The thirtieth report of the Committee of Visitors of the County Lunatic Asylum at Hanwell : January quarter session, 1875 / [Middlesex County Lunatic Asylum].

  • Middlesex Lunatic Asylum at Hanwell.
Date:
[1875]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The thirtieth report of the Committee of Visitors of the County Lunatic Asylum at Hanwell : January quarter session, 1875 / [Middlesex County Lunatic Asylum]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    Inquests.—Inquests have been held in 12 cases of sudden death, and are alluded to in detail in the Reports of the Medical Officers. Post-mortem examinations showed that in each case death was from natural causes, and verdicts to that effect were returned accordingly. In no instance was there any reason for attributing want of proper care to any officer or servant. Considering the large number of epileptic and suicidal patients, the fact that there has been no instance of preventable death or casualty of any importance affords satisfactory evidence of the vigilant supervision maintained by the attendants and nurses. Employments.—By kindly perseverance the officers have succeeded in employing a large number of patients, thus the average number of men employed has increased from 230 in 1871 to 430 in 1874, and of females from 501 to 657 in the same period. It will thus be seen that above 60 per cent, of the men, and nearly the same per centag’e of the females are now employing themselves. Some of this employment is confessedly of an intermittent and desultory nature; but the value to the patients as a remedial agent of any employment, however slight, is very important, and bearing in mind the difficulty of finding suitable occupation for the patients from a metropolitan district, mostly trained to handicraft trades, and unaccustomed to and prejudiced against outdoor labour, and the fact that no compulsion can be used, the result must be considered satisfactory. The value of the work of the patients is estimated at upwards of £4,000 per annum. Medical and General Staff.—The Committee bear willing testimony to the exertions of the medical and general staff