The present position of the insane poor under private care in Scotland / by T. W. L. Spence.

  • Spence, T. W. L. (Thomas William Leisk), 1845-1923.
Date:
1902
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The present position of the insane poor under private care in Scotland / by T. W. L. Spence. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library at Yale University, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library at Yale University.

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    officials needed for the effective supervision of the insane. Public opinion moreover had up to the middle of the last century been indifferent to the interests of the insane, and enlightenment as to what could be done towards ameliorating their condition was far from being widespread even among the medical members of the community. There can, however, be no doubt that a great benefit was conferred upon the insane in Scotland by the severance of their supervision from a body having other and different functions, and the placing of their interests in the hands of a Department of Government devoted to that sole duty. Powers and Constitution of the General Board of Lunacy. The supreme administrative power with regard to the insane in Scotland, both rich and poor, rests with the General Board of Lunacy consisting of a Chairman and two Legal Commissioners, who are unpaid, and two paid Medical Commissioners. There are also two medical Deputy- Commissioners, who are not members of the Board, and whose duties are mainly confined to visiting insane persons in private dwellings, both private and pauper, and reporting to the Board on their condition and treatment. The General Board has an office in Edinburgh with a Secretary and Clerical Staff. Duties of District Boards of Lunacy : Have no duty towards Insane Poor in Private Dwellings. All Scotland is divided into Lunacy Districts to each of which is attached a local body called a District Lunacy Board. To District Lunacy Boards are entrusted by law the duty of providing asylums for the insane poor who require asylum care. In the great majority of Lunacy Districts the District Lunacy Boards have erected asylums for the insane poor, but in a few cases they have contracted with existing asylums for the recep- tion of their pauper patients. District Boards of Lunacy both erect asylums and are responsible subsequently for their good order and management ; but it should be carefully noted that they exercise no control whatever and have no concern or responsibility with any insane persons pauper or otherwise who are not resident in asylums under their management. This explanation is made because it might naturally be supposed that a District Board of Lunacy would have some concern with the pauper insane who . are under private care within the District ; but such is not the case. Management of Insane Poor in Private Dwellings by Parish Councils, their Inspectors of Poor, and Medical Officers. Each County of Scotland is divided into parishes (communes) having in some cases a population of only a few hundreds, in other cases a