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

  • Worcester Pauper Lunatic Asylum
Date:
1861
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

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

    71/102 page 71
    p| require all the resources and appliances of an Asylum receiving lit acute cases; some cases of imbecility are similarly attacked, and e would require removal during the continuance of the paroxysm; oi many cases of epilepsy, at intervals calm and rational, become h: suddenly violent and dangerous for short periods, and would )j: then he more properly treated in the present establishment; u many cases with fixed delusions and impulses of various kinds f:J often improve, and show only slight traces of their existence, 1 while they remain under surveillance ; these Patients might then 9 be located in such a building, but they also, after the character- I* istic features of their insanity have long lain dormant, and 9 become apparently healed over, are not unfrequently attacked 1 with a return of their malady in all its violence, and would then £ require, for their safety, the utmost care, watchfulness, and the a renewal of active medical treatment, which could only be fj properly applied in the old Asylum. The residents who fell d into bad health, or were seized with any intercurrent bodily ] illness beyond that of a temporary or trivial character, would be '$ transferred to the hospital-ward of the old Asylum. Any such I cases left in this sort of building, and unremoved during the it occurrence of paroxysms of their insanity, would render it an i indifferent Asylum, and badly adapted for its requirements. It i would soon assume in reality the aspect and character of an ill- : regulated and badly-constructed Asylum. The other Patients, : not similarly affected, would be injured and rendered irritable ; by the confusion, disturbance, and restriction of liberty imposed during the attacks, and they would in all probability soon become equally restless and dissatisfied. The removal of such cases at once insures quiet and repose, and allows the healing process to progress in tranquillity. The non-connection of the two buildings admits of it; their distant separation would destroy its utility, or render it difficult and ineffectual. In all Asylums classification is adopted, and similar elements,
    digitised image 1
    digitised image 2
    digitised image 3