The Sun.
London, England, 1841-02-11 00:00:00

MIDDLESEX SESSIONS.

(THIS DAY.)

A special Sessions of the Magistrates of the county of
Middlesex was this day held at Hicks's Hail, Clerkenwell-
green, pursuant to adjournment, for the purpose of con-
sidering the motion relative to the Lunatic Asylum at
lisnwell, of which the Rev. H. S. Trimmer had given
notice on the I 7th December last.
Mr. Sergeant ADAMS, on entering the Court, suggested
that as he must take a part in the proceedings of the day,
it would be as well that they should elect another Chair-
man for this day ; he therefore proposed that Mr. James
Williams do take the chair.
Mr. Witenams said that he thought, as he had acted as
one of the Justices up to within the last twelvemonths, it
would be as well that he should not take the chair.
It was ultimately arranged that Mr. Witham should act
as Chairman.
Mr. WITHAM having taken the chair,
The CLERK read from the minutes of the last Court
the motion of the Rev. H. S. Trimmer, which was to the
effect that the Magistrates had read with regret the strong
commendations bestowed on the mode of treatment of the
patients in the Hanwell Lunatic Asylum, in the Report of
the Visiting Justices, and of Dr. Conelly, the Superin-
tendent, as it appeared that in various cases that treatment
had led to results which were most appalling.
Sir JOIIN SCOTT LILLIE wished to know what was to be
the course of proceeding.
The CHAIRMAN imagined that as on the last occasion
the statement of Mr. Trimmer had been read, are as the
magistrates had adjourned for the purpose of affording an
opi ortunity to the Visiting Justices to meet that statement,
the counter statement of those gentlemen could now be
read the first thing.
Sr J. S. LILLIE Ind proposed an amendment on that
occasion ; he wished to know whether they would proceed
to the discussion of that amendment now.
The CHAIRMAN thought the proper course would be to
hear the answer of the Visiting Justices first.
Sir J. S. LILLIE gave notice that as soon as that state-
ment should have been made, he should propose his
amendment as the only way of bringing the question fairly
before the meeting.
Mr. TULKE then] rose for the purpose cf making the
counter statement cn behalf of the Visiting Justices; after
expressing the embarrassment which he had felt on hear-
ing the grave eccusatians which the Rev. Gentleman had
brought forward on the sth February against the meant
merit of the Haswell Lunatic Asylum, he said that
he felt confident that the Visiting Justices from the
great attention which they had paid to the Asylum,
were authorised in stating that the management was infi-
nitely better now than it had been in the time of Sir Wil-
liam Ellis or Dr. Millengen. The cases brought forward
by the Rev. Gentleman were appalling, not only from
their character, but from their number, for he had brought
forward no less than 128 cases of what he denominated
mismanagement or cruelty, and these cases had been
brought torward for the purpose of endeavouring to show
that all the various abuses which the Rev. Gentleman
complained of had been caused entirely by the absence of
restraint ; 112 of these cases he had brought forward on the
authority of Dr. Button, late Assistant-Surgeon at the
Institution ; and sixteen which he had stated had fallen
under his own observation. Before proceeding to inves-
tigate these cases, he would remind the Court that during
the time Sir William Ellis had held the office of Superin-
tendent, a more humane method of treatment had been in-
troduced into the Asylum, and that the restraint
under which the patients bad previously been placed,
had been much mitigated. When Dr. Millenger
succeeded to Sir William Ellis, the system bad suf-
fered much deterioration. Dr. Millengcn had been a
military surgeon, and sought to introduce a system of
military discipline into the system which led to constant
disputes between himself and his subordinates. Ile had
also introduced a harsher system of treatment as regarded
the patients ; the restraints were multiplied, and the co-
ercion increased. When, in consequence of the disagrc e-
ments which had taken place, the Visiting Jus.ice felt
compelled to recommend Dr. Millirgen to retire,
they almost unanimously elected Dr. Conolly as
his successor, a gentleman of the highest character,
and who had been designated by many most eminent medical
authorities an honour to his profession, and to any institu-
tion with which he might be connected. Dr. Cottony had
introduced another s} stem ; he gradually felt that much of
the restraint employed Dr. Millengen might advan-
tageously be removed, and at last reason and experience
had convinced him that restraint, generally speaking, might
altogether be abolished. In carrying out his humane
views, however, be had met with serious difficulties.
The system of restraint had been a great relief to keepers
and nurses, who were consequently opposed to any system
likely to give them more trouble. But there was even a
greater difficulty to be encountered than even their oppo
sition. Dr. Conolly had, unfortunately, for his Assistant
a gentleman who, although he had at one time affected to
become a convert to Dr. Conolly's plan, was yet its secret
enemy—( Hear, hear)—lie meant Dr. Button, who, since
he had left the Institution, had shown himself in his true
colours. Another most serious obstacle had arisen
from the conduct of the Revserend Gentleman
who had come forward as accuser on the present
cccasion. That Rev. Gentleman had been one of theVisising
Justices of the institution, and after he had ceased to be so
he had continued his visits, although not at the same time
with the other Justices. At those times he had held commu-
nication with Dr. Button, and the present charges were
the fruits of those communications. Dr. Button had acted
disingenuously, both as regarded Dr. Conolly and the
Visiting Justices. He had been in the habit of keeping
two journals, one an official one, to be laid before his su •
periors, and the other a secret one, recording, for the
benefit of the Rev. Gentleman, his particular view of
the several cases, and w hich was the one which
had been made use of on the present occasion. Now he
would put it to every one who heard him whetherisuch con-
duct ought to pass uncensured. These journals differed
materially from each other, and he had induced the Rev.
Gentleman to become his organ on that occasion, and to
bring forward these cases of alleged abuse. Now if Dr.
Button had really believed these cases to have been cases
of abuse, it was his duty to the patients to have made
them public at once. He did not think that Dr.
Button really considered them so, because, if
he had looked back to the time of Sir W.
Ellis and Dr. Millengen, he would have found
many cases then occuring of precisely a similar nature
under the system of restraint, and which had then and
always been considered as the inevitable consequences of
insanity. If, therefore, such was the case, the charge
brought forward that those accidents had been occasioned
by the want of restraint fell at once to the ground. The
first class of cases were the suicidal ones, amount-
ing in number to three. Now, from the cases so brought
forward, as cases, of suicide attempted or committed
in consequence of the absence of all restraint the Court
would naturally imagine that restraint was a perfect pro-
phylactic; they would not expect to find that any suicides
were committed whilst persons were under restraint—such,
however, was constantly the case. The first case brought
forward of attempted suicide was the case of William Ar-
nold, who had been admitted Nov. 23, 1833, and had been
almost constantly under restraint. This patient had
sharpened the handle of a tin can in the night, and had
attempted to cut his throat with it. The date
of this attempt had been most dexterously
omitted in the charge, bad it been given it would have
been that this had occurred 24th August, 1838, long
anterior to Dr. Conolly's appointment, and at a time when
the man himself was actually under restraint, and the
system of restraint was in full operation. The next case
was that of Christopher Latime, who had been discharged
cured— who, while an inmate of the Asylum had never
exhibited any symptoms of a suicidal tendency, but
who a month after his discharge, had held a relapse
and had then committed suicide. Now, surely it
could never be intended to bring forward a matter of
charge against Dr. Conolly that he had not foreseen that
after his discharge the man would have relapse; but even
had he foreseen it would have been contrary to law to keep
the man in the asylum after he had been cured. Dr.
Begly had given it his opinion that the man at the time of
his discharge was perfectly cured. The next case was
that of Fanny Ay ton.
Mr. SERJEANT HALCOMB rose to order; he had under-
stood that the case of Fanny Ayton had not been brought
forward by the 'Rev. gentleman on that occasion.
Mr. Sergeant ADAMS said the case of Fanny Ayton
had been distinctly alluded to at the Michaelmas Sessions.
Rev. H. S. TRIMMER had not yet brought it forward as
one of the cases on which he founded his motion.

[We shall give the remainder in our Second Edition, i
concluded.]

THE FACTORY ACT.—Yesterday (Wednesday)
a number of manufacturers and their servants were sum-
moned before the Borough Magistrates for various infringe-
ments of the Factory Act. In nearly all the cases a con-
viction, in mitigated penalties, took place. Leeds Journal.
On inquiry at Trinity Lodge last evening, we
were informed that Dr. Wordsworth, the Master of Trinity
College, is recovering the eff.cts of his late accident (a
fall from his horse), and that his convalescence may shortly
be anticipated.—Cambridge Advertiser.
FURTHER MORTALITY AMONGST THE CON-.
VICTS AT Wonwicii.—On \Wednesday an inquest was
held before Mr. C. J. Carttar, at the Salutation Tavern,
near the Arsenal gates, Woolwich, upon the bodies of
Richard Annis, aged 19 years, William Bostock, aged 19
years, and George Smith, aged 30 years, convicts under
sentence of transportation. Dr. Hope, of the hospital-ship,
sworn, said that the deceased George Smith was placed
under his care ox the 31st ult., and died on the same day
almost immediately afterwards, from congestion of the gall
duct. The deceased had exhibited intense dejection of
mind. The convict Annis had died suddenly under Dr.
Hope's care from inflammation of the chest. The Doctor
said that every possible care was taken of the tick convicts
under his charge. Dr. Bossy, sworn, said that the convict
affectionßost Rostock wont. sounderthe
e chest, brought
beranrueg,
ha
tn do
n thatby he had died from au
atmospheric
causes.
men bad met their death from natural
,cause , by
The Jury returned a verdict " That the three unhappy
, a clear
the violence of any person or persons.'
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Sold by all respectable perfumers and medicine vendors.
SERIOUS ACCIDENT.—On 'Tuesday, Womb-
well's exhibition of wild beasts arrived at Woolwich, and
in the evening was opened for the admission of the public.
A boy, named Cornish, son of a butcher in Hare-stree
having gone too near the cage in which the lions are ker,tti,
one of the animals seized him by the arm and dreadfully
ofla thceraetehdeaidt,. inflictingbessiodeislowerful was
the hold the lion had of a severe wound on the scalp
the boy, that it required the strength of two men to ex-
tricate him. The sufferer was found to be so severely hurt,
that he was removed without delay to Guy's Hospital, in I
London.