Report of the County Lunatic Asylum, at Wotton, near Gloucester : 1864 / Gloucestershire General Lunatic Asylum.

  • Gloucestershire General Lunatic Asylum
Date:
[1865]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Report of the County Lunatic Asylum, at Wotton, near Gloucester : 1864 / Gloucestershire General Lunatic Asylum. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    6/40 page 6
    increased to 155, against 108 in the previous year, thus nearly equalling the admissions. The cures amounted to no less than 77, and 11 more were discharged relieved ; 4 were removed by their friends unrelieved; and 63 died. The result is highly satisfactory as to the treatment of patients, as the class of admissions, generally, were not of a promising character—indeed some cases were brought to the Asylum in such impaired health, and so weak and disabled, as to require rather the medical and surgical treatment of an Hospital than the care of a Lunatic Asylum. As so large a proportion of cures cannot be calculated upon, it is feared that a continuous increase of patients must be prepared for, in case the admissions keep up to the present amount. The Visitors, however, were glad to avail themselves of the respite afforded by the numbers remaining for a time stationary, to postpone the taking im¬ mediate steps towards the provision of an additional Asylum, as contemplated in their last Report. The Visitors, therefore, believe that the increase of the next year or two may be met bv some slight additions to the existing building, or, more probably, in the manner recommended by the Commissioners, in their Report made after visit¬ ing the Asylum on June 18th, 1861, wherein they say—“ The cottage, which at our last visit had not been used, is now inhabited bv 12 of the men who are habitually employed on the land, and all of them appear thoroughly to appreciate the privileges they enjoy. Should additional accommodation be hereafter required, it seems to us it would be best provided by the erection of some other cottages, much upon the same plan.” With the view to the possibility of adopting such recommendation, and for the general convenience and advantage of the Institution, the Visitors have entered into treaty for the purchase of 16 acres of land, immediately adjoining the last built male wing of the Asylum, which, if successful, will be brought before the next Court of Quarter Sessions, for its sanction. If, however, the number of Lunatics should again increase after the ratio of the years 1862 and 1863, the County must be prepared to provide an additional Asylum at no distant day. Time, however, will have been gained, and in the interim some more economical means of providing for quiet and chronic Lunatics may possibly be introduced. The health of the patients has been, generally, very good ; no epidemic or accident of a serious nature has occurred during the year.
    digitised image 1
    digitised image 2
    digitised image 3