Report of the Committee of Visitors of the Lunatic Asylum for the City and County of Bristol, together with the reports of the medical superintendent & chaplain / Bristol Lunatic Asylum.

  • Bristol Lunatic Asylum.
Date:
1884
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Report of the Committee of Visitors of the Lunatic Asylum for the City and County of Bristol, together with the reports of the medical superintendent & chaplain / Bristol Lunatic Asylum. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    7/46 (page 9)
    resident, but there has not been any epidemic or contagious disease prevalent. The state of the Wards is very satisfactory; some have been redecorated this year. We can report favourably, too, of the demeanour of the patients and of the condition of their dress. No well-founded complaints of illtreatment were made to us, nor any of the diet. The dinner to-day was of fish, and it appeared to be liked. We hear that the use of beer has been wholly discontinued, without any dissatisfaction on the part of the patients. The Attendants receive a money allowance in lieu, and some slight addition has been made to the dietary. There is still room for improvement in the proportion of the patients who are usefully employed. At present this is about 60 per cent. So also as regards those whose exercise extends beyond the airing courts. We find that 146 males and 100 females are confined to these. Some 50 of each sex go for walks bejmnd the estate. Not many patients were to-day confined to bed, and under medical treatment are 18 males and 18 females. While on this subject we would call attention to the obvious objections to the plan of allowing aperient medicines to be kept in the Wards, and given at the discretion of the Head Attendants. We find that five male patients have been restrained on 45 occasions and for 436 hours, and an idiot boy with destructive propensities has voluntarily had his hands tied during 44 days. A woman for surgical reasons was also restrained during several days. Seclusion was resorted to in the case of 35 patients on 117 occasions, and for a total of 456 hours. The present staff of Attendants for day duty consists of 14 men and 15 women. This gives an Attendant to about 14 male and 15^- female patients, proportions which strike us as low, having regard to the requisite leaves of absence. Seven men and five women have not more than twelve months’ service. The rates of wages paid are good.