Fifteenth annual report of the Suffolk Lunatic Asylum : December, 1852.

  • Suffolk Lunatic Asylum
Date:
1853
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Fifteenth annual report of the Suffolk Lunatic Asylum : December, 1852. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    The work done this year by the patients has been quite as much as usual; among the more important operations are the completion of one of the firing courts on the male side, by the removal of an old division wall, and the enclosure with its materials, of an additional piece of hitherto unoccupied ground of an area of about one hundred square feet; also the erection of a convenient drying room, the want of which has been long felt, and noticed by the Commissioners in Lunacy in both their official visits this year. There have been besides, several improvements of importance at the back of the House, such as a large quantity of painting and glazing, the usual and constant agricultural and gardening work, Avith the ordinary employ in the blacksmith's and carpenter's shops. Convenient lavatories have been substituted for the old stone sinks, and a few more dormitories on the basement stories have been partially doored. In all these improvements the patients have done the majority of the work; no labouf of any kind goes on in which they are not chiefly engaged; and it is better that they should be a longer time in accomplishing what in other hands might be more speedily done. It is continuous employment, and not rapid completion which we want; constant occupation is universally held to be one of the greatest remedial agents ; and one of our most insane patients recognized this in the midst even of the utterance of the most incoherent extravagancies ; she stopped short as she heard of a window to be glazed, and cried, “ah! but you must wait for my diamond to cut it.” One of our most constant labourers, a bricklayer, was noticed in last year’s Report, who from being a very dangerous man in the wards, had become a quiet contented workman outside. He has been this year joined by another similar character, who em¬ ploys himself always in painting; and all the outer gates, &c. give proof of his diligence : he is naturally morose, and with somewhat dangerous propensities ; but as he never speaks to any one, and replies only in monosyllables when he is ad¬ dressed, he carries on his constant work with a toughness
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