The Sun.
London, England, 1860-01-06 00:00:00

AN VARY 6, 1860.

SPORTING INTELLIGENCE.

TATTERSALL' S.—THURSDAY.
The betting was very unimportant. Thormanby was in
some force for the Derby, his principal supporter backing
him at the odds quoted for £2OO. Two fifties wore booked
about Nutbourne, at 14 to 1, and the investments on Pale-
face reached £l5O. The room was very thinly attended.

TWO THOUSAND.
4to 1 agst Buccaneer (take sto 1)
THE DERBY.

11 to 1 agst Thormanby (talcen)
12 to 1 agst Buccaneer (taken)
12 to 1 agst The Wizard (taken)
14 to 1 agst Nutbourne (taken)
50 to 1 agst Paleface (taken)
1000 to 25 agst Restos (offered)

THE DISPUTED RACE AT CHELMSFORD.
The following decision has been announced :
" Whereas the filly by Connaught Ranger, which came in
first for the Mark's Hall Stakes at Chelmsford, was impro-
perly entered as out of Peggotty's dam,' instead of 'dam
by Venison out of Peggotty's dam,' the stewards decide
that the second horse is entitled to the prize, and also that
the clerk of the course must return to the owner of the Con-
naught Ranger filly the difference between the selling price
and the amount for which she was bought in when put up
to auction. " H. J. Roo's, Vice-Admiral."
The bets go to Maypole.
The subjoined notice was posted at the Victoria Club,
City :—.

" THE PEGGOTTY'S DAM FILLY.--Our attention has
been directed to the fact of this filly (who was disqualified
after winning the Mark's Hall Stakes at Chelmsford, in
consequence of being incorrectly described as by Connaught
Ranger, out of Peggotty's dam, instead of dam by Venison,
out of Peggotty's dam) runnig also in a wrong pedigree in
a Sweepstakes of 10 sovs each, won by Fontarabia, and a
50 sovs plate, won by Brine, at the Nowarket Jaly Meet-
ing; also in a Sweepstakes of 10 soya each, won by Po-
mona; and in a Sweepstakes of 5 sovs each, won by Little
Nat, at the First October Meeting; consequently all bets
about her on each of those races are void.
" All money to be returned."

BALL AT ST. LUKE'S BOSPITAL.

On Wednesday evening the annual Christmas
ball of the patients in this noble charity took place
in one of the large wings of the building, and, as
usual, passed off with the most marked success and
spirit. The ball-room bad been entirely decorated
by the patients, who, of course, evinced the most
lively interest in all relating to the festivity. Their
efforts in this respect displayed a skill and good
taste which showed at once that no matter how
much the darkness of mental disease had benumbed
their other powers, it at least had left their per-
ceptions of what was simple and beautiful alive in
all their force. Wreaths of evergreens and little
party-coloured flags were disposed about the room,
the roof of which was covered at all points with
festoons of coloured paper garlands, made with great
skill, and adjusted with considerable effect At one
side of the room was a large Christmas tree, the
vegetable characteristics of which were almost en-
tirely concealed under a crowd of ornaments of all
kinds—dressed dolls, bead mats, purses, and other
trifles, all made by the patients themselves, and
disposed to show them to the best advantage with
the utmost care and delicacy. The whole aspect
of the room was festive in the extreme, and
the touching innocence and childishness with
which all the patients entered into the dances,
little amusements, and games of the evening
was almost affecting, though gratifying, as show-
ing the perfect abandon of delight with which
they enjoyed their evening. The contrast which
such a scene almost irresistibly presented to the
mind's eye, as between the treatment of the insane
now and what it was a few years ago, was most
marked and striking. The days of strait-waist-
coats, darkness, bread and water, and floggings
have passed away for ever, and in their stead has
sprung up a system which gives such contentment
to the patients as secures them quiet if not happi-
ness, and which almost infallibly leads on to cure.
It would sound strange indeed to the supporters of
the old-school theory of treatment to be told that
in an hospital as large as St. Lul:e's not a single
strait-waistcoat is to be found, nor has there been
one in the building for years and years past. The
most perfect gentleness, light air, amusements, I
freedoms, from excitement, and nutritious diet
raise the cures at St. Luke's to no less than CBl
per cent. per annum, or actually more than two out
of every three patients admitted. Under the old
system, of which Hogarth has left us such a fearful
picture, the recoveries from this most awful of all
maladies were scarcely more than two or three per
cent. Unfortunately, the benefits which this magni-
ficent charity affords are comparatively but little
known. With the majority of the public it
passes for a mere madhouse, where luna-
tics are confined, when in fact it is an
hospital, like Bedlam, established for the
cure of insanity, and more especially for the
reception of members of the middle class—profes-
sional men and others, whose families, being de-
prived of their chief support, are unable to bear the
heavy expense required for maintenance in a private
asylum ; yet notwithstanding these boons, the num-
ber of in-patients at the hospital has been steadily
decreasing, from upwards of 200 in 1854 till the
past year, when the admissions were scarcely above
100 in all. Nothing could be more gratifying than
this decrease, if it arose from any diminution in the
number of persons smitten with this fearful visita-
tion. The reverse, however, is the case, the returns
of the Commissioners in Lunacy showing an increase
in the spread of the disease, which is alarming in
the highest degree, and which the faculty in vain
invent theories to account for. In fact, private and
expensive asylums are overcrowded--overcrowded
to an extent which prevents any individuality of ,
treatment—while a free hospital which effects the
largest amount of cures is left empty, and absorb-
ing its income in keeping up a proper and efficient
staff for the relief of patients who do not come.
Such an anomaly can only be accounted for by the
fact that the inestimable benefits offered to the af-
flicted at St. Luke's Hospital are not known, and
that, as we have said, with the public it is only
supposed to be a mere prison for the confinement of
the insane. So far is confinement from being prac-
tised, that in fact both male and female patients
go beyond the precincts of the hospital almost
daily for walking exercise, and many of the least
afflicted have been trusted out on parole, without
any untoward result, while nearly all have visited
by turns the Crystal Palace, Zoological Gardens,
British and Indian Museums, and other exhibitions.
In addition to this, and in accordance with the re-
commendation of the Commissioners in Lunacy, the
whole interior of the hospital has been re-arranged
in such a manner as to give it the lightest and
most cheerful aspect. Of course, such alterations
and improvements have not been effected without
great expense, which, together with the reduction
of income, has compelled the charity to resort to the
unfortunate expedient of selling out large sums
from its funded stock, by which, of course, the in-
come of the charity has been reduced still more.
To supply this deficiency of receipts a new class of
hospital patients have been established, whose
friends contribute towards their maintenance. These
latter patients have nearly all been grouped as
nearly as possible in accordance with their social
positions, though nothing approaching to a differ-
ence of grade is recognised. The reception of this
class of patients has universally been hailed as a
great progress towards the amelioration of the con-
dition of the insane of the middle classes.
Several gentlemen interested in the welfare and
progress of the society were present, and contri-
buted by their vocal and instrumental performances
to the amusements of the evening. We need scarcely
say that the utmost good order and strict decorum
marked the conduct of the patients, who only testi-
fied by a little unusual exuberance of spirits now
and then at some favourite tune or song the pre-
sence of the dreadful malady which in the prime of
life and strength had stricken down their intellect
to a more than second infancy. The eager joy, too,
with which they received the presents on the Christ-
mas tree and partook of the cakes, &c., provided
for their refreshment was not the least gratifying,
though touching, part of the evening's proceedings.
Similar balls take place at the hospital once a fort-
night, though, as a matter of course, the new year's
ball of Wednesday night is always the event of the
year. Such an entertainment, so peculiar in itself,
requires to be seen to fully understand the many
comforts and amusements which the most awful of
all diseases still leaves within the enjoyment of the
patients at St. Luke's.

THIS DAY'S SHIPPING.

LONDON, Jan. 6.—Wind thin day at noon, North•
West; light breeze, with fine weather.

DOVER, Jan. s.—Wind, W.B.W.—Arrived—Somor,
rostra, from Havana.

PLYMOUTH, Jan. s.—Wind, W. Arrived—Bursta,
from Moulmain ; Phoebe (ss.), from Southampton, for the
Cape of Good Hope.

FALMOUTH, Jan. 5. Wind, W., strong gales and
squally.—Sailed—H.M.S. Urgent, for China.
FLIIETWOOD' Jan. s.—Wind, E.S.E.—Arrived— Rhine,
from Savannah.

Coax, Jan. 4.—Sailed—Haren, for Barbadoes and Ja•
mica.

Tons As-, Jan. s.—Wind, W.N.W.—Sailed—Therniu•
this, fur the 'West Indies.

(BY ELECTRIC THLEGRAPIL)
SOUTHAMPTON, Friday Morning.
Wind N.N.E. ; rain.
Arrived—Teutonia, steamer, from Hamburg ; Adele,
from Bordeaux; Nepali', and Duke of Cornwall, steamer,
from London.
Sailed—Atalanta, steamer, for Jersey; Duke of Cornwall,
steamer, for Dublin.

LIVERPOOL, Friday Morning.

Wind, N.
Arrived, Jan. s—Ann Falcon, from Paraiba; Tamerlane,
from Charleston; Itri, from Salina.
Arrived, Jan. 6—Ophir, from Valparaiso ; Era, from
Messina.

Sailed—Bacchante, for Shanghai ; William Rathbone,
for New Orleans; Concordia, for Mobile; Addle Snow, for
New Orleans; Rosalie, for Aspinwall; Meandis, for Bor-
deaux; Deva, for Calcutta, Daring, for St. Michael's ;
Rock Light, for New York ; Jacobin, for La Guayra ;
Isabella, for Rio Janeiro ; Guy Mannering, for New York ;
Flying Venus, for Bombay; Florida, for Savannah; Mont
Blanc, for New York ; Mary, for Corfu.