The Sun.
London, England, 1830-06-25 00:00:00

LUNACY COMMTB6IOI4.

COPY OF THE REPORT FROM THE METROPOLITAN
COMMISSIONERS IN LUNACY, MADE TO THE RIGHT
HON. ROBERT PEEL, HIS MAJESTY'S PRINCIPAL
SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE HOME DEPART-
MENT, DATED IsT JULY, 1829.
SlR,—The important nature of the duties which
under the provisions of the Act of last Session have
been imposed upon us as Commissioners for the li-
censing and inspecting lunatic asylums in London and
its vicinity, induces us to report to you the general
state of the houses under ourinspection, and briefly
to communicate an outline of our proceedings.
We cannot indeed but review our labours with
some degree of pleasure, when, having completed
three regular visitations, and having made several
casual visits, we are enabled to state that our in-
spections have been, with few exceptions, very sa-
tisfactory.

The establishments licensed by us hare been 38,
and the patients who were confined in them, on the
first of August, 1828, amounted to 2,047; and on
the Ist of May last, to 2,048.
In so large a number of houses it is impossible but
that a great difference in their salubrity and in their
general convenience, arising from local circumstances
as well as from their management, must exist. But
we have usually found a most ready attention on the
part of the proprietors to such suggestions as we have
thought it right to make; and in many instances the
improvements which have been effected spontane-
ously by the proprietors and managers of these asy-
lums have evinced an anxious desire on their part to
place them on a better system, and have justly me-
rited our approbation.

But although the asylums,. with regard to the
comfort of the patients, are generally as good as we
could expect, we regret to say, that in those esta-
blishments which are more especially destined for
the reception of poor and of parish , patients, very
little attention is given to any curative process.
The number of patients either cured or materially
relieved is so small compared with the total number
of those under confinement, as to strengthen our own
observations of the imperfection of the present sys-
tem, so far as it is connected with restoration to
reason of those who may be justly considered Ca-
pable of recovery. It must not, however, be sup-
posed, that the managers are as negligent on this
point as the returns would imply; the permanence
of the disease may be accounted for by the tardiness
of the parishes and of the relations of poor persons
in sending them to these establishments, where they
can in no way contribute to their own support, and
where they are necessarily maintained at a greater
cost than they would be either in a parish workhouse
or in their own houses; the malady is thus allowed
to become inveterate before it is subjected to regular
treatment.

It is also but just to observe, that no Inconsiderable
number of the patients in those private asylums have
been received into them when discharged as in-
curable from public institutions for the cure of
madness.

In establishments for a more wealthy class of pa-
tients their cure is more attended to. The results
are, nevertheless, less satisfactory than might be
hoped. For as considerations of economy may be
supposed to cause delay in the other class, so
in this, the indisposition to cast the imputation of
insanity on a near relation, and the natural feelings
of reluctance at being separated from the objects of
their affection, are not uafrequently the cause of re-
course to these establishments being deferred until
the disease of the unfortunate patient has become so
formidable and permanent in its nature as to be With
difficulty, if at all, subdued.
_

The want of occupation for the superior descrip-
tion of patients, and more especially for the male
sex,isa defect not very easily remedied; and ulthougts
the poorer classes are in many instances usefully em-
ployed in domestic services, it is not practicable to
extend that mode of occupation to any great
_pro
portion of the patients, nor indeed is there always a
willingness on their part to work. Some of those
who are in a state of mind capable of exertion, are
represented to us as frequently considering employ-
ment a hardship unjustly imposed upon them; co-
ercion for the purpose of effecting this object would,
for the most obvious reasons, lead to the greatest
abuses; we have not thought it expedient therefore to
urge it so strongly as we should otherwise have felt
inclined to have done, although we have taken every
occasion to express our approbation when we have
seen the patients employed apparently to their own
satisfaction, and with cheerfulness and goodwill.
The separation of patients of the same class of life,
but labouring under different degrees and descrip-
tions of insanity, has not escaped our attention ;
great difficulties occur in carrying this into very
complete effect. In the large establishments classi-
fication to a certain extent is attended to, but it is
not universally conceded by those who have the
management of these asylums that the entire sepa-
ration of the patients who are dejected from those
who are excited is beneficial to either class. Clas-
sification, however, in our opinion, is an object never
to be lost sight of, and more particularly in that
rank of life where previous education and habit make
the distinction of manners, of appearance, and of
conduct, more perceptible to the patients; the
strictest attention should be paid to keep those in-
dividuals who, from the peculiar tendency of their
malady, are necessarily objects of disgust, apart from
those who, labouring under aberration of int-,;ifect,
are nevertheless fully capable of feeling most
sensibly
the misery of living with such associate;e.
In the large establishments, the st:Actest attention
is paid to the entire separation of -the two sexes; in
some of the smaller, the nature of the premises and
of the building prevent so complete a distinction of
the apartments and of the airing grounds as we could
desire, thus leaving to the vigilance of the attendants
that which we should much prefer to rest, in addi-
tion to their constant attention, on the construction
and allotment of the asylum. We are well aware
that there are reasons for tile union of establishments
for male and female patients, but the preponderance
of good appears to us so decisively in favour of the
separation, that we have taken every opportunity of
urging it, and we have received assurances from se-
veral of the proprietors, that they would do every
thing in their power to effectuate this desirable ob-
ject. To attempt it precipitately would occasion
such serious sacrifices of property, and so much in-
convenience, that we have not thought it just to urge
an immediate attention to it, more especially as we
have not the slightest reason to suspect any abuse
under the present system.
From our Visitation Reports it:will appear that we
have made the prescribed inquiries respecting the
religious consolation afforded to patients. Some at-
tempt is made in most of the establishments to at-
tend to this point. The opinions of its utility to
the patients are, nevertheless, various. It is obvious
that to a large class of them it cannot be useful, and
to those who are insane on religious points it is
stated to us to be not unfrequently prejudicial;
indeed we are of opinion that even with re-
gard to those patients who are capable of behaving
with decency during the celebration of divine service,
very few, if any, derive real benefit from it. We
are nevertheless most anxious that whenever they
can attend with decorum, religious service should he
regularly performed ; and we feel this the snore de-
sjsakle, as we cannot but contemplate the probability
of such a practice being most advantageous in its
effects on the keepers, and on other persons con..
cerned in the care oP the patients.
We have had occasion to exercise the powers con-
tlded to us, of releasing patients whose state of mind
appeared to justify our interference, 40 to have
caused, either by our onnt authmitlyr liy communie
cation with the frlends of the pats t$ release
from confinement of nine indiehlials';'' of thes6, putt...
fortunately, it has been neeessary tie Y hsee three,ia
confinement, but we eannot reyet- that te,* inthga.
cases of failure the experiment teas
we cased their release, we we\.o awn t? of thopoisi:
biiity of the recurrence of their maliclf;---blit we felt-
ourselves called upon in the, dischaikii-OT:4oty
not to permit persons to continue in confinement
whose sanity at that moment we did not doubt, and

who were also stated to us to have shown no symp-
toms of aberration of-intellect for a length of thus
antecedent to their release. This power ought
always to be exercised after the greatest considera-
tion, and with due caution ; it is one, however, of so
much value, as well in preventing the improper con-
finement of persons, as in remedying the negligence
of friends, who, though reluctant to consign their
relations to these asylums, are not unfrequently
equally reluctant to remove them, that the Commis-
sioners would he violating a most important part of
their duty if they hesitated to incur the responsibility
arising out of its exercise.
It is right to observe, that in many of the above
cases, as well as in others, in which upon examina-
tion the condition of mind of the individuals did
not appear such as to justify our interference, the
possible sanity of their patients has been suggested
by the proprietors and managers of the asylums;
and in no instance have we found any indisposition
on their part to state all the circumstances which
might enable us to form just conclusions on the
soundness of the minds of the persons whose cases
were under our consideration. Indeed, with regard
to pauper patients, we think much more exertion is
required to induce parishes to send their lunatic
poor to these asylums, than to prevent their con-
fining them there improperly, or retaining them there
beyond the period of their recovery.
This observation, nevertheless, must not be ex-
tended to distant parishes, where the expense of re-
moval operates disadvantageously, not merely on
account of a reluctance to send the poor to these
asylums as soon as desirable, hut also by their dis-
inclination to incur additional charges by the re-
moval of the persons whose recovery may not prove
permanent.
We have found it necessary to obtain your
sanction to the revocation of one license, and the
discontinuance of another. In neither of these cases
did we proceed to this extremity without giving
serious and repeated warnings to the parties in-
terested.
We strongly intimated the necessity of correct-
ing great irregularities in the management, and of
improving the accommodation of the patients.
Had our suggestions been attended to, and the
improprieties of which we had reason to complain
been amended, we should not have called for your
sanction to so severe a measure.
The continued perseverance in arrangements
which called for our decided reprobation, and a very
insufficient attempt at any alteration of the build-
ings, left us no alternative but to exercise a power
which, although affecting severely the property of
individuals, is nevertheless indispensable for con-
troullieg persons who consider profit their only
object in keeping these asylums, and who will not
be deterred from negligence or malpractices, unless
their pecuniary interests force them to regard the
comfort of those unfortunate beings who are con-
fided to their care.
The exercise of this power which is vested in
us, under the controul of the Secretary of State,
appeared to us important, not merely in correct-
ing cases of flagrant abuse, but also in prevent-
ing less objectionable irregularities, arid in impres-
sing on the minds of proprietors and managers of
lunatic asylums, that we were resolved, if more
lenient measures and strong admonition did not
produce due attention to the care and comfort of
their patients, that their power of deriving profit
from their negligence or their misconduct should
no longer exist. Indeed we have good grounds for
believing that these instances of severity have excited
sufficient attention to j ustify our opinion of their im-
portance, in creating in all those connected with or
interested in these establishments the greatest desire
to conduct them in the best manner, and to follow,
as far as they are able, the suggestions which, in the
discharge of our duty, we have felt ourselves called
upon to make. In saying this, we do not wish to
impute to coercion that care and attention which we
doubt not, in very many instances, proceed from
much' better motives. Still, however, where so
much depends on the constant and unwearied exer-
tion of the superintendents, and so much misery
may be inflicted by casual neglect or habitual inat-
tention to what may be esteemed minor or trivial
points of management, every stimulus should be
added that inspection, remonstrance, and positive
though temperate authority can produce.
In this, the first year of the provisions of the re-
cent statute coming into action, every fair allow-
ance should be made for irregularities and imperfec-
tions; and from the general disposition which we
have found to make improvements, and to mend
those parts of the management to which we have
objected, we cannot but hope that few instances
will hereafter occur in which it may be necessary to
exercise this just severity, although a more rigorous
attention to various minute points, and an improve
meat in the manner of conducting some of the este
blishments, ought to be most strictly enforced it
future.

We cannot conclude our observations without
adverting to the practice of placing criminal lunatics
in private asylums. At our suggestion you have
caused some of them to be removed to other places
of confinement, and in one of these instances we
were obliged to call for your interference, by the
necessity which existed of using more constant coer-
cion than should ever be generally adopted with
respect to patients so slightly affected by aberration
of intellect, as was the case with this individual.
We are aware that a certain part of Bethlem is
appropriated to the reception of criminal lunatics,
but its extent is so inadequate to the confinement
of all those who are guilty of serious offences, but
who are acquitted on the ground of insanity, that
we cannot forbear from remarking how ♦ery desir-
able it is, on every account, that some establish-
ment should be set apart for the confinement of this
class of insane persons. It is indeed a subject well
worthy of serious consideration, whether the moral
effect on insane persons, either in or out of confine-
ment, would not be considerable, if those who had

committed offences were confined in a prison ex-
pressly adapted for their reception. Many are the
individuals, who labouring under mental malady,
are nevertheless fully capable of judging how far
their being guilty of crime is likely to conduce to
their future discomfort, and of appreciating the dif-
ference of an establishment set apart for the con-

finement of criminal lunatics alone, and of those
Asylums which receive within their walls those only
whose insanity has never led them to acts punish-
able by the law.

We are aware of the difficulties and expense at-
tent2ing the formation of public establishments of
this nature, but we esteem it an object of so much
importance as to justify our calling your serious
attention to it; nor should we have felt that we dis-

charged our duty to the public, without stating our
opinion of the necessity of effecting some alteration►
in the present system of confining criminal lunatics.
We have thus brought to a close the observations
which our limited experience of the establishments

placed under our inspection and controul have en-
.

at bled us to suggest.
'We trust that the experiment %did' the Legis-
lature is making by establishing a new system of
inspection of lunatic asylums, not merely in the me-
tropolitan district, but throughout England, is likely
to be attended with success,

There are few subjects on which legislation is
more necessary, and none attended with greater dif-
ficulty; so as at once to ensure the comfort of the

patients, and not unnecessarily to annoy the feelings
of relatives by useless publicity.
Whether the present provisions of the law have
held a just medium between these two points is a
matter worthy of further and of serious consideration.
We only hope that the exertions which we have
made, and which we shall continue so long as we
have these duties confided to us, will have the ten-

dency of mitigating the severity of one of the greatest
ills to which humanity is subject ; and trust that this
great object may be obtained without improper
interference with family feelings,and without allow-
ing our commisseration of the unhappy objects under
our protection unfairly to warp our judgments, or
C 11134 us intemperately to disregard any one of the

complicated interests which may be affected by our
decisions. G. C. H. SOMERSET
G. H. ROSE
FRANCIS BARING
G. F. HAMI'SON
H. H. SOUTHEY
J. BRIGHT
J. R. HUALE
G. BYNG
CHARLES ROSS
THOMAS TURNER
- ASHLEY
C. W. WILLIAMS WYNN.

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF LORDS-(LAST NIGHT.)

_ The Bankers' (Ireland) Bill went through a
Committee.
The Earl of ABERDEEN laid upon the table
some additional papers relative to Greece.
Lord WHARNCLIFFE presented a petition
from Bristol, against the duty on sea-borne coal.
The LORD ADVOCATE and others brought up
(rota the Commons the Scotch Judicature
was read a first time.