The workhouse and its medical officer / by Alfred Sheen.

  • Sheen, Alfred.
Date:
1890
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The workhouse and its medical officer / by Alfred Sheen. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    of insanity is to be mentioned (if known). The words “ whether or not from birth ” refer to Idiocy only. 8th Column.—Both day and month should be given for date of visit. 9th Column.—The “condition” referred to is the general condition, and should be distinctly stated. The word “ satisfactory,” if applicable, may be used. But if there are any unsatisfactory circumstances in the case, mental, bodily or otherwise, these should be stated. The words “if ever restrained” have reference to modes of coercion, mechanical or manual, resorted to during the quarter for which the return is made only. The reasons for, mode of, and frequency of application are to be stated. (From Instructions issued by the Commissioners in Lunacy.) It is a good plan to keep a separate register of these cases, from which the returns can easily be made up. The Medical Officer should personalty see each case at the end of each quarter. The so-called lunatics detained in workhouses are mainly chronic harmless cases of dementia, imbecility, idiocy, epilepsy and dipsomania. There is a doubt in the minds of some authorities as to whether the latter can be legally detained. I have lately acted on the assumption that they can, and have kept such persons in the workhouse for a period of a year or more, with undoubted benefit to themselves. Such persons are