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.

    36/180 (page 36)
    rarely, happens), or that there is any cause of complaint existing in the Hospital, an investigation is immediately instituted, and, if requisite, a remedy applied.* The Hospital is also under the control of about three hundred Governors, who have a right at all times to visit it, and when doing so they frequently introduce friends, who inspect it most minutely. It has, in a great measure, indeed, been accessible to general public inspection, as visiting-orders have been given to all respectable per¬ sons requiring them, and arrangem'ents have been made so that such orders could at all times be obtained without difficulty. It will not, therefore, be matter of surprise that an Institution so prominent and so accessible as Bethlem is, should, under such regulations, be frequently visited, and this has been, indeed, the case to so great an extent as to keep it generally under the inspection of visitors during a considerable portion of the four days in every week on which visitors are admitted. Such visiting is inconsistent with a system of ill-treatment: and the Authorities of the Hospital, conscious of this, have always invited visitors, and have requested them not only to examine with care every part of the Establishment, but. to enter in a book kept for that purpose any remarks on the Hospital they may think proper. In this manner many of the patients are visited by their friends, in addition to the other very numerous visits to patients on the days set apart for that purpose. The Governors court inspection, and w'ill cheerfully lend their zealous assistance in the furtherance of any open investigation that may be considered necessary; but, as a body of gentlemen, assiduously and gratuitously devoting a large portion of their time to the superintendence of the charity, and being above the suspicion of having any interested motives, or that they can possibly have any other desire than for the perfect management of the Institution, * It is worthy of remark that in none of the alleged eases] of ill-treatment referred to by the Commissioners was any complaint made to the Governors, except that of H. H., which was immediately investigated at great length ; and since the inquiry by the Commissioners has closed, the Governors have received communications from the friends of patients, expressive of their entire satisfaction with their treatment.