Report of Commissioners Appointed under a resolve of the Legislature of Massachusetts, to Superintend the Erection of a Lunatic Hospital at Worcester, and to report a system of discipline and government for the same.

  • Massachusetts. Commissioners Appointed to Superintend the Erection of a Lunatic Hospital at Worcester.
Date:
1832
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Report of Commissioners Appointed under a resolve of the Legislature of Massachusetts, to Superintend the Erection of a Lunatic Hospital at Worcester, and to report a system of discipline and government for the same. 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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    nually by the whole Board. At each visitation a writ- ten account should be drawn up of the state of the In- stitution; and at the annual visitation, which should be a short time before the sitting of the Legislature, a detailed Report should be made, to be laid before the Governor and Council, for the use of the Government, setting forth very particularly a view of its situation and of all its concerns. The duty of visitation, as already intimated, will not probably be at all burdensome, after the Institution shall have gone into operation. The Visitors will undoubtedly feel themselves amply compensated for their services in the opportunity afforded them to aid the cause of humanity, by a manifestation of the no- blest sympathies of the heart. No provision, therefore, need be made for defraying any but the actual expenses of the visitation. Previously, however, to the complete organization of the Establishment, so much of the time of the Board will necessarily be occupied, and very laboriously too, that justice would require, that provision be made for com- pensating them suitably for their services up to that period. The charge of the Treasury of the Institution will be an important matter; and the power of appointing the Treasurer may, in the opinion of the Commissioners, safely be lodged in the hands of the Board of Visitors, leaving it optional with them to select one of their own number, or some other suitable person, who shall give bonds in such sum as the Board shall deem pro- per. The duties of this office will necessarily demand of the incumbent the devotion of much time and atten- tion ; he should, therefore, receive an adequate com-