The Sun.
London, England, 1841-09-22 00:00:00

prevent seamen from being subjected to such disadvan-

tagos.
The Bill was read a third time, and passed.
LUNATICS AS'ILUM BILL.
On the motion of Lord ASHLEY, the House resolved

itself into a Committee.
Mr. WAKLEY said lie hoped the Noble Lord would
consent that the renewal of the present law, which was
the object of the present Bill. should be for one year
only, instead of for three. The subject of the treatment
of lunatics had been much discnssual of late, and there
could be no doubt that some alteration must take place
in the law without delay. Last Sesiiion notices had been
given on the subject, both by the Hon. Member for
Lambeth, and the Right Hon. Member for Dumfries.
Those Hon. Members had not then proceeded further,
but there could be no doubt but that early in
the ensuing Session the House would have to
inquire into the subject. He admitted that the ex-
isting commission had been of esscratial service, but still
he thought the public had a right to expect more infor-
mation from them than they had yet received. Theie
could be no doubt but that the restraint in the treatment
of the insane had been much diminished, but at the
same time he knew that a most outrageous system of
restraint existed in many lunatic asykems. The provi-
sions of the Act, which it was now sought to continue,
extended only within a few wiles of the metropolis, and
it was of no effect in the c auntry at large, and (nise-
quently the visitations in the. country districts were in-
effectual for the purposes of humanity. There was ano-
ther provision so ohnoxiotes to common sense that it
ought not to be tolerated, for while a person desirou 3 of
receiving net) lunatics to obliged to apply for a lieence
to the Commlisioners, i: a person received only one
lunatic the Noble Lord and his colleagues had no power
or visitation over them s so that if fifty persons were
separately confined in fifty diaTerent places, and confined
unjustly, the Commissioners had no power of visiting
the:n. He bad last Session presented a petition from a
a gentleman who 1.10 a relative, a lady of large income,
who was confined as a lunatic. He had tried to gain an
interview with her, and could not succeed ; he had
tried to communicate in writing with her, he could not
succeed t he had tried to find out where she
was confined, but he could not find out the place of her
concealment. Ought a system so fraught with injustice
and inhumanity t be sanctioned? He had no doubt
but that there were hundreds confined in lunatic
asylums in the country who were as sane as many per-
sons in that House, and a great deal more so in some
instances.—(A laugh.) Even if the Commissioners
f eand a person unjustly confined they could not release
hint until after repeated visits, and in many instances
six weeks must elapse before his release could take place.
This monstrous state of things called for inquiry, and
the provisions of the Act should he extended to all Eng-
land. In one asylum with which he was acquainted
chains had been laid aside, and the patients were ma-
naeed al.noit without restraint, and by the appointment
of addicioeal keepers and kind treatinen had been
rendered almost harmless—he alluded to the Asylum
for the county of Middlesex, and the Magistrates who
had the superintendence of that Asylum had con-
ducted themselves in a manner that entitled
them to the gratitude of mankind. He (lid
not mean to say that in the majority of asylums
patioeta were treated in an unjust or cruel manner, but
the" principle was a bail one. He would put a case.
Suppose he had is relative, of large fortune, in whose
conduct he had observed certain eccentricities. Having
a great affhction for his relative, but a greater affection
fir his fortune, he would sue out a commission of lu-
nacy, and his relative having been declared insane would
he placed in confinement. Now, did they attempt to
operate upon the selfish interests of the asylum keeper to
cure his patient ? No. The keeper said as long as this
man continued insane I shall receive 4001. a year, which
I shall loose if he recover. Until- such circumstances
it was not likely that the man would ever become sane.
If ate Hon. Member had a liver complaint, would he
imagine that the best way of getting rid of it would he
to say to his doctor, I will allow you 103. a-year as long
as this liver complaint lasts.—(A laugh.) • The House
ought to devise some means of remedying this mono-
tonous and preposterous state of things. No doubt the
Hon. Member for Lambeth, or the Hon. Member for
Dumfries would bring forward the subject next Session,
and he, therefore, hoped the Noble Lord would consent
to the amendment he was about to propose, which wag,
that in line 24 the words " one year" be substituted for
"three years."
Mr. HAWES seconded the amendment. He knew
the- Noble Lord had devoted great attention to the
subject, and he must be aware that great abust4
existed in the management of lunatic asylums.
In fact, there was no proper check upon them.
The Noble Lord would recollect the case of the Hereford
Asylum, and the scene there brought to light was dis-
graceful. Under the present law a single apothecary,
unJer special circumstances, had the power to send any
man to a lunatic asylum fir ever, and in cases of paupers
a single Justice of the Peace, by his single certificate,
possesed the same power.
Lord ASHLEY—Not forever.

Mr. HAWES—The Noble Lord said not for ever, but
such, however, was the practical effect, for what man of
nervous temperament could undergo the scrutinizing ex-
'amination of a medical man prejudiced against the idea
of his sanity, to which he would have to submit before he
could obtain his liberty. All that the Hon. Member for
Finsbury asked was, that the Noble Lord would not
seek to renew the Bill for so long a period. The Noble
Lord had rendered many and essential services to the
country, and he hoped he would give his assent to the
shorter period.
Lord ASHLEY, who spoke in so low a tone that he
was scarcely audible in the gallery, was understood to
defend the Commissioners, but they had not sufficient
power to do all they wished. The authority under which
they acted was so limited that he must confess they did
not do all that might be expected from them. The Act
was intended rather as a prevention against abuses, than
as one of a remedial nature. And that was stated at the
time the Act was introduced. They had made periodi-
cal reports, but they were not laid on the table of the
House, but if it were deemed necessary the Reports
could be laid on the table, when the House would see
what had been done.—(Hear, hear.) If there had been
any omission, it was the omission of the Act, and not of
the Commission. A great deal of what had been done
was not by the authority of their powers, but by sug-
gestion and advice. They had, in a great many in-
stances refused licenses, but they had found it necessary
to resort to extreme measures in only two cases. In
many instances, however, they had found it difficult to
restrain the parties offending within due bounds, and if
it were known that their power was to cease in twelve
months, the proprietors of asylums may take advantage
of that knowledge, and the House may be certain the
Commission would have great difficulty in maintaining
prciper control; at the same time he was not indifferent
to the imperfections of the Act—(Hear, hear)—to
remedy which he devoted his entirelettention.—(Hear.)
He was glad the Hon. Member for Lambeth 17a I called
the attention of the Secretary of State to the subject ;
and it would be remembered he did the same himself
when the Member for London filled the same office ;
' and he had no doubt his Right Hop. Friend would be
ready to listen to the suggestions that were made.
Within seven miles of London the asylums were brought
to a very complete state ; but he was sorry he could not
say the same of the provincial asylums, which, he be-
lieved, were not subject to any official examinatisn, and
that there were several of which they had no knowledge
at all. He conceived it would be necessary to have the
returns from all the provincial asylums. There were
other defects which he did not know how to remedy, es
that of the admission of persons into lunatic asylums.
There was a disposition, on the part of the friends of a
relative, not only to get rid of the unfortunate relative.
but to wipe from their minds all memory of him ; and
that was an additional reason why there should be, in
the provinces, a searching visitation—(Hear' hear)—
and to compel the relatives to do their duty. The only
question was, whether the Bill should be renewed fur
three years, or for one ; but he considered that three
years were absolutely necessary ; and, for himself, he
would say, that all the time he could spare, and all the
energy he could devote, would be freely and warmly
given to the subject ; and he hoped, with the assistance
of others, he should be able to inform the House, as
soon as possible, of the adoption of some general rule,
whereby the entire management of those asylums would
be subject to a full,. complete, and effective system of
visitation.—(Hear.)
Sir R. INGLIS begged to take the present opportu-
nity of making his acknowledgment with his whole heart,
and he believed his feelings were participated by nine-
tenths of the House, and were responded to by the entire
country, as far as the character of the Noble Lord was
known to it—not only for the present evidence of his
worth, but for all matters in which, apart from politics,
he had ever been engaged.—(Cheers.) There was no
title which he ever earned—there was no title which he
could earn—equal to what he earned in that House as the
friend of every sufferer.
Mr. WAKLEY was ready to agree in the opinion of
the merits of the Noble Lord, but in his (Mr. Wakley's)
mind the speech of the Noble Lord proved that the com-
mission ought not to be extended to three years. The
Noble Lord said the act was difficult—he alluded to
want of power—he said that discrepancies existed in the
laew ,s
aaindd
hee t
nt,ehtei
dNg Nob
le a
110
I.
hisrd said
en
energies
to
e the the Act."
subject—
but it' the Act was as he stated, would. it not paralyse
those energies? When the Noble Lord the Member fer
London proposed to renew the Poor-law Bill for ten
years, the Right Hon. Baronet the Member for Tam-
worth refused to accede, because he thought the power
belonging to the Commissioners ought to be subject to
frequent supervision. The same argument applied- to the
present Cearnission. It was a well-paid Commission—
he did not object to payment—but what were they paid
for ? The professional men of that Committee—
some of them lawyers, and 'some physicians—were
paid one guinea an hour ; and he believed
it was optional with themselves how many hours they
would spend. He believed that one person, Properly
selected, and responsible for his acts, as the Home Secre-
tary was responsible for his, would do more service than
the entire Commission. The subject (eight to be taken
in hand by Government, and placed under the searching
and effectual supervision of the Home Secretary. This
Was a question unconnected with politics, and he hoped
the Noble Lord, seeing he could have no motive, per-
sonalit, would consent to adept
for the
soonereim
it carne before Parlia-
ment the better.
the shorter o r
otherwise,
pe re
I r viio s3e, in u
Lord ASHLEY said that the Commissioners were not
raid ; at least, that he was not.
MeAml Lbers of thEe
ohmadmiostsiiloyntll alluded to
,itridh
esatihde
so disti professionalnct
distinctly.
hHee cwoausl d p
aai sds reb
Itiht
theNobi
e r reolfe.osrsidothmelnei‘‘Terrenheeerasnt
had to say
guinea or a pound for every hour's attendance, and the
Act, he believed, imposed no limit upon that attendance.
Sir J. GRAHAM earl, that, tee he had been eo ofe
alluded to, he wieed say -a few words, though he lead
not yet directed much o(l,is attention to the subject. It
was a subject of deep and gra: e importance. and it was
impossible to lis:en to the discussion without feeling that