Fourth annual report of the county and city of Worcester Pauper Lunatic Asylum.

  • Worcester Pauper Lunatic Asylum.
Date:
1857
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Fourth annual report of the county and city of Worcester Pauper Lunatic Asylum. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    of the Asylum) and several more water pillows should be obtained, there being at present a great deficiency of this sort of accommo¬ dation for bed-ridden Patients. “ The dietary is the same as at the last visit. There are, however, no potatoes or other vegetables at present in store. We recommend that some potatoes should be purchased without delay, and the supply kept up regularly. “ Several cheap weekly publications are taken in; but as some of these appear to be not much used, we suggest the expediency of inducing some Patient (or directing some Attendant) in each ward to read aloud some amusing papers for the general benefit of the other Patients therein. “ There is no regular Night-watch, but the Attendants take it in turns to sit up until IS o’clock at night; after that hour there is no Night-watch, except in case of severe sickness. We have to-day seen all the Patients, who, except two or three females, were tranquil; and have inspected their wards and bedding, which we found generally clean. We recommend, however, that all those beds which are now deficient in that respect should be supplied with under blankets : at present several of the Patients have nothing beneath the body except a sheet and the sacking, and are without bed, mattress, and under blanket. “ The present rate for Paupers is 12s. per week. This charge appears to include several items which ought properly to be charged to the county rate. “It is most important, in our opinion, that the charge made to the parishes should not be increased by any expenditure belong¬ ing to the county, inasmuch as the amount of expense will in all probability deter the parishes from sending their lunatic poor to the Asylum at an early stage of the disease. “ The airing courts would be much improved by the introduction of some shrubs and flowers. “The Asylum appears to be under kind and careful management, and reflects credit on the Superintendent and Matron. (Signed) “ B. W. PROCTOR, 1 Commissioners “ JAMES WILKES, j in Lunacy.