Report by Her Majesty's Commissioners appointed to inquire into the state of lunatic asylums in Scotland : and the existing law in reference to lunatics and lunatic asylums in that part of the United Kingdom. With an appendix.

  • Scotland. Royal Lunacy Commission.
Date:
1857
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Report by Her Majesty's Commissioners appointed to inquire into the state of lunatic asylums in Scotland : and the existing law in reference to lunatics and lunatic asylums in that part of the United Kingdom. With an appendix. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    Pago Licensed Houses, continued. In many houses two patients sleep in the same bed—a practice not confined to females, . . 108 In some of the better houses, the beds clean and comfort- able ; in others, the reverse, . . . ib. Few Licensed Houses for paupers can supply a warm bath, 109 Shower-bath used chiefly to calm excitement, and as a punishment, . . . . . ib. Defective washing-accommodation, . . ib. Tubs provided instead of chamber-utensils in dormitories, ib. Even tubs absent at Hillend, . . . ib. Waterrclosets and privies, . . . ib. Diet, . .. . . . . ib. No diet tables, nor record of extra diet to invalids, ib. Usual food of patients, . . . • ib. Paupers generally worse fed than in Chartered Asylums, 110 Importance of a full diet in the treatment of the insane, ib. In houses for private patients, the food, though apparently sufficient in quantity, is often badly served, . ib. Instrumental Bestraint and Seclusion, . . ib. Much used in all the pauper houses, and in many houses for private patients, . . . . ib. Causes of this, . . • • • ib. In most houses, restraint is applied at the discretion of the attendants, . . • • • IJ-l Seclusion-rooms attached to some houses, . . ib. Exercise, . • • • • • Airing-grounds generally small and gloomy, . ib. At Hallcross, one court or garden serves for both sexes, ib. Courts at Hillend might have been better placed, 112 Occupations and Amusements, , . . ib. Only one pauper house, Langdale, has enough of land to give .proper employment to the patients, . ib. Want of means of occupation a great disadvantage of Licensed Houses, . *_ • • i|^- A little gardening done by patients in some, . ib. Amusements; walks, bowling-greens, &c., • ib. Religious Services, . • • • • Attendants . • • • ■ * Proportion fixed by Sherifif Speirs (1 to 12 patients) not now observed, . . • • • Their number insufiicient and quality bad, . ib. No night watching or inspection, • -u' Statutory Records, . . • *. I ^ n -v' Very imperfectly kept in most houses, sometimes not at all, iD. Total disregard of the strict obligation to keep a record of restraint, • • ' . ^ i a , \ No steps taken to enforce compliance with the btalute, 114 Results of Treatment, . ' *. , The power of proprietors to refuse and discharge patients at pleasure, affects the results in comparison with Char- tered Asylums, . . • • ♦ - *