The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1859-04-12 00:00:00

COUNTY LUNATIC ASYLUM.

This report, which was read by Mr. FLOTER, stated
the expenditure to be £1,019 19a. Sd. ; the amount
receivable from parishes if the rate is made at 6s. 5.1.
per week, or at 11d. per day, is £982 Ms. (Id., leaving a
deficiency to be defrayed from the Contingent Fund of
£37 Ils, Ad. ; the rate was accordingly fixed at fie.
per week. Bills amounting in the aggregate to
C 361 10s. M. were allowed. 'I he number of patienta
In the asylum at the end of the last quarter was 166,
namely 76 males, and 90 females (this number included
five lunatics who had been admitted since.) Two had
been discharged, and two had died, thus leaving the
total 162. In Fisherton Asylum there were, last
quarter, 73 patient.— 34 males, and 39 females ; two
males had died, and one had been discharged, leaving
70 now at Fisherton. The gross total, therefore, at
Forston and Fisherton was 104 males and i 4 females-
-232 ; besides one criminal patient. In accordance with
the suggestions made at the last quarter sessions, in•
citations were made, and addressed to a limited number
of architects conversant with the arrangetnents of
Lunatic Asylums, to send in plans and estimates at
Forston. Four out of the number selected had complied
with the request of the Committee, and had sent in
plans, some of which were for alterations and enlarg-
ments, and some for the reconstruction of the asylum.
From the short period—little more than a week—that
had elapsed since the plans were received, the cotusuittee
had been unable to come to any decision on them.

After a little conversation -respecting a motion for
changing the site of the Asylum at Forston, about to be
brought on by Sir John liesketh Lethbridge, Bart.,
the CH AI RM AN thought the report had better be received
and adopted at once, and leave the hon. baronet to bring
on his motion in its proper time.
Lord PORTMAN thought the question had better come
on at once.

Sir Jolts H. LLTHBVIDGE then said, a solemn,
sacred, and a serious duty devolved on him to-day. He
had not written out what he was about to say, and he
must, on this occasion, be excused for dealing with facts.
At the last Epiphany Sessions he had heard Lord Shaf-
tesbury declare, that both humanity and economy called
for us to change the situation of the asylum from Furs'
ton altogether. The noble lord was now living at a
long distanne, and he did not think it advisable to be
present that day, as his report had been so coldly
received. As regarded the asylum at Fenton he
believed it to be in • very unhealthy state, and lie
should support that statement by the opinions of two
medical gentlemen—one of whom (Dr. Smith) had said
that • situation more condemnatory could not have been
chosen. The other gentleman (Dr. Tapp), of their own
town, had said that nothing could be worse than
Version; whenever he (Dr. Tapp) passed it at night, he
found it in a dense fog. lie (the lion, baronet) thought
he lied discovered • site which was in every respect un-
exceptionable ; but some magistrates had told him
" Bring whatever site you may, you will find those who
will vote against it." The site lie had discovered was
very eligibie, and they could have from :10 to 60 acres of
good arable land, with an abundant supply of water at •
trifling expense. He believed he could furnish them
with an asylum to contain 2150 patient' at less than
117 • bead. It had been stated that the rate of
mortality in this suiyluin wiu less than the rate of mor•
tality in any other county asylum. This was • mistake.
They lied returned theirs at S per cent., whereas in
Somerset it was 74 per cent., and in Exeter the rate of
mortality had been ii per cent. Thus then were two
counties—Siosnerset and Devon—with the rate of mor-
tality less than Dorset. Dr. Hymns, as the medical
*Meer at Torston, was deserving of their highest respect
and regard. He had kept the retool mortality as low as
8 per cent. He (the hon. baronet) found that a suicidal
propensity amongst the patients had been snore notice-
able than for years past. How was this to be gut over
Why by cheerfulness by taking them about ; by pri-
vate theatricals, kc. His old hunting friend, Mr. Peach,
had said if he wanted • magnificent site in Dorset he
should choose Tendon ; but the question arose lii his
(Sir John's) mind whether the situation WM healthy or
unhealthy, and after the evidence on this head afforded
by Drs. Smith and Tapp, he felt it unnecessary to my
any more on the healthiness of the situation. After
eulogising the character of the Earl of Shaftesbury, the
lion, baronet said the noble earl had fulfilled a solemn
obligation when lie wished them to change the position
of the asylum. The proposed site was at Whitfield,
looking towards the Bridport rod (about a inile•ande-
half from Dorchester). l was on a hill ate) was in every
respect a healthy spot. He would get them • building
erected for ElO,OOO, and the oosi of Iso acres of land
would be I:5,000, If they had sleeping apartment. of
corrugated iron It would be much better ; this Ileac:rip.
bun of Iron had recently been In use In an additional
building which had been ensiled at Exeter in connection
with the asylum there. In eoncluaion the hon. bart.
said he would snake his proposition to the Court If
nobody seconded It.
The l'iissuusit am quite ready to second the
motion if nobody else dou.
Sir Jiiihti LITHIIIIII/44.:—Tiocti I mere that the build.
ing be altogether removed from Fontein.
The learned CIL% 11111.04 mud, the practice generally
when • motion was brought before the court and nobody
decoded It—was for the chairmen, out id courtesy, to
do so; therefore he begged to second the motion in order
to rules the question before the Court.
Mr. FIA/Vall said, the lion. Bart., in his address had
not dwelt on the question, whether or not It was deal.
table that the accommodation for the lunatic patientm
should be provided on the present site, or whether it was
desirable to provide for it elsewhere. He felt still that
there was something to be aald on both sides of the
question. On two or three oeciasiona, propositions lid
been made in that court for the insertion of advertiu-
inviting landowners in this county to offer land
on which to build an asylum. These Invitations had
been made, but the answers received lid nut been such
as to enable them to come before this mot and reooni•
mend that this anylum should be moved. lie did not
know whether the worthy Baronet lied hall snuch ex•
tering* In buihlinp for the maintenance and provision
for lunatice ; but it must be recollected that buildinp
which were moldered applicable for containing some-
thing like Mt or :100 patients would require an area of
not less than MO yards. In the site proposed on the
hill looking towards the Bridport road—his lion. friend
lid stateuf that @spawn to the nortlveast was a de-
eided advantage ; but against that he (Mr. Floyer) de-
murred, and considered that it was a great advantage to
have shelter in the gardens and other places at times,
when in exposed situations. They remained at Fenton,
not became they believed Torsion to be the best site in
the minty, but became they believed it to be the most
available alto, (Hear, lieu.) If the worthy Bart. or
any other member of that court proposed • more eligible
site, he (Mr. Fluyer) was not prepared to say thst lie
would at once move its adoption. Until lie could see
that the spot selected was nut merely as good as Torsion,
but that it would compensate for the difference of ex•
penditure—(eshich, though not large, was still one con'
sideration in the question) he thought it would be idle
of that court to pass a resolution that the asylum should
be removed.

thr JOHN LtTHIHIHNIC: It is SHlSClielltly sheltered
from the East by Poundbory.
Mr. not's,' thought not. That portion which was
sheltered by Poundbury waii not sufficiently large to en•
able them to build an uylum ; and if they went to the
Sat they did not get aufficient shelter. lie felt himself
bound to show that &Ireton was not se objectionable as
it appeared to the eyes of the lion. Bart., especially
when he (the Hon. Bart.)fortifled that poaition by saying,
that Fenton wee not so healthy am the two neighbour-
ing counties. On referring to the reporta of Dorset and
Somerset he (Mr. Floyer) found that in the year before
hat out of 476 patients there were 55 deaths ; that was
something like from 11 to I'2 per cant. Taking the two
together, the excess was greater in the county of
homereet than in the county of Dorset. Taking the
Whole of the asylums of England in 1857, the cures were
about 13 per cent., and deaths 11 per cent. In Fenton
the same year the cures were 15 per cent., and the
deaths about 10 per cent. In the year before the death.
in the whole of England were about 12 per cent., and
the cures 4 per cent. In Fonton the deaths were 7 per
out., and the gums 14 per tent. After some further
observations Mr. Floyer said if they had no better site it
wee a quite)* whether they had not better enlarge
Version. It did not appear to them (the committee)
that they would be doing their duty if they delayed

longer to obtain plane for the enlargement of the
asyluui ; those plans were now ready for their inspec-
tion and consideration. The Ilioi. Hart. had spoken of
building an at k.:17 per head ; it was perfectly
absurd to think that an aaylutu could be built for th.it
MOM. The cost, of other asylums in Cambridge. Muffulk,
kc., had been about about £.15,000. It WA4 impoasible
to provide suitable accoiumodation for patients at a lesa
cost than 1:1011 per heed.
A lengthy discussion in favor of the proaent site fol.
lowed, and the lion. Hart's. 1111 l tion, on being put by the
Chairman, Wan InAtiV44l ; and the original report of
the committee WM, received and adopted.

VINANCIC
Mr. FARQVU Aim's presented this report, which
ataterl that the expenditure of the past year had been
£,250 H. 5d., and the receipts £4,471 16s. Tel.,
including the balance at the last sesaions, of 1:1.762 Pis
bd., which left • balance of 1:1,221 6s. 0.1. This with
a three-farthing rate of £1,517 tia. &I. payable this day,
would give 1:2,738 12a. 6d. for the expenses of the next
quarter.—Unanienowdy adopted.