The Express.
London, England, 1861-01-08 00:00:00

ST. LUKE'S HOSPITAL.

St. Luke's Hospital, Old-street, was last night
the scene of a happy gathering. One of the hugs, wards of
the hospital bad been duly ornamental with lamps and
chandeliers, festoons of flowers, evergreens, Chinese lanterns,
flap, engravings, &c, while in one portion of the room wee a
gigantic Christmas tree, furnished with every conceivable
kniek-knack, bonbons, fruits, toys, pincushions and
the like. A temporary orchestra was erected, in
which a good band of musicians was stationed, whose
lively tunas for three long hours enabled the company to
keep up an almost continuous dance. The company and the
dancers consisted, with a few exceptions, of the inmates of
the institution, and a more ezhilirating sight it would be
difficult to conceive. The vacuity of intellect which is
generally to a greater or lesser extent manifest in the
patient could 10 no point be traced. Every sense
and feeling appeared to be concentrated in one object,
and the pleasure which they evinced, coupled
with the zeal which they displayed in every
kind of dance, removed from the visitors even the suspicion
that they were among people presumed to be and treated as
insane. The mode of treatment at St. Luke's has tinder I
gone so complete a metamorphosis within the last few
years, by the institution of kindness for severity, and in-
dulgence for restrictions, that the maladies of the brain
have been rendered as subservient to medical science as
the afflictions of the body. lk ot only did the patients ma-
nifest an appreciation of their evening's enjoyment by
dancing as regularly and methodically as in We best con-
ducted ball-room, but one or two ladies sat down tattle piano
and played and Nang with great composure and correctness.
At half-past nine they paraded two and two around the
Christmas tree? and were rewarded by a diatrilrition of the
fruits with which that tree had been loaded for their gra-
tification. Dancing was then resumed, and kept up with
the lame wonted spirit that had characterised the danoers
in the early part of the evening. An hour later " God Save
the Queen" and " Rule Britannia" were sling with perfect
enthusiasm, and the lunatics (?), having partaken of buns
and spiced ale, dispersed to their separate dormitories with
much apparent delight at the pleasures they had expo.
risme&

THE FORTHCOMING HILARY TERM.—On Friday
next Hilary Teem will commence, when the equity and law
courts will resume their sitting". There is a good deal of
business before the courts, and in the Divorce Court the
annals number as many as 187 causes—nearly as much as
the arrears in the three common law courts. In the Court
of Queen's Bench the arrears are 104 ; in the Common
Pleas 53 ; and in the Exchequer 65 ; amounting to 222 rules
and other matters. In the Queen's Bench there is 1 role
for judgment and 61 for argument, whilst in the special
paper there arc 2 for judgment and 29 for argument, in ad.
dition to which there are 11 enlarged roles. In
the Common Pleas there are 10 enlarged rules
and 21 for new trials. One matter stands for
the opinion of the court, and there are 21
demurrers and special arguments entered. In the Court of
Exchequer there are 2 serves and appeals from the Court
of Exchequer for judgment, and 8 for argument. In the
peremptory paper then are 5 rules for discussion, and in
the sp•ml paper 8 roles for judgment and 13 for argument.
Of new trial rules there are 9 for judgment and 20 for argu-
ment. The Probate Court will not sit till Saturday, for the
want of accommodation at Westminster ; and the divorce
cases will not be taken until next week. The judges will
not breakfast with the Lord Chancellor on Friday, and
therefore the courts will be opened at the usual hour.
MITROPOLITAN FREE HOSPITAL, DEYONAIIIRE-
-SQUAIi, OITY.— The aggregate number of patients relieved
dudeg the week ending January 5 was : Medical. 913;
surgical, 363—total, 1,296, of which 410 were now cases.