State of the Lincoln Lunatic Asylum (instituted November 4, 1819) : [twentieth report].

  • Lincoln Lunatic Asylum (Lincoln, England)
Date:
1844
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: State of the Lincoln Lunatic Asylum (instituted November 4, 1819) : [twentieth report]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    of computation which he recommends : distinguishing moreover the number of cases* of Recovery on relapse, from the number of persons Recovered. The gradual improvement of the Statistical Tables in the Annual Statements, and the gradual improvement of the Regulations founded also on experience, and modified from time to time accordingly, are sufficient to show that any attempt to enforce a uniform system of returns and regulations through the kingdom, would be wholly pre¬ mature, and suppress all improvements locally worked out in different Institutions, and gradually adopted by others as circumstances may re¬ quire. This Institution freely circulates its Annual Statements amongst other Institutions, hoping to induce a general return of such a courtesy, and thereby to derive benefit from the experience and eminent ability with which so many of them are conducted. An engraved Plan of the building and premises, with a section of the ground, accompanies this Re¬ port ; and the Board has felt that similar Plans, attached to the Reports of other similar Institutions, would frequently have afforded useful infor¬ mation to this Establishment. The general health of the Asylum is now very satisfactory, after a late visitation of Fever, which was not confined, (as on a former occasion), chiefly to the Attendants and Servants, but spread amongst the Patients also, proving fatal to seven. On the suggestion of the senior Physician, a tunnel has been formed, to carry away from the premises all the drain¬ age, which was previously received in a deep cess pool, formerly a well, on the north side of the house. During the few months which have since elapsed, not any serious case of Fever has occurred, and reasonable hopes are entertained, that, by this measure, a repetition of such visitations may be obviated. It is gratifying to know, that, notwithstanding the mortality which occurred from Fever, (along with four other deaths from ordinary causes), within the space of three months towards the close of the year, the average annual mortality does not appear to have been increased: only one death having occurred within the six months im¬ mediately preceding. It is a remarkable fact that some towns situated upon the South Cliff Row, in the same commanding position as the Asylum, such as Wad- dington and Caythorpe, have been subjected to similar attacks : and in * “The distinction between the number of cases admitted into any Institution, and the number of persons in whom these cases occurred, is an important one in a statistical point of view ; and in the construction of these tables [of the Retreat] has always been kept in sight Thurnam’s Statistics of the Retreat, 1841. p. 7.