A letter to the chairman of the committee appointed to inquire into the state of the pauper lunatics in the county of Middlesex : to consider the propriety of extending the provisions of 14 Geo. III., cap. 49. to pauper lunatics, and of the consolidation of all Acts relative to lunatics and to lunatic asylums, and of making further provision relative thereto / by a member of the committee.

Date:
1828
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A letter to the chairman of the committee appointed to inquire into the state of the pauper lunatics in the county of Middlesex : to consider the propriety of extending the provisions of 14 Geo. III., cap. 49. to pauper lunatics, and of the consolidation of all Acts relative to lunatics and to lunatic asylums, and of making further provision relative thereto / by a member of the committee. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    The County Asylums contemplated by the Bill A, and the Licensed Houses referred to by the Bill B. are both intended for the care and safe keeping- of individuals similarly situated. There ii&y^ however, this intended difference between them. In the Bill B, ithe reception of private patients seems to be considered as forming the rule, and pauper patients the exception; whereas, in the Bill A, the reception of pauper patients vis the rule, and that of private patients the excep- tion. When the county asylum is more than sufficient for the accommodation of pauper and criminal lunatics, private patients are to be ad- mitted; and where there is no county asylum, the pauper lunatics are to be sent to the licensed houses. It appears, then, the difference con- templated by these bills, refers not to the circum- stances of the lunatics, but only to the propor- tions in which these different establishments will be occupied by pauper and private patients. It is, however, very possible, that these proportions would, in many instances, be reversed. From the greater vigilance and repute which may belong to county asylums, in populous towns and districts, they might be resorted to from all parts of the country; while, in some of the poorer or more distant counties, it might hardly be found ex- pedient to establish county asylums, so long as the pauper lunatics could be received at less expense in private institutions. You are there-
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