An asylum, or hospital-home, for two hundred patients : constructed on the principle of adaptation of various parts of the house to varied needs and mental states of inhabitants : with plans, etc. / by T.S. Clouston.

  • Clouston, T. S. (Thomas Smith), 1840-1915.
Date:
1879
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: An asylum, or hospital-home, for two hundred patients : constructed on the principle of adaptation of various parts of the house to varied needs and mental states of inhabitants : with plans, etc. / by T.S. Clouston. 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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    8. All things that give an air or sense or feeling of con- finement should, as far as possible, be avoided; many of the insane being super-sensitive in regard to the effect of their surroundings. 9. Every thing that produces cheerfulness of effect, inside and outside an asylum, should be most carefully stud- ied, down to the minutest detail of painting and furnishing. This has been abundantly proved to be of the utmost impor- tance for healing, hygiene, and happiness. Variety in the shape, size, and aspect of buildings and rooms, tends to inter- est, rouse, and cheer the patients, when they pass from one into the other. 10. An asylum should have every sort of strictly medical appliance of construction and arrangement for isolation, try- ing and studying the effects of drugs and treatment, baths of all kinds, — Turkish and medical, — microscopic, necroscopic rooms, &c.; every thing, in fact, to encourage and facilitate medical study, investigation, and treatment of the individual cases. 11. It should be remembered, in constructing and furnish- ing an asylum, that the chief things of which insane patients treated in asylums complain are: a. Removal from home. b. Being locked up. c. Want of employment for which they are paid, and in which they take an interest, d. Con- trol by attendants, e. Monotony of life. /. Association with lunatics, meaning thereby fellow-patients worse in some respects than they are. It follows, that in constructing and furnishing the buildings of an asylum, and arranging its various parts, great care should be taken to provide for lib- erty, domesticity, classification, employment, amusement, and social intercourse between those who Avill enjoy it. Opportu- nities must be given for the creation of an artificial home life, as nearly like the natural as is possible. 12. It is impossible, in carrying out the foregoing princi- ples, to avoid all risks of sudden impulses to violence, suicide, escape, &c.; but my experience is, that such risks are best avoided by a careful daily study and observation of the indi- vidual cases by the superior officials, and more especially by the medical officers. I often deliberately run risks for the sake of the happiness and cure of my patients; and I think this principle has by no means been carried out far enough.