The eighth annual report of the North Wales Lunatic Asylum, Denbigh : for the year m.dccc.lvi.

  • North Wales Counties Lunatic Asylum.
Date:
1857
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The eighth annual report of the North Wales Lunatic Asylum, Denbigh : for the year m.dccc.lvi. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    and other heavy articles in constant requisition on the premises, has been procured, and is now in working order. The Committee are persuaded that in an economical point of view this will be a gain to the Institution. The Committee have pleasure in announcing that their anticipations as to a further reduction in the weekly charge for paupers, have been real¬ ized. In accordance with the recommendation of the medical officers, this charge has been lowered since the last Report from 9s. 4d. to 8s. 9d. They have reason to believe that the rate per week for paupers in the N, W. Asylum is now, with one or two exceptions, as moderate as any similar institution in the kingdom. The annual expenses have been strictly audited by a public accountant, and verified by two of the Visiting Committee specially appointed for that purpose. They will be appended as usual to this Report. The Committee have now to introduce to the attention of all who are interested in the safety and well being of the Asylum, a subject of the gravest importance; viz., its preservation from destruction by fire. It must be borne in mind that there is at present no adequate provision on the premises for emergencies of this fearful nature. The supply of water is now mainly derived from a w7ell in one of the courts. The water is raised by a capstan pump, worked by the patients. It is obvious that their services would be utterly unavailable at such a time of alarm as the outbreak of a fire. The Committee therefore most earnestly recommend the erection of a steam engine. The house is already supplied with fire plugs and hose. The terrible conflagration which lately occurred at the South Metropoli¬ tan Schools at Sutton must be fresh in the recollection of all who read the public papers, more especially of those who saw the representation of the catastrophe in the Illustrated News of November 22, 1856. Dreadful as that scene must have been, how would its horrors have been increased had the inmates of those burning walls been afflicted with insanity, and wrought up by the excitement of such a moment to uncontrollable parox- yms of frenzy! The erection of a steam engine would in all human probability avert, under Providence, so appalling a danger; and in addition would relieve the patients now employed at the capstan from an irksome and monotonous task, and allow of more healthful and interesting occupations being assigned to them.