Total abolition of personal restraint in the treatment of the insane. A lecture on the management of lunatic asylums, and the treatment of the insane; delivered at the Mechanics' Institution, Lincoln, on the 21st of June, 1838; with statistical tables, ... / by Robert Gardiner Hill.

Date:
[1839]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Total abolition of personal restraint in the treatment of the insane. A lecture on the management of lunatic asylums, and the treatment of the insane; delivered at the Mechanics' Institution, Lincoln, on the 21st of June, 1838; with statistical tables, ... / by Robert Gardiner Hill. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh. The original may be consulted at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.

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    Examining the condition of the Instruments, and fitting of the attendants’ keys, I have found them all quite clean, but several out of order as regards the locks and screws and keys. My notice of them would have led to their im- mediate regulation and repair, which is required to be attended to every Saturday: but I would beg first to suggest that such of the wristlocks as are fastened by the tedious process of screwing, should be laid aside and replaced by others acting with spring locks, constructed, if practicable, with the inner space made circular instead of oblong. This form would prevent the patients from inflicting intentional injury on themselves, as they not unfrequently have been known to do, by forcing the longer diameter of the wrist across the shorter diameter of the manacle. The instruments should be of the best workmanship and polish, made so as to be locked by one key throughout, of which a duplicate should be hung up in each restraint room, to enable the House-Surgeon, the Visitor, or any of the Governors, to ascertain at any time the state of the locks. The costly wristlocks made to resist the file, are of course unnecessary here. Number of Patients—Males 40, Females 18. (Signed) Geo. Makr, [Visitor.] August 18.—The Visitor’s Report being read :—Ordered, That the Furnishing Committee do take measures for procuring improved wristlocks for day and night use. September 8.—Ordered, That glazed Doors be placed at the lower ends of the two Male South Galleries, and the lower doors removed at the Nprth-end of the North Gallery. Extract from the House Visitor'‘s Report. December 22.—I have observed this week, that the House- Porter’s valuable time has been occupied in waiting at table, N
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