Itisacuriousmatterforreflection，thatbutforthisswayofthedestructivephilosophyoftheeighteenthcentury，andoftheTerroristsduringtheFrenchRevolution，Pinel’sblessedworkwouldinallprobabilityhavebeenthwarted，andhehimselfexcommunicatedforheresyanddrivenfromhisposition。
DoubtlessthesameeffortswouldhavebeenputforthagainsthimwhichtheChurch，alittleearlier，hadputforthagainstinoculationasaremedyforsmallpox；butjustatthattimethegreatchurchmenhadotherthingstothinkofbesidescrushingthisparticularheretic：theyweretoomuchoccupiedinkeepingtheirownheadsfromtheguillotinetogiveattentiontowhatwaspassingintheheadofPinel。Hewasallowedtoworkinpeace，andinashorttimethereignofdiabolismatBicetrewasended。
Whattheexorcismsandfetichesandprayersandprocessions，anddrinkingofholywater，andringingofbells，hadbeenunabletoaccomplishduringeighteenhundredyears，heachievedinafewmonths。Hismethodwassimple：forthebrutalityandcrueltywhichhadprevaileduptothattime，hesubstitutedkindnessandgentleness。Thepossessedweretakenoutoftheirdungeons，givensunnyrooms，andallowedthelibertyofpleasantgroundforexercise；chainswerethrownaside。Atthesametime，thementalpowerofeachpatientwasdevelopedbyitsfittingexercise，anddiseasewasmetwithremediessanctionedbyexperiment，observation，andreason。Thuswasgainedoneofthegreatest，thoughoneoftheleastknown，triumphsofmodernscienceandhumanity。
TheresultsobtainedbyPinelhadaninstanteffect，notonlyinFrancebutthroughoutEurope：thenewsspreadfromhospitaltohospital。Athisdeath，Esquiroltookuphiswork；and，intheplaceoftheoldtrainingofjudges，torturers，andexecutionersbytheologytocarryoutitsideasincruelty，therewasnowtrainedaschoolofphysicianstodevelopscienceinthisfieldandcarryoutitsdecreesinmercy。[381]
[381]FortheservicesofTenonandhisassociates，andalsofortheworkofPinel，seeespeciallyEsquirol，DesMaladiesmentales，Paris，1838，vol。i，p。35；andforthegeneralsubject，andtheconditionofthehospitalsatthisperiod，seeDagron，asabove。