The observations of the Governors upon the report of the Commissioners in Lunacy to the Secretary of State on Bethlem Hospital : with appendices.

  • Bethlem Royal Hospital
Date:
[1852]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The observations of the Governors upon the report of the Commissioners in Lunacy to the Secretary of State on Bethlem Hospital : with appendices. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    “ so as to squeeze him by the temples, and produce a bruise on each “ side, with a black eye on the left side. “ 28th.—The attendant was unable to induce him to take any “ food, and as he had taken very little indeed since the 25th the “ stomach-pump was employed. ‘‘ 29th.—Was fed twice with the stomach-pump; no change ‘‘ whatever in his mental condition. Discharge from the left ear “ observed. “ 30th.—Fed twice ; remains the same [with stomach-pump.] ‘^31st.—Fed twice [ditto.] “ Nov. 1.—Stomach-pump was used twice for the last time, as it “ seemed that, notwithstanding the nourishment thus administered, he was rapidly wasting, and the resistance he offered on each “ occasion it was feared would do him more harm than any good “ from feeding. “ 4th.—He has been fed once a day since the 1st inst., until this morning, when he took the whole of the breakfast that was ‘‘offered him, consisting of two eggs, some bread and butter, and ‘‘ about a pint of tea; at dinner time he took all the dinner that was given, but did not help himself to any. “ 5th.—Took the same breakfast as yesterday, but about half an “ hour afterwards, having up to this time walked about very firmly, he appeared to be faint, and fell in the gallery against the wall, “ while sitting on the coal box, in sight of an attendant; some wine “ was given him, and he soon rallied.” The Commissioners state that the “ tenor of the evidence given “ as to the male patient H. (this patient), is to the effect,—that he was a patient in the Hospital for rather more than five weeks; “ that he was a strong muscular man, and free from bruises on his “ admission, that on his discharge he was exceedingly reduced in “ flesh, and had numerous bruises on his body, and that he com- “ plained (amongst other things) of ill usage from the attendants, “ and particularly of his throat having been severely squeezed, a “ circumstance that was corroborated by the appearance of his ‘ ‘ throat on his discharge, and is also corroborated by the evidence “of John Welsh, who w^as a keeper at the time of II.’s residence