Twenty-sixth annual report of the Somerset County Pauper Lunatic Asylum : from the first of January to the end of the year 1873.

  • Somerset County Pauper Lunatic Asylum.
Date:
1874
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Twenty-sixth annual report of the Somerset County Pauper Lunatic Asylum : from the first of January to the end of the year 1873. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    Many cases could be adduced where persistent warnings of grave mental disorder (demanding yet not obtaining immediate medical treatment) have been totally disregarded, whilst on the other hand, the imaginary grievances of ordinary dotage have been transformed into thorough alienation. In the 1st Quarter, admitted 42 cases; 22 males; 20 females. 2nd 99 99 42 99 29 „ 13 99 39 3rd 99 99 52 99 29 „ 23 99 93 4th 99 99 42 99 21 „ 21 99 Total .... 178 101 77 DISCHARGES. The proportion of recoveries has been for the males 23*7, and for the females 54*5 per cent, on the admissions. Among the discharges during the year have been a few patients, who after admission were found not insane.’’ Notice of similar cases has been referred to in previous an¬ nual reports. They have for the most part been criminals, generally old offenders, who unfortunately had not yet learnt the art of self-discipline and control, but who nevertheless were decidedly simulating insanity. Others again have been discharged, who, from their extreme age (one patient being 86 years old, and another 84), were obviously unfitted for asylum treatment, and indeed should never have been admitted at all. No more cases have been sent to the Unions, their dietetic arrangements generally not proving satisfactory, or in any way encouraging. If v/ith advanced age medical extras are needed for sane paupers, it is certainly true that the ordinary diet of workhouses is not applicable for the pauper or aged insane, C