Thirty-sixth annual report of the directors of James Murray's Royal Asylum for Lunatics, near Perth. June, 1863.

  • James Murray's Royal Asylum for Lunatics
Date:
1863
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Thirty-sixth annual report of the directors of James Murray's Royal Asylum for Lunatics, near Perth. June, 1863. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    cleanliness. The proprieties of the table are further inculcated by every endeavour to seat the patients systematically before meals; by Ante-rooms con- the presidency of one or more attendants at table ; bv the asking of nected with i i • , . 3 J © Dining Halls, blessings and other observances customary m private life. Our aims would further be assisted or carried out had we the means,_in the possession of retiring or ante-rooms,—vestibules fitted with lavatories, shoe-racks and presses for clothes, or other conveniences,—connected with commodious dining-halls or rooms,—to cause working patients to wash and dress before meals,—to change their heavy and dirty working boots for slippers,—to wash their hands and brush their hair, at least, before joining at table. Unfortunately, however, we are prevented carrying out reforms or changes of such a kind by the want of dining-halls with appropriate ante-rooms; by the greatly over¬ crowded state of our present unsuitable dining-rooms; and by the clumsy character of the furniture. The provision of a better class of dining accommodation and of a more modern and suitable class of dining-room furniture will, we trust, be one of the first fruits of the changes to be introduced immediately on the removal of our pauper population to Murthly. Renovation of The whole stock of cutlery and crockery,—of glass and other glass-ware!' Ac!7, ware,—of table furnishings or appliances of every kind throughout the Institution has been replenished and modernised,—a better quality and larger quantity having been supplied for all classes of patients. Generally speaking the furnishings in question are of a superior kind to what the same class of patients would use in their own homes. While substantiality or durability have been aimed at on the one hand, ^Esthetics of the elegance and beauty have been kept in view on the other:_acting on the conviction that important lessons may be taught,—important habits of thought, if not also of action, inculcated by the ^Esthetics of “ common things,” no less than by the more pretentious ^Esthetics of the picture or sculpture gallery. The subjoined table indicates the present statistics of our staff of attendants and servants:— Resident staff. Males. No. Females. No. Gardener, Assistant Gardeners, Pump Superintendent, .. Head Attendant, Postman and Messenger, .. Tailor, Shoemaker, Carpenter, (Fireman, &o.), Gallery Attendants, Total, 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 6 15 Head Cook, UnderCook, Head Laundry-maid, Under do., .. .. ** Housemaids, Workroom Superintendents, Gallery Attendants, Total, 1 1 1 1 2 2 5 13 Proportion of attendants to patients from 1 to 6, to 1 to 8. Maximum, 1 to 573 [males]. Minimum, 1 to 8 [females].