Volume 2

An historical account of the origin, progress, and present state of Bethlem Hospital. Founded by Henry the eighth, for the cure of lunatics, and enlarged ... for the reception and maintenance of incurables / [Thomas Bowen].

  • Bowen, Thomas, -1800.
Date:
1783
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: An historical account of the origin, progress, and present state of Bethlem Hospital. Founded by Henry the eighth, for the cure of lunatics, and enlarged ... for the reception and maintenance of incurables / [Thomas Bowen]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    11/20 (page 7)
    But while the benevolent heart feels a fenfible Joy in reflecting upon the load of human wretchednefs that is lightened by the ac¬ commodations of this friendly manfion, it cannot but exprefs a wifh, that the benefits of the hofpital might be rendered more extenfive.. It is an object much to be defired, that the many diftracted perfons, whofe diforder no medicine can reach, might continue to find pro¬ tection within thefe walls, and not be returned to their friends, a burthen, very often too heavy for them to bear. The number of incurables, which the hofpital can at prefent • contain, is finally when compared with thofe who wait their turn of admiffion. Perhaps it would not be fuppofed that there are generally more than two hundred upon what is called the incurable lift;* and, as inftances of longevity are frequent in infane perfons, it commonly happens that the expectants are obliged to wait fix or feven years, after their difmiffion from the hofpital, before they can be again received. During this long interval, they mull be fupported either by their refpective friends, or parifhes. The expence of maintaining and pro- perly fccuring them far exceeds the allowance that is ufually made for paupers; and in middling life, where the feelings of a worthy fon or hufband revolt at the idea of a near relation becoming an object of parochial alms, the diflrefs and difficulties of the lunatic’s unhappy friends muft be greatly aggravated. Befides, for want of due care and * When a patient, after fufBcient trial, is judged incurable, he is difmiiTed from the hof¬ pital, and if he is pronounced dangerous either to himfelf or others, his name is entered into a book, that he may be received in turn among the incurables maintained in the houfe, whenever a vacancy fhall happen.