Second annual report of the Fife and Kinross District Lunatic Asylum : September 1868.

  • Fife and Kinross District Lunatic Asylum.
Date:
1869
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Second annual report of the Fife and Kinross District Lunatic Asylum : September 1868. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    2.—ENTRY BY DR W. A. F. BROWNE. Fife and Kineoss Disteict Asylum, 2Oth Feby. 18G8. Tlie registered number in this house to-day are 112 men, 2 being absent upon probation ; and 103 women, 3 being absent on pro¬ bation. Of those, a very large proportion may be regarded as incurable and permanent inmates; 23 only are described as curable; 11 are in bad health; and 21 have manifested dirty habits. The exertions of the night guardians have, however, been so successful as greatly to reduce this number. There were only 6 beds reported as soiled last night. This success has led to the discontinuance of watching on the division for males, and its partial discontinuance in that for females. The industrial class, amounting to 141, comprehends 4 shoemakers, 2 carpenters, 1 painter, 1 stoker, 14 house-workers, and 49 gardeners and labourers ; of the women, 5 are engaged in the kitchen, 10 in the laundry, 18 in house-work, and 37 in sewing. Hand-looms are about to be introduced, in order to supply in-door work for a portion of the males. Since 28th August 1867, 30 persons have been admitted, all of whom belonged to the district, 29 being paupers; 2 were trans¬ fers ; 7 were in a state of great debility when admitted ; several so much exhausted as to have been in danger by removal, and to require stimulants in order to preserve life ; 1 was phthisical; 1 was brought in a camisole ; 1 was reported to have been tied , 1 to have been long-confined in a box-bed, and was filthy in person and of dirty habits ; 1 had been a wanderer, and the mother of several illegitimate children, said to be incestuous; 1 whose intemperance and insanity had been an annoyance to her parish for 20 years; ], an imbecile, labouring under maniacal fury. In the same period 7 persons have been discharged, 10 as recovered, and 11 have died. Death is attributed to exhaustion, pleuritis, caibnncle, and pyaemia ; marasmus; general paralysis; cerebral disease ; apoplexy ; bronchitis ; inanition ; double pneumonia ; and in 2 cases to senile decay. The average, age at death was 56 years. 5 appear to have beeen admitted in 1866, 5 in 1867, and 1 in 1868. The latter was sinking when received, and died in 6 weeks. The mortality is considerable ; but the health of the community is reported to be very satisfactory ; only. 5 individuals (males) were confined to bed, and only 1 case of phthisis is known to exist