Twenty-ninth annual report of the county and city of Worcester Pauper Lunatic Asylum.

  • Worcester Pauper Lunatic Asylum.
Date:
1882
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Twenty-ninth annual report of the county and city of Worcester Pauper Lunatic Asylum. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    casualty, but the mortality has been higher than usual here. For the year 1880 it was 12.5 for the men, 11.3 for the women, or 11.8 for both sexes. This is 2 per cent, above the average for the year in County and Borough Asylums. The I'ecoveries, as compared with the admissions for 1880, were 30 per cent, for the males, 53 per 'Cent, for the females, or 42 per cent, for both sexes; a very- satisfactory rate of recovery, considering that many of the recent admissions are chronic and incurable cases. We regret to report that typhoid fever has recently made its appearance in this Asylum. In November last a female attendant was attacked, and died, a few days after she left the Asylum, at her own home. During August and September m the current year, 1 male and 3 female patients have had the fever; there has been, as yet, no death from it this year, and the two patients last attacked are progressing favorably. Owing to the absence of a detached Hospital (much needed at this Asylum), it has been found impossible to isolate properly the fever cases ; but they are, as far as practicable, separated from the other patients occupying the same wards. The cause of the fever has not been indisputably ascertained. The water, when examined some years ago, was found to be pure, but there has been no recent analysis, and, although no contamination is suspected, we recommend an immediate chemical examination of the supply, derived from the brook, as well as from the artesian well. It is certain that the sanitary arrangements of the Asylum are very unsatisfactory as regards its water closets, urinals, drains, and sewers, and we are glad to find from Dr. Cooke tbat the Committee have recently had the matter under their consideration. It appears that there are several urinals and attendants’ closets badly placed in the wards. The soil pipes of the water closets are not ventilated, nor are the waste pipes of the sinks, baths, and lavatories disconnected from the drains. Several drains pass under portions of the main building, with no special provision against escape of sewer gas from defective joints or brick work. The drains themselves should be ventilated externally to the building, the main drain leads into two sewage tanks, much too large, where in consequence of the sewage being there detained instead of being delivered in a fresh state upon the land, noxious gases are disengaged, and find their way into and around the Asylum. These defects are so serious as likely to affect the health of the establishment, that we recommend the Committee to call in some competent sanitary engineer, without further delay, to examine and report to them upon the matter, and upon the best mode of remedying the defects found to exist. The crowded state of the