The twenty first annual report of the North Wales Counties Lunatic Asylum, Denbigh : for the year 1869.

  • North Wales Counties Lunatic Asylum.
Date:
[1870]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The twenty first annual report of the North Wales Counties Lunatic Asylum, Denbigh : for the year 1869. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    I only mention this in connection with the religious aspect of the institution, with which I am more immediately concerned, well knowing how great an influence an attendant must have, either for good or evil, over the patients in his ward, with whom he is so constantly in contact, and who are, to a considerable extent, in his power. Much as every one must regret the necessity of enlarging this Asylum, we cannot be too thankful that there is such an institution in the country, so admirably arranged and conducted, and so efficient for its purpose. When we consider what might be the condition of the three or four hundred patients now in the Asylum without such a refuge, to say nothing of the insecurity and danger to society, were so many of these afflicted inmates at large, we may regard the institution as a great blessing to North Wales; and, consequently, its recent enlargement is the enlargement of a blessing. ■ My grateful thanks are due to the Committee of Visitors for the supply of Bibles, prayer-books, and hymn-books, both Welsh and English, which they have been so good as to place at my disposal. In addition to providing an adequate supply of them for general use in the wards and day-rooms, I am inclined to attach considerable importance to a judicious distribution of small pocket editions among such of the patients as can be entrusted with the care of them. They are more pleased to use these, which they look upon as their own, in chapel during service; and I have reason to know that at other times, during the weary hours of the day, the perusal of these books in private is to them a source of much comfort. I have to express my acknowledgments to Mrs. Turner Jones, Mr. Owen Robinson, and Mr. Jno. Davies, for their efficient aid in conducting the musical portion of the chapel services; and also to Dr. Turner Jones, and the other officers of the institution, for the assistance I have invariably received from them in the discharge of my duties as chaplain. I have the honor to be, Gentlemen, Your obedient Servant, Denbigh, Jan. 18, 1870. L. LEWIS.