Eighteenth report of the directors of the Dundee Lunatic Asylum, for the year ending 31st May, 1838.

  • Dundee Lunatic Asylum
Date:
[1838?]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Eighteenth report of the directors of the Dundee Lunatic Asylum, for the year ending 31st May, 1838. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    f> Work done by male lunatics. Work done by female lunatics. ]02 Webs of bagging wove. 84 ,, of sheeting, 09naburg, can¬ vas, and sacking. 26 cwt. oakum picked. 20 Pairs trousers made, in addition to many mended. 17 Waistcoats ditto. 18 Flannel jackets ditto. 15 Coats and jackets ditto. 26 Pairs drawers ditto. 211 Cubic yards metal broke. 60 Pairs leather shoes aud boots made, in addtion to many mended. 2 Chests mahogany drawers made. 1 Book case ditto. 1 Chiffonier ditto. 2 Sets steps ditto. 1 Table, &c. ditto. In addition, the patients made a large mound, which is alluded to in the medi- cal report. 25 Short gowns made. 35 Long ditto ditto. 50 Aprons ditto. 200 Caps ditto. 40 Petticoats ditto. 50 Shifts ditto. 30 Mattresses ditto. 30 Bolster-cases ditto. 50 Pillow ditto ditto. 30 Pairs sheets ditto. 20 Ditto stays ditto. 36 Flannel waistcoats ditto. 20 Pairs flannel drawers ditto 36 Ditto stockings knitted ditto. 88 men’s shirts ditto. 86 Webs sheeting wove. 400 Spindles hemp spun. 250 handkerchiefs hemmed. 60 Pairs shoes bound. And winding pirns for 272 webs. Several occurrences prevented the labour of the patients from being productive during the last year. The heavy fall of snow confined them to their apartments for nearly two months ; the stagnation in trade threw out of employ¬ ment some of those who were engaged in manufactures; and the employment of others in work connected with the new buildings, though useful, does not appear in the view of profit to the Establishment. Nor is it necessary to advert particularly to the effects of the introduction of public worship into the Asylum, that subject having been fully discussed in former Reports. Not many years ago the idea of some hundreds of lunatics met to engage in the services of religion, would have been gener- ally treated with derision. But here again theory has yielded to experiment, and the experiment has succeeded beyond the most sanguine expectation of its supporters. As man is a being endowed with moral feeling and religious principle, he is elevated when his thoughts are directed to the Supreme Ruler; his desires are checked and controlled by the prospect of eternity ; his sufferings are alleviated by the knowledge of him who bore our griefs and carried our sorrows, and with the exception of those who are prevented by bodily infirmity, or are labouring under some extreme misconception of divine truth, all the inmates of the Asylum meet together on the first day of the week, and join in the