Report of the medical superintendent with the accounts of the treasurer of the Norfolk Lunatic Asylum, for the year 1872.

  • Norfolk Lunatic Asylum (Norfolk, England)
Date:
[1873?]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Report of the medical superintendent with the accounts of the treasurer of the Norfolk Lunatic Asylum, for the year 1872. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    185 males and 266 females. The admissions were almost the same as in the past 3 or 4 years, but on comparing the numbers in the Asylum with those of the preceding year, they shew an increase of 6 men and 5 women. The mean daily number of inmates for the year, was 180 men and 271 women ; the highest number on any one day was 187 men and 278 women; our limit of sleeping accommodation being only sufficient for 194 men and 273 women. The recoveries were on the Male side 26.6 per cent, of those admitted, on the Female 50; this exceptionally small per centage on the Male side, was due to the badness of our new cases, which as a rule yield us the largest number of re¬ coveries. The deaths were in the proportion of 8.6 per cent, of our average daily number of inmates, the lowest annual death rate ever recorded for this Asylum. Paralysis caused 1 death, Epilepsy 3, General Paralysis 6, &e., &e. (vide Table 3.) In February the House Keeper was attacked with Small Pox, in a virulent and suppressed form, and having but feeble vital powers she soon succumbed ; a female patient, who was seized at the same time, and in a similar way, re¬ covered because she had youth and stamina on her side; fortunately the disease extended no further, although there were other cases in our immediate neigh¬ bourhood ; re-vaccination was obstinately refused by the House Keeper, and was impossible in that of the patient, on account of our difficulty in getting the necessary lymph ; that which was supplied (some months previous to this out¬ break) by the Privy Council, proved entirely in-effectual. All the Servants and Inmates were however re-vaccinated with primary lymph ; which we were at last compelled to purchase from a Public Vaccinator at Worcester ; the majority presented the vesicle more or less perfect; with the exception of these 2 cases of Small Pox, and 2 of mild Scarlet Fever, we may congratulate ourselves upon an almost clean bill of health. No inquest was held during the year, and we had but two Surgical cases of any importance ; one being a fracture of the femur, the other of the tibia. One Woman was delivered in January last, she recovered from her insanity, and has left the Asylum.