History of the Psychopathic Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts / LLoyd Vernon Briggs.

  • L. Vernon Briggs
Date:
1922
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: History of the Psychopathic Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts / LLoyd Vernon Briggs. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    ever, rare among us who are not industrious. ... In a well-regulated hospital, they would find a comfortable lodging in a duly attempered atmosphere; would receive the food best suited to their various conditions, and would be attended by kind and discreet nurses, under the directions of a physician. In such a situation, the poor man's chance would be equal perhaps to that of the most affluent, when affected by the same disease. . . . Journeymen mechanics com¬ monly live in small boarding-houses, where they have accommodations which are sufficient, but nothing more than sufficient, in health. . . . Persons of this description would do well to enter a hospital, even if they had to pay the ex¬ pense of their own maintenance. In most cases they would suffer less and re¬ cover sooner by so doing. . . . Not uncommonly, a young girl is taken sick in a large family, where she is the only servant. She lodges in the most remote corner of the house, in a room without a fireplace. . . . Persons of these de¬ scriptions would not be disposed to resort to a hospital on every trivial occa¬ sion. But, when afflicted with serious indisposition, they would find in such an institution an alleviation of their sufferings, which it must gladden the heart of the most frigid to contemplate. . . . There is one class of sufferers who peculiarly claim all that benevolence can bestow, and for whom a hospital is most especially required. The virtuous and industrious are liable to be¬ come objects of public charity, in consequence of diseases of the mind. When those who are unfortunate in this respect are left without proper care, a calam¬ ity, which might have been transient, is prolonged through life. The num¬ ber of such persons, who are rendered unable to provide for themselves, is probably greater than the public imagine; and of these a large proportion claim the assistance of the affluent. The expense which is attached to the care of the insane in private families is extremely great; and such as to ruin a whole family that is possessed of a competence under ordinary circumstances, when called upon to support one of its members in this situation. Even those who can pay the necessary expenses would perhaps find an institution, such as is proposed, the best situation in which they could place their unfortunate friends. It is worthy of the opulent men of this town, and consistent with their general character, to provide an asylum for the insane from every part of the Commonwealth. But if funds are raised for the purpose proposed, it is probable that the Legislature will grant some assistance, with a view to such an extension of its benefits. . . . It is possible that we may be asked whether the almshouse does not answer the purposes for which a hospital is proposed. That it does not, is very certain. The town is so much indebted to the liberality of those gentlemen who, with¬ out compensation, superintend the care of the poor, that we ought not to make this reply without an explanation. The truth is that the almshouse could not serve the purpose of a hospital without such an entire change in the arrange¬ ments of it as the overseers do not feel themselves authorized to make, and such as the town could not easily be induced to direct or to support. The almshouse receives all those who do not take care of themselves, and who are destitute of property, whether they be old and infirm, and unable to provide means of assistance; or are too vicious and debauched to employ
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