Thirty-fourth annual report by the directors of James Murray's Royal Asylum for Lunatics, near Perth. June, 1861.

  • James Murray's Royal Asylum for Lunatics
Date:
1861
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Thirty-fourth annual report by the directors of James Murray's Royal Asylum for Lunatics, near Perth. June, 1861. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    her iii I860, 134 on 10th June, 1861—[Note Summary, page Appendix]—on an average, amounted in 1860 to £507, Is. 6d., in 1809 to £376, Os. 5d.—the mean of these two years being .£441, 10s. 10d., or from £3 to £4 per person per annum. This does not say much for the ‘‘remunerativeness” of patients’ labour, or for the “ self-supporting” character of an Hospital for the In- auctivei^ess^of saIle• Doubtless, in Institutions where industry is more fully Patients’ labour developed than it is here, where the advantages and opportunities are altogether superior to our own, results greatly more favourable may be exhibited. Still we must consider our figures as of signifi- cance in showing within what limits “productiveness” or “remu¬ nerativeness ” may reasonably be anticipated as pertaining to the systematised labour of all classes and of both sexes of patients in an institution containing a mixed population of about 200 persons —due regard always being had, in the first instance, to the ludfare of the inmates m a 'purely medical point of view. Our experience Insan^contri^1 * 3 * * 6 °* ^ie Patients by their labour to support themselves, or labour'^towanis con^rikute to their own support, may be summed up as follows', excluding recovered cases ~ 1. In every Institution for the Insane of ordinary character, or similar to our own, there are a few persons who, if they re¬ mained in as good a state of health, mental and bodily, without, as within, the said Institution—under discipline as while at large—might support themselves by their industry or contribute largely towards their support. 3. A large number of persons, who, while under the discipline of the Asylum, are more or less industrious, could not possibly support themselves outside its walls, and would in all proba¬ bility break down, and have their mental alienation increased and confirmed by attempting to do so. 3, A large number can do nothing towards their support—are altogether incapable of useful occupation, either in or out of of an Asylum: on the contrary, they are wholly burdens on their friends or the public. v We have already indicated [pages 11 and 19] a large and im¬ portant class of cases, which, in our opinion, may more properly be treated in private country houses than in public asylums as at present constituted. There is another and equally large class, to which we have not yet referred—viz., consisting of such cases as theirown sup¬ port ? Parochial Cot¬ tage Sanatoria. Diasses of Pa- ;ients suitable iherefor.