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.

    52/62 (page 44)
    Charlesworth was pleased to state, that “ the Asylum contained more excellencies, and fewer defects than any similar Institution with which he was acquainted.” After the labours which the Com¬ mittee have passed through in endeavouring to construct and organise an Asylum, which should be in harmony with the advanced views of Science, it is gratifying to find their efforts thus appreciated. The 9 spontaneous praise of the Founder of the “ non-Restraint System’ is the seal of successful exertion, and its graceful and appropriate reward. The Asylum has been inspected by other distinguished Psychologists, but it is necessary to refer only to the official visits of the Commissioners in Lunacy. COMMISSIONERS5 REPORTS. [copy.] July 27th, 1852. Since the opening of the Asylum on the 21st August, 1851, 158 Patients have been admitted, and 35 are entered in the Dis¬ charge Book: of them 22 were discharged recovered, 5 relieved or transferred to other Asylums, 1 escaped, and 7 have died. There are now 123 Patients in the House, namely, 66 men and 57 women; of these 25 are out County Patients, belonging chiefly to Nottinghamshire. The Patients we found to be remarkably quiet, cleanly, and in good bodily health. They were neatly and suitably dressed, none of them wearing any Ticking or strong description of Dress. All the Patients were unrestrained and we are glad to find that there are no instru¬ ments of restraint in the Establishment. Seventy-five of the Patients are regularly occupied, and about 82 attend Chapel. Various in-door amusements are judiciously pro¬ vided for the Patients, and the most trustworthy and convalescent inmates have the benefit of occasional excursions into the surround¬ ing country. The various Wards are remarkably cheerful, well furnished, clean, and free from any offensive smell.