The report of the Committee of Visitors and Medical Superintendent of the Devon County Lunatic Asylum.

  • Devon County Lunatic Asylum
Date:
1866
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The report of the Committee of Visitors and Medical Superintendent of the Devon County Lunatic Asylum. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    quennial periods, it will be seen that in the first period ending in 1855, 608 were admitted; in the second period, 807 ; and in the five years ending the 31st December, 1865, 901 patients were received. The causes of the great apparent accumulation of pauper patients were indicated in your Superintendent’s Seventeenth Annual Report, but the inference drawn by the Com¬ missioners from their statistics may be quoted, viz., “that such causes being still in operation, we can only calculate on a further progressive increase ; and we accordingly draw attention to the subject, in the hope that Committees of Visitors will see the necessity of a timely increase of accommodation.”— (Fifteenth Report of Commissioners in Lunacy) The drought was severely felt here during the past summer, and occasioned great inconvenience in our crowded wards. The water supply is at the present time in a most satisfac¬ tory state, since the erection of the new pumps the well has yielded from 20,000 to 30,000 gallons per diem. As the pumps were in working order before the dry weather had ended, and were found to answer, there is every prospect that the present supply will be permanent. The average weekly cost of maintenance, medicine, clothing, and care of patients during the year has been 9s. 4Jd. The only change in the staff of superior officers during the year was occasioned by the resignation of the Assistant Medical Officer, Mr. Thomas Lyle, who has been appointed to the office of Resident Medical Superintendent of the St. Thomas’ Lunatic Hospital, near Exeter. He has been succeeded by Mr. John Stuckey, from University College, London. The Asylum has sustained a great loss during the year by the death of John Bethrey, the head attendant of the male department. He was a valued servant of the institution for 20 years, and at all times performed his duties in a thoroughly trustworthy and efficient manner, and commanded the respect of all who knew him. He has been succeeded in his duties by John Bowden, who has been in the service of the Asylum for more than six years.
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