First report of the Derbyshire County Pauper Lunatic Asylum.

  • Derbyshire County Pauper Lunatic Asylum.
Date:
[1853]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: First report of the Derbyshire County Pauper Lunatic Asylum. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by King’s College London. The original may be consulted at King’s College London.

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    1;^ dalion of the Patients* Wards and Exercise Gardens, premising that it is not necessary to describe more than one side, say the west, or women's side, as the arrangement is generally alike for both sexes. To begin with the Ward No. 1, ground floor, which is approached from the entrance hall, in the middle building. This Ward provides accommodation for 25 Patients and two nurses, the sleeping rooms, opening upon the gallery, being at the back. At the entrance of the Ward is the lavatory, fitted with four earthenware basins, inserted into a Hopton stone slab, and supplied with hot and cold water. Plugs and chains are not used for emptying the basins, as they afford facilities for the Patients to do mischief, but each basin has a drain ])ipe with a fine grating at the top. There is a cock in the drain pipe, under each basin, which being turned, lets off the water into a gene- ral pipe trapped to the drain. All the parts are in sight and easily inspected or repaired. Adjoining the lavatory is a water closet, with an apparatus worked by the door, which admits neither more nor less than a given quantity of water to flow into the pan every time the door is used. Passing along the gallery we come to the bay window in the centre, which not only commands a variety of aspect, but affords a retreat out of the general traffic of the Ward. To add to cheerfulness it has a fire-place in the angle between the lights ; and at the far end of the gallery is a dining-room, with the rooms (marked N on the Plan) for the nurses on each side. This room has windows in front and at the sides, and has an open fire; a corresponding open fire being at the back of this one in the gallery. Near the dining- room is the scullery, (marked scuy-) fitted with a sink, a plate rack, a small dresser enclosed beneath, and drawers for knives, spoons^ &c.; and in the passage leading to the corridor of communication is a wardrobe and store closet, to hold the attendants stock of bedding and clothing. Leaving the Ward No. I, we enter the Ward Junction, through the passage just described ; here are three baths and a shower bath, and also a staircase leading to the Upper Ward. The baths are sup- plied with hot and cold water from vessels in the roof, the hot water vessel being a double cylinder, the outer cylinder containing a Jacket of hot water, which heats the cold water in the inner cylin-