The report of the Committee of Visitors and Medical Superintendent of the Devon County Lunatic Asylum.

  • Devon County Lunatic Asylum.
Date:
1863
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The report of the Committee of Visitors and Medical Superintendent of the Devon County Lunatic Asylum. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    1867. The contracts with the other boroughs are deter¬ minable at six months’ notice. The only remaining course open to us is to avail ourselves of the provisions of the Lunacy Regulation Act of last session, which enables us to remove a certain number of chronic patients into the work- houses, and as this can only be done on the recommendation of the Superintendent, and with the sanction of both the President of the Poor Law Board and the Commissioners in Lunacy, there is sufficient security that no patients will be removed who are dangerous to themselves or others, and unless there is proper accommodation for them in the workhouses, and they can be placed there in separate wards and under proper superintendence. In the meantime we take the liberty of suggesting to the Magistrates, that it is of the greatest importance that no chronic cases should for the present be sent by them to the Asylum. During the last year several changes have taken place in the officers of the establishment. Dr. Bucknill having being- appointed one of the Medical Visitors of Chancery Lunatics, resigned his office of Superintendent on the 24th September. We have recorded in our minutes “ our high sense of his long- services, for eighteen years, and of his constant efforts to i promote the welfare of the Asylum ; of the uniform assistance which, from the first opening of the Asylum, we have derived fiom his judgment and advice; and of the benefits which the patients have always received from his professional skill and constant attention to their welfare.” This we have much plea- suie in thus publicly reporting to the Court. We have elected Dr. Geo. Syrnes Saunders to supply his place, and from the expei ience wre have had of his abilities and character during the time he held the situation of Medical Assistant, we have