An historical account of the origin, progress, and present state of Bethlem Hospital : founded by Henry the Eighth, for the cure of lunatics, and enlarged by subsequent benefactors, for the reception and maintenance of incurables.

  • Bowen, Thomas, 1749-1800.
Date:
1783
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: An historical account of the origin, progress, and present state of Bethlem Hospital : founded by Henry the Eighth, for the cure of lunatics, and enlarged by subsequent benefactors, for the reception and maintenance of incurables. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    [ *3 ] The ADJyiissiON OF PATIENTS into Bethrem hofpital is attend- ed with very little diHiculty. It is firft neceflary to confidcr, whether the cafe of tJie fuppofed lunatic includes any of thofe circum fiances whicli the prudence of the hofpital regards as obje6lions to admifTL- on. Thefe are few in numberj and the wifdom and propriety of them will be eafrly allowed. Mopes, perfons afflidfed with the palfy, or fubjedl to convullive or epileptic fits, and fuch as are becom'e W'eak through age, or long illnefs, are excluded. Objedls of this defcrip- tlon, it is prefumed, may be fufficiently protedled and fecured by their friends, or in a parhli workhoufe. It is peculiarly deferving notice that no perfon is confidered as difqualified for admiflion here, who may have been difeharged uncured from any other lunatic hofpital. When the friends of a lunatic are fatisfied that he is a proper objedt of the charity, and the petition and certificates of the patient’s legal parifh fettlement are prepared,* it then becomes neceflary to procure a governor’s recommendation. The hofpital alfo requires, that, upon admiflion, two houfe-keepers refiding in or near London, fhall enter into a bond to take the patient away when difeharged by the com- mittee, and pay the expence of clothes, and of burial in cafe of death. If the lunatic is fent by a parifh, or any other public body, the fum of three pounds four, fliillings is paid for beddingy but if he is placed there by friends, the hofpital, anxious to lighten their burthen, reduces the. fum to two pounds five fliillings and fix- E pence The forms of thefe are readily obtained by an application at Ecthlem, or at the clerk's^ ©ffice in Bridewell'hofpital; and a governor’s recommendation is never rr/w/ri to the,friends of any proper objeft.