Report of the Committee of Visitors, report of the Medical Superintendent, and other papers relating to the asylum : printed by order of the Court of Quarter Session, January, 1858 / Essex Lunatic Asylum.

  • Essex Lunatic Asylum
Date:
1858
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Report of the Committee of Visitors, report of the Medical Superintendent, and other papers relating to the asylum : printed by order of the Court of Quarter Session, January, 1858 / Essex Lunatic Asylum. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    limited accommodation for washing at the Asylum had caused great i inconvenience, and as the number of Patients increased, the evil was : felt to be more serious. The Committee have called the attention of the County Surveyor to i certain of the dormitories and other portions of the building in which a want of sufficient ventilation was observable, some of his suggestions i have been adopted, and ordered to be carried into effect; others are | still under the consideration of the Committee. At the beginning of July two of the Commissioners in Lunacy i visited the Asylum, and entered the following minute in the book ' kept for that purpose “ Essex County Asylum, Bed July, 1857. “Upon our visit this day we have inspected all the wards and : rooms, offices, workshops, farm buildings, and premises, and seen the whole of the Patients who are at present 393 in number, viz. Males. Females. Total. “ Private ... . 4 8 12 “Pauper ... . 154 227 381 “Total ... . 158 235 393 ----- “ Since the last visit of the Commissioners on the 27th June, 1856, the following changes have taken place in the numbers : „ “Admitted ... Males. 61 Females. 73 Total. 134 „ , , c Recovered 29 25 54 “ Discharged ] (.Not Recovered « * « 2 2 4 Total ... 31 27 68 Died. 16 19 35 “ The assigned causes of death call for no special observation. Six Patients appear to have died of epilepsy, 7 of phthisis, and 11 of paralysis. There has been no disease of an epidemic character. “The inmates appear generally to be in good bodily health; twenty- eight only, viz. 11 males and 17 females, are registered as under medical treatment. “ The Patients present at divine service on Sunday last were 226 in number, viz., 99 males and 127 females. Prayers are read daily by the Chaplain.