which nlay be interesting hereBabda, Mount Lebanon, Syria,
May 4th, 1896.
'" We have had the pleasure of having a most interesting
meeting of 46 of the best and most highly esteemed and influential men of Beyrout of all denominations-Europeans, Syrians,
Mohammedans, Druses, Christians, and Jews-who came
together, in the house of Dr. J. Wortabet, to constitute a
Committee to consider the question of erecting a home
for the poor insane in Bible lands, which will be the first asylum
in th Orient. These poor sufferers from mental diseases
are treated most cruelly, running about without shelter,
and going from bad to worse by the brutality and heartlessness
o~ the pe?ple. We need to build a home for t~em, where they
WIll be kmdly treated and taken care of. ThIS home will be
unsectarzau and z"nternatzonal, and all mentally afflicted
will have access to it without exception. Our dear and
highly esteemed friend, Mr. Th. \Valdmeier, has dedicated
the rest of his life to this noble and philanthropic enterprise,
and has undertaken the journey to Europe, and perhaps also
to America, to raise funds for a home for our insane. May
God 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 of

nine, 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 of

THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE AT BEYROlJT:Rev. John Wortabet, M.D., President (late professor ot
Anatomy at the American Protestant College at Beyrout).
Rev. Henry Jessup, D.D., General Secretary (Pastor of the
Presbyterian American Church at B,eyrou~, ~nd, Gen~ral
Secretary of the American Presbytenan MisSlOn III Syn~.).
Charles Smith, Esq., Heald & Cie, Treasurer (EnglIsh
Banker at Beyrout).
Esbir Eff. Shkeyr, Assistant Secretary (Dragoman of the
British Consulate General).
Assad Cheyrallah, Esq., Assistant Secretary (Clerk of the
American 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 American
Protestant College at Beyrout).
Dr. \Villiam Van Dyck (Physician at the Greek Hospital of
St. George at Beyrout).
Theophilus Waldmeier, Founder and General Agent of the
Lebanon Home for Insane.

It is interesting to know that the Conl1nittee started a

subscription among the natives of all c1enonlinations in
Syria, and soon more than 100 were collected for the
Home.
Of the many recomlnendations which I received, I
give here three only, which will show the reader the
opinion of elninent gentlelnen \vho have lived in Syria
for many years, on this great subject.
Beyrout, Syria,
Feb. 28th, 1896.
" It gives me great pleasure to commend to th' Christian
world the beneficent project now undertaken with so much of
self-denial, practical wisdom, and true consecration by my
friend Mr. Theophilus Waldmeier.
'
My observation for forty years in Syria have convinced me
that there is an urgent need for an Asylum for the Insane
the Imbecile and Epileptic. There being no provision fo;
these unfortunates, they are treated with brutal violence
confin~d with iron chains, or left at large, a terror and a perii
to SOCIety.

r1"----~_ ,____ _,-

. Mr. "\Valdmeier's plan is wise and entirely practicable, and

IS worthy of support of the benevolent and humane in all
Christian lands. His long experience in Mount Lebanon, his
kn?~ledge of the :people, and h,is successful planting and
traIllll1~ of the admIrable schools III Brl1mana, have given him
exceptlOnal advantages for the successful founding of the
humane insti~ution now proposed. No better person could be
found to begll1 the work, and Christian philanthropists can
rest assured that he will make wise and conscientious use of
the funds entrusted to him for this object.
HE RY H. JES '"UP, D.D.
Stated Cl rk of the American Presbyterian Mission in Syria.
GEORGE POST, M.D.,
and Professor of Surgery at the
American Protestant College."

---

Dear Mr. 'Valdmeier,

Beyrout, Feb. 20th, 18 96 .
" I have hard with much interest and pleasure that you
are about to undertake a work of great benefit to the poor
insane of this country. Nothing in my opinion is so much
called for as an asylum for this unfortunate class, who are
~tterly unprovided for throughout the whole of Syria, and it
IS truly heartrending to see how cruelly they are treated; and
cases which might recover become utterly hopeless from
ignorant and bad management. Let me wish you, therefore,
and with all my heart, God speed and a complete success in
this most humane enterprise. You have done much good
during the 2S years I have known you, in Syria, especially in
connection with the schools and hospitals of your Brumana
Mission, and you cannot close and crown your life with a more
useful de~d than with that which ha engaged your thoughts
for the last seven years, and to which you now propose to
devote your remaining years. Having put your hand to this
plough, I hope you will never turn back without fullyaccomplishing the design which you have in view. Of course I need
not, remind you that the success of the scheme will depend
entIrely on the full equipment of a lunatic asylum according
to the latest developments of such institutions in Europe. In
this 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 Syria
has my keenest sympathy, ~and cannot fail to .commend itself
to all who are interested in the welfare of BIble lands, and
indeed to all actuated by the desire to do what in them lies to
relieve the misery of their fellow men.
I sincerely wish that your pr~iseworthy endeavour may
meet 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 authorities
in mental di eases, \vho have lately travelled through
Palestine and Syria, have een for thelnselves the
pitiable condition of the poor in those countries, and
have helped Ine a great deal in Scotland, and I think
I cannot do better than repeat "Vvhat they said at Iny
public n1eetings In Edinburgh and Glasgow, held in
Noven1ber and December of 1896, which appeared in
part in the Scotsman and in the Glasgow Herald.
Dr. T. Clouston, Superintendent of the Hoyal Asyluln,
in Edinburgh, said :20th N ovember, 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 them
united in the opinion that the condition of the insane was a
disgrace to humanity. Along with other medical men I made
personal investigations into the existin<T state of matters, and
found that .th~ condition of the in ane in Syria absolutely
defied. des~nptIOn. It was beyond anything that I could have
conceIved lI1.the way of human neglect, cruelty, and misery.
In com11?endmg the movement, I must say that it concerns
humallzty at !a rg-e, and not on!)! a single section of z't.
I must ear~estly .express my conviction that an Asylum for
~he Insa?e 111 Syna IS most urgently needed. A Committee
IS ~rga.l1lzed at Beyrout of influential gentlemen, whom 1 know,
wlllch IS a guarantee that the undertakinO' rests upon a sound
and solid foundation."
b

On the motion of Dr. Moil', seconded by Mr. George

Cowan it \vas resolved that a Home conducted on
scientif~c principles should be built for the Insane in
Syria and in connection \vith the furtherance of the
move'lnent a local COlnmittee \vas appointed in Edinburah consisting of Dr. Clollston (Chainllan), Professor
A.
Simpson, Sir Arthur Mitchell, The Hev. Mr. Grant,
Dr. John Thon1son, and Major I~ich~y, R.A. Dr. Clouston
and Dr. John Thon1son \vere appoInted Treasurer and
Secretary.
Dr. Yello\vlees, Superintendent of the Royal Asylum,
"Gartnavel," near Glasgo\v, said :-

R.

December 2nd, 1896.

" \Vhen I \-vas travelling in yria, I was called to a ment~ny
afflicted person in Damascus, who has been for. a long tlme
insane and caused great trouble to her relatIOns. I told
them that she ought to haye been ent to an Asylum, where
she would be under proper treatment, but to my. great
surpnse I was informed that there was no. Asylum In th.e
whole of Syria and Palestine, or an'y~lllnS' ~one untll
now to ameliorate their most pitiable condItIOn In BIble lands,
and the way of their treatment is far worse than neglect. An
international effort is now being made to hell? them, and to
establish on Mt. Lebanon a small Asylum, whIch would practically demonstrate and teach the hum~ne methods of
treatment now adopted in Europe and Amenca .. Mr. Theo.
Waldmeier, long identified with Mission work 111 the East,
has undertaken this most important and mucl~ needed wor~
of building an Asylum on the Lebanon terntory, where It
would be entirely free from Turkish interference or c:on~rol, and
conducted in the same humane and enlightened prmcIples as
in our own land."

Dr. Bruce Goff, President of the Faculty of P?ysicians

and Surgeons, expressed his deep sympathy \':Ith the.se
sufferers from ignorance and cruelty, and hIS corellal
approval of the proposal to erect a good Asy~uln in the
Lebanon District and comn1ended the project to the
liberality of the p~blic. Dr. Yellowlees wa~ appointed
Treasurer to the local funds in Glasgow, In order to
assist Th. Waldmeier in his good work.

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Major T. D. Richey, R.A., who is about to proceed

from Edinburgh to Londonderry, is Honorary Agent for
Ireland.
In conclusion, I should like to say that, after so many
en1inent Inel1 , both in Europe and Asia, have so en1phatically expressed their approval and interest in the
proposed Home for the Inentally afflicted in the Orient,
I feel encouraged in n1Y work, trusting that God will
direct the hearts of His people to help n1e. To those
who have already helped in this cause, as the following
list 'will sho'w, I convey in the nan1e of the COlnn1ittee,
and in the nan1es of the poor insane in the East, n1Y
cordial thankfulness.
As it is intended to build the Asylum on the Cottage
systeln it "vould be interesting to allot different blocks
to different nationalities. Say, first, the Administration
block to Great Britain; second, a cottage to Gern1any;
third, to Switzerland; fourth, to An1erica; fifth, to
Syria; thus delnonstrating to the East and to the world
at large that there can be unity for good work alnong
Christian nations.
"Blessed are the Inerciful, for they shall obtain
mercy."
THEOPHILUS WALDMEIER,
Gene1'al Agent 0./ the Home .lor the Insane
on Mt. Lebanon.

11Y London address :c/o \/\7. C. Allen,

7, Cowper Street,
Finsbury, London, E.C.

LIST OF SUBSCRIPTIONS TOWAHDS THE

SYRIAN HOME FOR THE INSANE,
/
I

'p'r()m the Month

0.1 October,

1896, to 14 th 0.1 January, 18 97.

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By Subscription per Chas. Linney:

Anna Maria Fox

Robert Fox
aomi B. Fox
Sundry other items

Miss Von ieburh

",, Mary Jane Fox

Miss Margaret M. McCrae

" Sir Richard and Lady Tangye
",, A Friend, per W. C. Allen

,, vV. Catchpool .

Mrs. A. C. Bryant
",, Miss E. Beck .
Col. J. F. Morton

",, Miss Florence Grimshaw

,, The Misses Tylor

Mrs. Ellen Barclay

"
, , Mr. J. G. Barclay

Mrs. E. F. \V.
" Forster Green .

" Miss F. Bruce

" Maj or T. n. Richey
" Mrs. Grimke .

"
Major T. D. Richey

" Miss Petter .

" Mrs. E. M. Nettleton.

" Miss Ellen Robinson

" Mrs. ] ane Miller

" Mrs. John Sinclair

" M. J. Hillman

"

'r--~'--~ - T - -

s. d.

3
3

12

3 00

200

25

10

25

10

20

25

4
3

4
3

10

5
0

10

~_ '--T--I--I-I------=-~--T--__r_--t_-___j--___t--___t_~-___t_--t_--L-_

~~

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,',

"" ~" ~ 30
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By Miss Hunter
Miss F. Pollard
"

W. H. Gaussett

" Chas. M. 'Thomson

" A Friend

" A Friend
" Eliza Wigham

" J os. Shackleton

" W. H. G. Bagshawe
Dr. Yellowlees

" Friends in Glasgow, per

" Subscriptions per Dr. Clouston, Edinburgh

"

10

2 10

100

25 0

4 8

12

1, 12 5

17

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RICHARD TANGYE,

Treasurer.
14th Jan., 1897.

Some valued Subscriptions have come in smce, and the

whole amount will be published ultimately.

" Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them."

HEBREWS xiii., 3.

_.

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