Report for 1925 / National Society for Lunacy Reform.

  • National Society for Lunacy Reform.
Date:
[1926?]
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Report for 1925 / National Society for Lunacy Reform. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    unhappy persons are subjected to the stigma of having been pauper lunatics and to the degrading and depressing surroundings of a lunatic ward. These are only two of the admissions on the question of certification and constitute a startling justification for our charges. 2. Food in Asylums. The Society has heard a very large amount of evidence from ex-patients and patients-on- leave of the inadequate and unsatisfactory food in mental hospitals. The Committee appointed by the Ministry of Health to inquire into the question of dietary elucidated some startling facts. Evidence before the Commission was to the effect that while 4/6 per week per head was paid for the patient’s food, that of the attendants cost 13/6, exactly three times as much. When one considers that asylum patients are sick persons, needing unusual care and nourishment, this indicates a state of things which cannot be described as anything less than monstrous. 3. The Magistrate’s Functions. The Society made strong representations that in all proceedings for the certifi¬ cation and detention of patients the Magistrate, as representing lay opinion, should act in a judicial capacity, and that the ordinary procedure of judicial investigation should be followed. This would entail full testing of the evidence and the definite oppor¬ tunity being given to the individual whose sanity was in question of knowing the allegations made against him, and obtaining the evidence to explain or rebut them. At present he is generally kept in complete ignorance of these vital facts. The Society further urged that some Judicial authority should be empowered to hear applications for discharge and consider evidence in support. This duty is now entrusted to the Visiting Committee of Asylums, who often merely accept the Medical Superintendent’s view as conclusive. 4. Cruelty to Patients. Charges of cruelty to patients have persistently been decried and denied by the Board of Control, but the evidence heard by the Boyal Commission has been sufficient to prompt the Chair¬ man to remark that “ he was satisfied that cases of cruelty, possibly cases of gross cruelty did occur, which should not occur.” (Extract from The Times, 5th Alarch, 1925.)