Twenty-sixth annual report of the directors of the Dundee Royal Asylum for Lunatics : submitted, in terms of their charter, to a general meeting of the directors, 15th June, 1846 with the report of the medical officers.

  • Dundee Royal Asylum for Lunatics.
Date:
1846
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Twenty-sixth annual report of the directors of the Dundee Royal Asylum for Lunatics : submitted, in terms of their charter, to a general meeting of the directors, 15th June, 1846 with the report of the medical officers. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    males and one female who have been all taught in the house to weave. Some of the female patients are permitted to work in the garden, and this seems to be a source of great pleasure to them. A few of the patients have been occasionally permitted to go to Church in town, as in former years; and we have always found, that on these occasions their conduct and demeanour have been per¬ fectly correct and exemplary. The attention paid to exercise and amusement has this excel¬ lent effect, independent of being conducive to health of the body, it tends to prepare the greater portion of patents for undisturbed rest, and to bring on what has been so beautifully called, “ tired nature’s sweet restorer, balmy sleep.” In consequence of the happy effects produced in this way, the Superintendent is seldom called up during the night, and it is scarcely necessary to add that the whole establishment feels the benefit of it. In the course of the year, the patients have also been indulged with little tea and dancing parties, according to use and wont. These are always a source of considerable interest to them, and perhaps of still greater enjoyment. Any thing that varies the monotony of confinement, or banishes the remembrance of re¬ straint—for even the confinement within the walls generally is a species of restraint has constantly the effect of both enlivening and pleasing them for a time. As the Asylum has been crowded with patients this year, we have often felt the want of single bed-rooms. At one time we had 208, and this is the highest number under treatment in the establishment since it was founded. The Directors are respect¬ fully requested to give their attention to this circumstance. When the Superintendent last year again visited France,* he saw very large dormitories in the Parisian asylums, where atten¬ dants sat up regularly every night to watch and assist, there being a light and a stove in the centre of the dormitory, similar to what '1( He had previously visited some of the Irish and Scotch asylums.