Defects in the moral treatment of insanity in the public lunatic asylums of Ireland, with suggestions for their remedy, and some observations on the English asylums / by John A. Blake.

  • Blake, John Aloysius.
Date:
1862
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Defects in the moral treatment of insanity in the public lunatic asylums of Ireland, with suggestions for their remedy, and some observations on the English asylums / by John A. Blake. 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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    So Dr. Connolly, of Han well, who,, in common with other eminent members of the profession, has devoted much attention to the sub- ject, attaches the highest importance to the description of attendants employed. From a chapter on the subject, in one of his works, I extract the following:— “ To compel the physician to treat his patients with the aid of attend- ants in whom he can have very little confidence, and for whose fidelity, and even for whose kindness he has no security, is as injudicious as it would be to oblige him to employ drugs of an inferior quality, selected by persons unacquainted with the articles of the materia medica of all the physician’s remedial means. They are the most continually in action ; all that cannot be done by his personal exertion depends on them. The cha- racter of particular patients, and of all the patients in a ward, takes its colour from the character of the attendants placed in it. On their being proper or improper instruments—well or ill trained, well or ill disciplined, well or ill cared for—it depends whether many of his patients shall be cured or not cured—whether some shall live or die—whether frightful accidents, an increased mortality, incalculable uneasiness and suffering, and occasional suicides, shall take place or not.” That the attendants in the Irish Asylums are kind and well intentioned towards the patients, with very rare excejitions, I am sure ; but, creditable as this is, there is something more required for the proper fulfilment of the “ important and delicate task of regu- lating the conduct of persons of unsound mind, of controling excite- ment, restraining waywardness, or removing mental depression and, unfortunately, in Ireland the selection is generally made w'ith a false idea of economy, from persons who are often ill qualified by inteUigence, education, or previous occupation. With a view to save expense, I have frequently seen men vrorn out in other services selected—such as pensioned soldiers or superannuated policemen— who, though well qualified, from habits of discipline, to enforce obedience, yet, on that very account, are often the worst agents to employ -where moral force or gentle persuasion are deemed more judicious. From their age too, and settled habits, it is often found impossible to train them into ways different to what they have been accustomed. Ordinai'y labourers also, and other persons who only remain until something better offers, constitute the general nm of male keepers; the female attendants are pretty much the same description, the rate of wages being quite too low in most cases to induce a better class of persons to offer. In England, in the best managed Asylums, it is quite different—good pay securing efficient service, and proving in the end a real saving, as fewer are required, besides the extent to which they contribute towards the patients’ recovery. As it has been stated that a largely increased number of attendants would be required to carry out such a system as I described in the English Asylums, the particulars I give beloAV will show that there are really less than in many of the Irish Asylums.* At the Asylum for the North anri East Rirling of '^'orksliire there is 1 kocpci