A report on the recent progress of psychological medicine and mental pathology / by C. Lockhart Robertson.

Date:
1848
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A report on the recent progress of psychological medicine and mental pathology / by C. Lockhart Robertson. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh. The original may be consulted at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.

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    that he is provided with employment and amusement; that bis food is good, and his place of residence healthy, dean, well-ventilated, and in good order; that he himself is not ill-treated, neglected, or improperly restrained; and, finally, that he is liberated when fit for liberation—are amongst the duties imposed upon the various visitors, and, concurrently with them, upon her Majesty's Commissioners in Lunacy. These various duties are regulated by two Acts of Parliament (8 A 9 Viet., e. 100; and 8 A 9 Viet., c. 126); the one being for regulating the care and treatment of lunatics generally, and the other being for the provision and regulation of lunatic asylums for eoontii- and boroughs, and the maintenance and care of pauper lunatics therein/ 14. Former Condition of Attfhttna for Me Intone.—“The enormities exist, ing in asylums, public as well as private, previously to the parliamentary investigations of 1815, 1816, and 1827, can scarcely be exaggerated. They eoraprise almost every species of cruelty, insult, ami neglect, to which help* less and friendless people can he expose/! when abandoned to the charge < ( ignorant, idle, and ferocious keepers,acting without conscience or control.” Although, however, these investigation* bail been productive of good, thr metropolitan license! 1 houses were found, in 1828, by the commissioner* appointed under Act 9 (Jeo. IV, e. 41, to have been defective in almost every important particular. The apartments at the pauper patients wen- dirty, ill-ventilated, am! altogether wanting in comfort. Personal restraint prevailed to a great and inexmsalde degree. The number of attendants was, in almost every instance, inadequate to the proper care and control of thr patients, Ac. Ac. Even, m 1844, when, by the Act 5 A 6 Viet., e. 87, the metropolitan com- missioners were enabled to inspect the condition of the various public and private asylums throughout England and Wales, they reveal, in their published Report,* a state of things existing in the private licensed house*, both in thr metropolis and in the provinces, over which humanity would fain draw a veil; while the condition of several public institution* was but slightly better, that at Haverfordwest, belonging to the county of Pembroke, a* bad. Taste and want of space aJiic induce o* to refer those interested in -ueh Chronicles of cruelty to the official Report la question. 15. Preamt Condition of Jtf hams for the Intone.—“Important benefit* and comforts of various wirt* have been obtained for the insane by the present system of inspection and supervision; ami the amount of improvement wh, h has of late years taken place in lunatic establishments have, her Majesty's Commissioners report, been great and general. w The dwellings for the insane arc no longer the gloomy prisons in which they were formerly confined. Cleanliness, warmth, ami ventilation are insisted upon ; better diet, clothing, and bedding liave liecn provided; personal restraint is diminished, and even where still employed it* severity is greatly mitigated, and its application strict!* watched; the health and mental condition of the lunatic are more carefully considered; occupation and amusement are more generally afforded to him, and in all respects better treatment is secured; whilst aa opportunity i* periodically given to him of representing any hardship to which he may haw been subjected—an advantage which, as i» found bv experience, many patients fully appreciate. Such a picture, and drawn, too, by those officially intrusted with the super- vision of such establishments, forms a pleasing contrast to the view we above bad of tht former condition! <f nayturn* for the insane. * Rvp«ft of the Metropolitan CommlwiotWr* In Lunacy to the Lord Chancellor. Pre- sented to both {louses of Parliament by command of Her Majesty. London, 1W4,