The Sun.
London, England, 1841-01-25 00:00:00

GISTRATES.

A very numerous meeting of the Magistrate. of the
county of Middlesex was held on Thursday at the genie'
house, Clerkenwell, for the despatch of county btaliseel.u.
A very lengthened report of the Visiting Juatices or "1„
County Lunatic Asylum at Hanwell was read, from willv"
the following is an extract
" Among the many suggestions for diverting the 111,
lancholy and exciting better feelings among the vieleee
patients the appropriating of ono evening in the week 1.
innocent amusements has been found signally beeeficis,
On Thursday evenings those who can attend are ea"
tained with music on the organ, and also those who er
able join in the hymns which are sung on the occasioa
" These are among the various means which theVisill4
Justices hope to see more generally adopted in the Wig:::
by which the good feeling of the patients may be streng`
ened and their violence iu the most effectual we)? "ha;
trolled. Many instances could be given of patients on It
female side in whom, by the considerate care end 1:t
tuition of the matron to these little matters of amuseo%t
and recreation, and by the absence of all harsh treator"
and bodily coercion, the most gratifying changes ht,.,,
been brought about. Cheerful and decent behaviour 01
taken the place of violence and obscenity, and comParld'
tine aptitude for instruction and industry arc now in
instances to be seen instead of sullen stupidity or idlefl;
Where cure may be hopeless surely much may be dole 4,
these means to call forth what remains of mental Wu;
and in ie:mo degree to humanise their manners and c°-
versation.
00
" The Visiting Justices on this, as on former °coil .1
are gratified in being able to repeat that the nianageipe"il
of the insane in the Asylum is carried on without pert°,°,,
coercion, and that nothing lips occured since their issrrth'iii
port to shake their confidence in its final success. 4!;ii,
think it due to this humane system to say thus much,
out committing themselves so far as to deny the possibut)(
of a case arising which may require a return to one
other of the old instruments of coercion. This, howeo;
they can declare, that there has been no such instancet3,,
Hanwell, and they sincerely hope, for the sake of bungs .t
that there never may. If they have been led to srs,it
with confidence, it is because they believe much to be.t,
stake, for though their attention has been limitedo
its effects upon the patients within the walls of the AsPDO
they cannot shut their eyes to the fact, that if this hurnao
system be proved by experience to be the right encto
Hanwell, the medical profession, and those who have,i
regulation of similar institutions, will not be long inLitil
cove.ing and admitting that such a system, if carrinu"
with judgment, cannot we wrong elsewhere."
The Rev. Mr. TRIM MKII then rose to call the sit°tt of
of the Court to the last Report of the Visiting Justiceljos
the County Lunatic Asylum and of Dr. Conolly. te,
worthy Magistrate entered into a very lengthened stiso,
ment relative to the treatment of patients in the MY''lo,
and said he altogether disapproved of the system of t,resif
ment adopted in the Asylum since the retirement 01
William Ellis. $l. d
•
The Chairman and Leveral other Magistrates rephe
very considerable length. de'
•
After a discussion, which lasted several hours, the
bate was adjourned to a future day. rror
The Report of the Committee on the Count,' ",ok
surer's Accounts was read, and a county rate of I
in the pound agreed to.