The Royal Albert Asylum, Lancaster : a training institution for the feeble-minded belonging to Lancashire, Yorkshire, Cheshire, Westmorland, Cumberland, Durham and Northumberland forty-fifth annual report.

  • Royal Albert Asylum (Lancaster, Englanc)
Date:
1909
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: The Royal Albert Asylum, Lancaster : a training institution for the feeble-minded belonging to Lancashire, Yorkshire, Cheshire, Westmorland, Cumberland, Durham and Northumberland forty-fifth annual report. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    still. There were always more patients clamouring to enter the Institution than it was possible to receive, and whatever support might be given the Committee would still have to ask for more. If they considered the numbers waiting for treatment, he thought it would be admitted the Committee had good ground for appealing for further support. Dealing with the position Westmorland occupied in connection with the Royal Albert, Lord Richard said it was gratifying in perusing the list of past subscribers and donors to find many Westmorland names figuring very prominently. The names of Wakefield, Crewdson and Argles appeared frequently as rendering great assistance to the Institution. They were extremely grateful for that assistance, and they hoped that as a result of that meeting the names of Westmorland people appearing in the subscription list would be largely increased. So far the county had not quite paid for the fifteen patients already in the Institution, the deficiency being about £20 a year. At the election that day there were only two Westmorland vacancies, with five candidates, but that could easily be remedied if the subscriptions were brought up to the requisite amount to enable all the five candidates to be selected. He did not think that was an unreasonable demand to make. A question they might fairly ask was : Was the Institution conducted in a proper and efficient manner—were its finances used to the best possible advantage ? Both of these questions could without exaggeration be answered in the affirmative. The accounts were thoroughly audited periodically, and if they were examined it would be found that the management expenses were kept down to the lowest possible figure, that there was absolutely no un¬ necessary expenditure, no waste, and they could feel satisfied that anything they might give would go to the maintenance and treatment of feeble-minded children. But the Institution had an additional safeguard, which possibly other charitable Institutions did not possess. Apart from the ordinary visitations by doctors and friends of patients, it was periodically visited and the inmates examined by the Government Commissioners. Their visits were absolutely surprise visits—no one knew when they were coming, and as a matter of fact their last visit was paid only a few weeks ago, when they were least expected, and when Dr. Douglas happened to be away. Their report stated : “ On visiting this Institution to-day it is pleasing to us to be in a position to report that the general high state of efficiency is still maintained through¬ out the establishment and its various dependencies. The inmates were cheerful and happy in appearance, as well as being neatly and tidily dressed. Many of them were brought from their work to see us, others we saw busily engaged in the shops, and in all instances where we inquired we were told by them that they liked their place, had plenty to eat, and were quite happy, and so far as we could judge we think such to be actually the case, in view of the care and attention which is bestowed upon them.” In conclusion, the report stated: “ In the absence of Dr. Douglas we were accompanied during our inspection by Dr. Coupland, and it will be gathered from the foregoing report that we were much gratified with the manner in which the hospital is being conducted and administered, and we consider that the Committee, the Medical Superintendent, and the staff generally are to be congratulated on the manner in which this very usefnl work is being carried on.” It was not necessary to add one word on that point. If any Institution receiving a report like that failed to elicit the financial
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