The Sun.
London, England, 1856-03-05 00:00:00

ST. PANCRAS WORKHOMIE.

OFFICIAL INVESUGATION BY THE COU

AIISSIONERS IN LUNACY.

Yesterday, a general Meeting of the directors and
guard;ans of the poor of the parish of St. Pancras was
held in the vestry-ball, King's-road, Camden-town, for
the purpose of receiving the report of J. Gaskell, Esq.,
who has been investigating the insane wards of the work-
house, under the special instructions of the Commis-
sioners in Lunacy. H. Fairer, Esq., F.S.A., senior
churchwarden, took the chair..
The report states that one portion of the insane wards,
designated " Little Bethlem, ' are very objectionable,
and that no improvements have been made in the other
wards occupied by the idiotic and insane, being used
both as day rooms and dormitories ; that they are IoW,
dark, and gloomy apartments. " The central padded-
room used by the men remains very imperfectly venti-
lated and unfit for use." In the previous report of the
commissioner, the wards are described as " inconve-
niently crowded," they then contained 13 men and 26
women ; " to-day," says the report, "I found in them 21
men and 45 women, 6 of the latter being placed in the
Little Betblem." Eight patients are un pro vided with beds.
Two men slept on beds placed on the forms, and 2 on the
floor of the padded-room, one of which is unfit for use.
Four women who are unprovided with bedsteads s'eep
on beds cast upon the floor. With a view at once of di-
minishing the overcrowding, and of promoting more suit-
able accommodation► and treatment, the report recom-
mends the removal of 8 inmates named to an asylum.
The report expresses regret that previous suggestions of
the commissioners have been ntt•rly disregarded. After
again setting forth at length these recommendation., the
report continues, "Comparing the foregoing recommen-
dations with the state of the workhouse as presented to
me this day, I find—
"l. No book is kept in conformity with the first re-
commendation, and from the want of such a record I
could not ascertain the number of the patients admitted
into the lunatic wards, or the rate of mortality in them.

"2. No lists of the patients are made in the female
wards.

"3. The instruments of restraint are not removed. I
found strait waistcoats in both wards, and no account
of restraint or seclusion is kept.
' "4. No diminution of the number of inmates in the
idiotic wards has taken place. On the contrary, they
have been nearly doubled.
"5. Suitable chairs have not been provided. Many
of the women I found seated on the beds, and eleven of
them were confined to bed.

"This enumeration of instances, in which no regard
whatever has been paid to the means formerly pointed
out to ameliorate the condition of the insane and idiotic
inmates of the St. Pancras workhouse, may convey sonic
idea of their present condition ; but it is difficult to con-
ceive or describe the many evils which now exist, and
wbich, if allowed to continue, must inevitably lead to
most disastrous results."

In a department of the female ward which is crowded
to excess, and occupied both night and day by dirty
patients, the nurse in charge is in the habit of washing
and drying portions of the bed and other linen ; the ven-
tilation in this room has been closed, to prevent " bad
smells entering from the neighbouring churchyard." The
nurse adds that the stench was unbearable, and that she
burnt vinegar, with which she was freely supplied for the
purpose. One of the patients frequently vomited in conse-
qience of the iicketking, smells. After alluding to the
irregularity with which the meals are :erred, and con-
demning the practice of sentiii g raw meat into the wards
to be cooked, the report alludes to the noxious smells in
the men's ward, which is described as arising from a
lodgment of foul water under the flooring. One of the
padded rooms was dilapidated, and the bedding satu-
rated with urine. The beds are dirty and defective.
The waterclosets are described as being badly supplied
with water, and the supply of water is generally defec-
tive. The women's wards are described ae being in a
disorderly state, owing to their being overcrowded, and
from the want of all proper conveniences. Several
bottles of medicine were carelessly left within reach of
the patients, many of whom were melancholic and some
suicidal ; none of them were provided with suitable
hooks of amusement, and means of exercise is defective.
The repel t here urges on those who are responsible for
the care and treatment of these unhappy patients, to
provide a due degree of protection to those who, by
reason of their infirmities, are incapable of making
correct statements and preferring just complaints as to
their several wants and necessitie-i. Referring to the
promised vigorous measures of improvement about to be
adopted, reference is requested to the previous tug-
ge4tions of the commissioner..
The report, after detailing other evils existing in the
inner wards of St. PAticras workhouse, concludes by
drawing attention to the following, which they recom-
mend :

1. That no recent case of insanity be detained in the
workhouse.

2. That chronic ewes, on whom restraint or seclusion
aro imposed, be removed to an asylum.
_ _

3. That the number of inmate:ill the idiotic wards be
f
4. That' more means of exercise and occupation be
provided, and that a larger nu:nber of patients be al-
lowed to attend Divine service.

5. That a I ath be snpplied to the women patients.
6. That better means of washing be provided for the
men, and a larger supply of towels and sheets for both
men :,.nd women.

7. That suitable beds, to prevent bed-sore, be pur•

3. That better means of cleansing soiled bedding be
adopted, and a larger Lumber of bed-ticks ho supplied.
9. That tie wire work be removed from the windows
in the men's wart.

10. That the women be tmpplied with Fuitable books.

The report was received, and a committee of five
members were appointed to investiQate the statements
made in the report ; and all instruments of restraint
were ordered to be at once removed, and not used with.
out the order of this medical offict-r.
The Clerk was directed to infirm the Commissioners
of the course adopted.

THE POOR-LAW 10.111 D AND THE STATE OF THE

WORKHOUSE,

Mr. Hum \RD t`►en real a l•+iter from the Poor law
Board, expressing their confilent as-orance that the
ctors will &low no time unnecessarily to elapse.
hefyre they take measures to remedy the serious evils
whi,h are shown by Dr..Bence Jones's rep,rt to exist
at the St. Pancras workla,use. Mr. Hibbard stated
that he had informed the Poor-law B and that the vestry
had already passed a resolution for the removal of the
rchools from the workhouse.
Tile Board then adjourned.