Superintendent's report for 1848 / Littlemore Asylum.

  • Littlemore Asylum
Date:
[1849?]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Superintendent's report for 1848 / Littlemore Asylum. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    high average;—as may be seen by the Tables of Dr. Farr in his Report on the Statistics of Insanity, which I have embodied in the Appendix.—The explanation offered by Dr. Farr’s Tables is, that in the licensed Houses where both Pauper and Private Patients are admitted,—the mortality of the Private Patients is only one half that of the Pauper ;—because the Friends of the Private Patients obtain earlier aid than is generally pro¬ cured for the Pauper. The comparison I have made with regard to the mortality of Patients admitted in the year 1848, with those previously in the Asylum, will shew how large a proportion of the Patients was already, upon admission, laboring under severe and dan¬ gerous illness ; a fact which increases the amount of deaths compared with the total number of Patients ; and which increase wrould, in all human probability, be diminished by an earlier application for the benefits of this Institution. The occupations of the Male Patients have been Gardening, Shoemaking, Tailoring, and House-work; and some assistance has been given to the House Carpenter.—The Women, on the other hand, have been engaged in Needlework, the Laundry, and Household-work. The subjoined list of the articles of clothing made by the Female Patients, will best evidence the amount of service they have rendered. There have been two accidents by fire during the year; and, although neither of them caused any serious injury, I desire to record them for the sake of future precaution.—One of these Fires was caused by a burning coal falling from the Grate and igniting a Calico Garment, which was placed near the Grate to be dried J and the other Fire arose from a Patient taking a Match from the candlestick of an Attendant who was ill, and concealing itj