Report of the directors of the Montrose Lunatic Asylum, infirmary and dispensary (instituted 1782) for the year ending 1st June, 1850.

  • Royal Lunatic Asylum, Infirmary, and Dispensary of Montrose.
Date:
1850
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Report of the directors of the Montrose Lunatic Asylum, infirmary and dispensary (instituted 1782) for the year ending 1st June, 1850. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    10/24 (page 10)
    AMUSEMENTS. Following up that system, which has been so ably carried out by my predecessor. Dr. M‘Gavin, 1 have taken pains to extend and vary the amusements of the patients, as opportu¬ nity presented itself. On all occasions of exhibitions, concerts, public lectures, theatrical cr other entertainments, occurring in the town, select parties have been made amongst the patients to attend them, and with the best possible result. All those patients, also, who are capable of conducting themselves with propriety, and who can appreciate the enjoyment, are collected on the Monday evenings, and spend an hour or two in dancing. These parties, however, are strictly private, none but those con¬ nected with the Institution ever being permitted to be present. Much amusement and interest have been excited amongst the patients by the introduction of singing birds, and other pet animals, in and about the wards and airing-grounds, which are taken care of by them. At their disposal, also, are billiards, bagatelle, chess, draughts, cards, bowls, music, a select library, with the use of the Town Library, together with a plentiful supply of newspapers, including the two local ones, the Times, the Illustrated London News, Punch, Chambers’'s Journal, &c. —all of which are eagerly sought after by the different classes of patients. The carpenter’s shop has afforded to several at once a healthy and useful means of displaying mechanical talent in turning, bird-cage making, and various other handicrafts; and much commendable pride is displayed by them in exhibit¬ ing the products of their ingenuity. Besides walking exercise on the Links, with an occasional visit or call in the town, several excursions into the neighbouring country have been made dur¬ ing the past year, where the party have had a pic-nic dinner before their return; and, on the recent occasion of the visit of the Boyal Company of Archers to Montrose, a great number of the patients, under proper surveillance, visited the field, and witnessed with much delight and gratification, the sports on both days. Excursions of this nature, when judiciously ma¬ naged, are productive of a vast amount, not only of real enjoy¬ ment, but also of permanent advantage to the patients, as serv¬ ing to keep up a link between them and the external wrorld, as well as affording, in prospective, a cheering incentive to the exercise, on their own part, of a little self-control. It is very gratifying to be able to add, that no attempt to abuse this addi¬ tional liberty has ever once been made during the past year. RESTRAINT. Although it is incontestibly established, that the most violent patients can be treated without having recourse to mechanical