The fifteenth annual report of the Lincolnshire County Lunatic Asylum, at Bracebridge, near Lincoln.

  • Lincolnshire County Lunatic Asylum at Bracebridge.
Date:
1868
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The fifteenth annual report of the Lincolnshire County Lunatic Asylum, at Bracebridge, near Lincoln. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    the Day-rooms, but the numbers are necessarily restricted, owing to the want of a proper Recreation-hall. We are glad to learn that this want will shortly be remedied, the Courts of Quarter Sessions having voted a sum of <£1500 for the erection of a new detached Chapel, upon the completion of which the present Chapel will be fitted up and used for purposes of recreation. With reference to the employment of the patients, we find that, on an average, 141 men, and 193 women, are occupied in various ways. Of the men, 62 work on the land, the whole of which is under spade cultivation. Very few appear to work as artizans, there being only three in the shoemaker’s, and three in the tailor’s shops. It seems worth consideration whether a larger number of the male patients might not be instructed in various trades, so as to dispense to some extent with paid artizans. About 150 women are engaged in needlework, or assisting in the Wards, and 30 are regularly employed in the Laundry. This department is defective in arrangement, and totally inadequate in size for an Asylum capable of containing nearly 600 inmates; but we are sorry to learn that the question of enlargement, although considered urgent, has not been favour¬ ably entertained by all the Courts of Quarter Sessions. We trust, however, that this important matter will ere long be again brought before them. Additions to the stock of furniture and decorations would, no doubt, still be desirable in some of the Galleries, but the general appearance of the Wards, and their perfect cleanli¬ ness and good ventilation, is most satisfactory. Workmen are engaged in re-papering some of the rooms. We saw the patients at dinner, and examined the food, which was good and abundant.