Twenty-sixth annual report of the medical superintendent of the lunatic asylum, for the counties of Salop and Montgomery, and for the borough of Wenlock, 1870 / [Salop and Montgomeryshire Counties Lunatic Asylum].

  • Salop and Montgomeryshire Counties Lunatic Asylum.
Date:
1871
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Twenty-sixth annual report of the medical superintendent of the lunatic asylum, for the counties of Salop and Montgomery, and for the borough of Wenlock, 1870 / [Salop and Montgomeryshire Counties Lunatic Asylum]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    haying comprised the loss of a very valuable head attendant. There is no subject that will better reward the immediate attention of the committee than that of the sufficiency of wages to obtain the services of men properly qualified for asylum duty, and in leaving it we ought not to omit to say, in connection with the advantages possessed by the female over the male patients in tiiis respect, that the present Matron of this Asylum is evidently a most efficient officer. When the new workshops are provided, we shall expect to have a better report to make of the profitable uses to which the labour of the male patients is applied, and it is satisfactory to learn meanwhile that the five acres of ground for potatoe planting having been rented by the committee since last year, the employment out of doors has been rendered thus far so much more remunerative that we may hope such opportunity will continue to be afforded, and will lead to what has been wanted so much—a permanent addition to the land of the Asylum. About 100 thus work out of doors, and 40 at various trades; while of the women, 39 are in the laundry and kitchen, and 88 engaged in sewing, knitting, and needlework. The Chapel attendance averages upwards of 250, in nearly equal numbers on Sundays; 222, the females being about 20 more than the males on work days. Something less than 200 is the number that take part in the associated entertainments, for which, and for regular exercise beyond the Asylum grounds, opportunities seem to be given with fair regard to the requirements of the patients in these very im¬ portant respects. We saw an excellent dinner served yesterday in the female division, and the same in quality and abundance was at the same time in progress on the other side. Prom the medical records, which are most carefully and efficiently kept by Mr. Davies, so long the most attentive Assistant Medical Officer here, we have to report that there has been no re¬ straint since the last visit; that the seclusion has been limited to 28 males and 21 females. The instances in the former division being 172, and in the latter 60; and that the numbers at present taking medicine are 18 men and 22 women. Notwithstanding the great many sick of both sexes, there were few in bed; and we here take occasion to mention, with much satisfaction, the rule which admits of patients being visited by their friends, not on any fixed days