Suggestions as to the expediency of erecting a public asylum for the insane, belonging to the counties of Cumberland & Westmorland : in a series of letters to Edward Williams Hasell, esq., chairman of the Quarter Sessions / by Richard Oliver.

  • Oliver, Richard.
Date:
[1842-1843]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Suggestions as to the expediency of erecting a public asylum for the insane, belonging to the counties of Cumberland & Westmorland : in a series of letters to Edward Williams Hasell, esq., chairman of the Quarter Sessions / by Richard Oliver. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    under the same roof with the rest of the family, I Iiavo heard that at one time he was placed in a private asylum ; but for what reason he was removed from thence, I have not been able to ascertain. He is yet liviufr, I understand, and still labouring under his malady, although 1 am not aware of the manner in which he is at present taken care of. The subject of another case is the son of a farmer in one of the northern parishes of this county. He was lodged for some time in a private institution near Newcastle; but, owing to the limited circumstances of his friends, who were unable to maintain him longer there at their own expense, he was taken home. Being unfit to go at large, a shed which had been previously used for young cattle, and which was situated at the end of the dwelling house, was walled up on its open side, and connected with the house by a door broken from within. In this apartment, which is quite dark, and unproviderl with any means of direct ventilation, he has been confined for many years. Before concluding this Letter, I would beg to call your attention to the following passage from an important “ Instructional Letter” recently addressed by the Poor Law Commissioners to Boards of Guardians :— “From the express prohibition of the detention of dangerous persons of unsound mind in a workhouse, contained in the 45th section of the Poor Laws Amendment Act, coupled with the prevalent practice of keeping insane persons in work- houses, before the passing of the said Act, it may be in- ferred that persons of unsound mind, not being dangerous, may be legally kept in a workhouse. It must, however, be remembered, that with lunatics the first object ought to be their cure, by means of prop* medical treatment. This can only be obtained in a well-regulated asylum; and therefore the detention of any curable lunatic in a workhonse is highly objcctiunable on the score both of humanity and economy. The commissioners, indeed, believe that most of tlie persons of unsound mind detained in workhouses, are incurable harm- less idiots. But although the detention o( persons of this des- cription in a workhouse, docs not appear to be liable to objec- tion on the ground ot illegality, or of defective medical treat- ment, they nevertheless think that tlie practice is often attended with serious inconveniences, and they are desirous of impress- ing upon the guardians the necessity of the utmost caution and vigilance in the management of any persons of this class who may be in the workhouse. At the same time the commis- sioners are aware that the imperfect manner in which the pro- visions of the County Asylum Act have been carried into eflect, as well as tlie present state of the law in other respects, pro- duces great difficulties in the treatment of the insane poor by the guardians.” That more vigilance is often required in the management of insane persons, when detained in Workhouses, tban is usually bestowed upon them, there can be little doubt. As an example of this I may hers refer to the case of a female belonging to the Wigton Union. She is not considered “ dangerous,” and is therefore regarded as a fit inmate of the Workhouse. Her mother resides in Carlisle, and has frequently had occasion to bring her before the Carlisle Board of Guardians, after she has escaped from the Work- house, and found her way here. Each time she has been sent back to Wigton, and only last week she returned to Carlisle,—many days having elapsed from the period of her leaving the Workhouse, whilst she was rambling about the country in the mean time, lost to all sense of female de- cency; exposing herself, as I am informed by one of the Relieving Officers, to the lewd approaches of any brutal stranger she might fall in with, and passing the nights in woods and outhouses. Anotherpoor creature, belonging, however, I believe, to some place in Scotland, may be daily seen wandering ragged and dirty in the streets of Carlisle, and who has home at least one bastard since she became insane. From the circumstances I have now mentioned, as well as from the facts referred to in my former Letter, I trust that the Magistrates of these Counties will deem this sub- ject worthy of their serious consideration ; and niter forming a comprehensive estimate of its importance, that they will hot he disposed to appreciate lightly the manifold benefits which the community would derive from such an institu- tion, nor deem that a perpetual provision thus made for the wants of the most pitiable and helpless, would not he cheaply and conveniently purchased by the means which the Le,iislature has placed at their disposal.