Reports upon Broadmoor Criminal Lunatic Asylum, with statistical tables, for the year 1886.
- Broadmoor Criminal Lunatic Asylum
- Date:
- 1887
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: Reports upon Broadmoor Criminal Lunatic Asylum, with statistical tables, for the year 1886. Source: Wellcome Collection.
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![In 1870, Dr. Meyer, to whom had been intrusted the responsibility of setting the machinery in motion, was cut off by death in the midst of a most excellent work ; and Dr. Orange was promoted to succeed him as Superintendent at a time when the practical dealing with the question as to how best to manage a large body of criminal lunatics under centralisation was still in its experi¬ mental stage. Broadmoor, as Dr. Orange left it, after years of no ordinary mental strain and unsparing self-devotion, was an asylum of the highest reputation, and its system of administration was acknowledged on all hands to be a conspicuous success. It is not saying too much when I refer to the deplorable injur}r which Dr. Orange received at the hands of an insane inmate as having been the means of causing the retirement from the public service of an officer of unrivalled experience and judgment on all matters having reference to the subject of criminal lunacy. The inmates of the asylum openly expressed their sorrow at losing their Superintendent under such circumstances ; and on the eve of his going, the officers and staff of the establishment, who had the best possible reasons to feel his departure regretfully, presented him with a silver salver as a parting token of their “ persona] esteem, and in grateful appreciation of his many acts cc of kindness.” The Council of Supervision have already placed on record their high appreciation of his merits, and their great regret at losing his services. The following extract from the “ Lancet’’ of June 5th, 1886, will serve to show the nature of the public appreciation of Dr. Orange’s labours : “ Upon Dr. Meyer’s lamented death in 1870 Dr. Orange was promoted by the Secretary of State to the vacant superintendent- ship. The success of his administration of this anxious and responsible post is too well known, both in this and other countries, to require notice in these columns. In 1882 Dr. Orange was unfortunate enough, while in the discharge of Ins duties, to be assaulted by one of the inmates (the Rev. H. J. Dodwell, who some years ago was found insane by a jury when tried for firing a pistol at the late Master of the Rolls). He received a severe blow on the head with a stone slung in a handkerchief, and we much regret to learn that the effects of this blow have necessitated the retirement of Dr. Orange from a post in which he has most ! efficiently administered a grave and responsible public trust. In j the hope that the step might enable him to carry on his work at Broadmoor, Dr. Orange was last year, at his own request, relieved of the trying duties devolving on him as one of the advisers of the Home Office authorities in cases where capital crimes had been committed, and where the question of insanity arose. It is j in this relation that the general public have to be especially j grateful to Dr. Orange, for, with an exceptional experience on : the subject, his scientific penetration, his sound judgment, and ; his shrewd common sense never failed to secure universal approval for his decisions on these momentous issues. The public will!j](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b30305834_0008.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
