The Sun.
London, England, 1840-09-10 00:00:00

PRICE sd.

BRIDE WELL AND BETHLEM

HOSPITAL.

The following is a continuation of the Report of the
Commissioners of Charities on these Hospitals ; the first
part of which appeared in The Sun of Sept. 4 :
Bethlem was originally founded as a convent in the
year 1247, by Simon Fitzmary, a citizen of London, and
was situated in the parish of St. Botolph-without-
Bishopsgate. The period of its conversion into an
asylum for lunatics is uncertain ; but an inquisition Liken
in the year 1402-3 mentions that six insane persons were
then within the house, besides other sick.

The house and site were afterwards purchased by the
citizens from the Crown, and the government was
granted to them by the same charter as that of St. Bar-
tholomew's. On September 27, 1557, at a General
Court of the Governors of the Royal Hospital, it was
placed under the management of the Governors of
Bridewell, to which it has ever since remained annexed.
The present hospital is situate in St. George's- fields,
not far from Westminster-bridge.
A considerable addition has lately been made to the
building. The following is an extract from the Report,
relating to an entertainment given on laying the founda-
tion stone.

" The first stone of the new buildings was laid July
26, 183 S, when a public breakfast was given at a cost of
464/. Gs. to the Hospital. At the ensuing November
court nine gentlemen were nominated as Governors, on
payment of the usual benefaction ; but, as during the
ten years immediately preceding, nine Governors exactly
have, on an average, been annually elected in the same
manner, it cannot be assumed that the benevolence of
these individuals was attracted by the publicity thus oc-
casioned. A narrative of the proceedings was drawn up
by Peter Laurie, Esq., L.L.8., one of the Governors, at
the request of the Treasurer. It contain!, among other
matter, the speech of Sir Peter Laurie, and several ex-
tracts from documents, some of which form part of this
Report. It was afterwards printed by order of the
Governors, at an expense of 1401. 9s. to the charity.
However valuable and interesting the matter contained
in it, the propriety of disbursing so large a sum for this
purpose seems questionable, and the same remark applies
to the entertainment itself."

Both curable and incurable patients are admitted ;
the latter being restricted to persons who, after a year's
treatment in the house, have been discharged as incur-
able. Insane criminals are received in two buildings ad-
jacent to the hospital erected for that purpose by the
Government, for whose maintenance and clothing an-
nual payments are made, which somewhat exceed the
expenses incurred on this account.
At Christmas, 1836, the endowment of the hospital
amounted to 15,8641. Os. 4:ird.
Beside the income derived from the real and personal
estate of the charity, considerable sums are annually re-
ceived by way of benefactions, both testamentary and
by Governors on their election, and payments are like-
wise made for the clothing of the curable and for the
maintenance and clothing of the incurable patients.
The gross annual income of the hospital, taken on
en average of ten years ending at Christmas, 1836, was
16,26.31. 14s. Bd.

To this may be added the profit made by the rceep-
ion of criminals.

The Report contains a history of the acquisition of
the property, comprised in the preceding summary, to-
gether with separate rentals of each estate, and several
tabular statements of the expenditure of the hnspilal for
ten years ending at Christmas, 1836.
One of the most remarkable heads of expenditure is
the outgoings upon the Lincolnshire estate, which in
some years have more than absorbed the entire income.
It seems that on an average of twenty years the sums
carried to the credit of this estate have amounted to
5,283/.133.10d. per annum, of which only 1,6051. 103.6 d.
per annum has been applicable to the purposes of the
charity. if from this balance we deduct payments
made for purchases of land in Lincolnshire, the average
balance applied to the purposes of the founder's will is
reduced to 1,3031. 16s. 3d. per annum.
In the year 1830, the apothecary was dismissed for
gross misconduct ; notwithstanding which the sum of
2001. was voted to him as a gratuity, notwithstanding
the strong and urgent protest of the President.
The following observations relate to the internal ad-
ministration of the charity :
" Within the house, the most striking feature is the
want of sufficient occupation for the nice, the greater
number of whom may be seen sauntering about the gal-
leries in listless and hopeless indifference. In the airing
grounds some, it is true, may be observed diverting
themselves at ball and other games, and a very few are
occasionally employed in the lawns and gardens ; and
some (chiefly, if' not all criminals) knit gloves and night-
caps ; but the only general occupation is that of pump-
ing at the crank and capstan, which, it is evident, is
wholly insufficient to furnish the slightest occupation to
the mind, or to relieve it for a moment from distressing
or melancholy contemplations."
At Wakefield, several of the patients are employed as
blacksmiths, others as weavers and shoemakers, in which
latter trade some have been instructed since their admis-
sion. At Nottingham one patient works constantly as a
house carpenter, and in a field adjoining the asylum.
which is hired for the purpose, others are employed in
agricultural labour, and arc trusted with pick-axes and
similar implements. At Hanwell, to which asylum up-
wards of 50 acres of land are attached, many are engaged
in the fields and gardens, with little or no superintend-
ence, while others are employed in the workshops,
dairies, cowhouses, or stables. In the bowie at Hanwell
the manufacture of twine and straw hats furnishes em-
ployment and amusement to many. A neat and cheer-
ful work-room is provided for the women, in which the
utmost order and decorum prevail. The articles made
here are sold to casual visitors, and the proceeds carried
to the Adelaide Fund for the relief and assistance of pa-
tients on quitting the house. One of the patients at
Hanwell, desirous of seeing the coronation procession,
contrived to make her escape from the Asylum, and
having gratified her curiosity, returned of her own ac-
cord, and requested re-admission.
The asylum at Frankfort-on-the-Maine contains a
billiard table for the use of the inmates. In some of
the rooms the walls are padded, and the floors covered
with bedding, for the reception of epileptic patients dur-
ing their fits.
The following extract from the 25th Report of the
Royal Lunatic Asylum at Glasgow, shows the system
there pursued :
" We have commonly had three tailors and as many
joiners at work. Various other handicraft operations
have occasionally been exercised, and many patients of
the labouring classes have been very ready to give their
aid to the keepers in the performance of the customary
services required in the wards ; but our building opera-
tions have often rendered our garden and airing grounds
too favourable for escape, to admit of much labour being
performed by the male patients in the open air.
" The females have been employed as formerly,
Many of them have laboured diligently in the washing.
house and laundry. As much yarn has been spun as,
when woven, will supply us with 200 yards of cloth.
Sheets, shifts, pillow-slips, towels, flannel dresses, &c.,
have been made, and some patients have been very in-
dustriously employed in knitting stockings, socks, and
night-caps. Several yards of muslin have been flower-
ed, and various very handsome articles of fancy-work
have been executed by the ladies.
" The occupations, however, were of more import-
ance in promoting the cure of our patients than in add-
ingc, to our funds."
The intellectual employment of all classes of patients
in Bethlem appears capable of great extension. During
frequent visits to the Hospital, a very small number of
the male patients have been observed to occupy them-
selves in reading, and it was stated by the matron that
the women do not, in fact, enjoy the use of the library.
In answer to an application to Mr. Thomas, the apothe-
cary,h on the subject, it was stated by Dr. Monro that
ofe
has occasionally himself put books into the hands
some of the females. At Nottingham and Lincoln the
nt
Penny and Saturday Magazines are taken in ;
.anh
the asylumrlattotefrurnis
ha jointedexcellent maaprhs
peaephrot.vided, whic ap-
usaerme
At Hanwell prayers are read daily by the ris'dent
b" lion
to Dr. Milligan ; and there appears no o Ji2tion
to a similar arrangement at Bethlem. A sort prayer
read morning and evening would be not only decorous,
but probably beneficial. If attendance in the chapel be
thought inconvenient, it might be read in each gallery
by the nurse or keeper.
The report contains some severe strictures on the
want of economy in the administration of both Bride-
well and Bethlem, and concludes with the following
suggestions
With regard to Bridewell, it is submitted that the
interference of Parliament is desirable to adapt it to the
changes which the introduction of Poor-laws, and the
lapse ofnearly three centuries, have introduced ; sever
jug it from Betblem, no reason now existing for their
union, and placing it in that close connection with the
police of the metropolis, which was evidently in the
contemplation of its founders.
Should the Legislature not interfere, it is at all
events to be wished that a more explicit statement
should be published of the annual expenditure of
both hospitals ; exhibiting at large the salaries
of the officers, both internal and external, dis-
tinguishing the amount of repairs on the pri-
son, chapel, chaplain's house, hall, and other de-
partments at Bridewell ; and the wings, as distinguished
from centre, at Bethlem ; the payments for journeys,
surveys, deputations, and the casual expenses ; and con-
taining a complete statistical computation of the expense
per head of the patients at Bethlem. th^ prisoners at
Bridewell, and the inmates of the House of Occupa-
i tions. The publication of a statement of this nature