The Sun.
London, England, 1867-03-01 00:00:00

Meeting of Middlesex Magistrates.

A general meeting of the magistrates of the
county of Middlesex wAs held yesterday at the
Sessions House, Clerkenwell-green, for the trans-
action of the usual county business ; Henry Pow-
nall, Esq., in the chair.
The court was very numerously attended by
magistrates.
The Chairman drew the attention of the Court
to a letter that had been received by the com-
missioners of lunacy in reference to the treatment
of lunatics in Colney-hatch Asylum. The letter
stated that a patient, of the name of Harrison, had
been put to bed without any bedding, only the bare
boards and bricks, and entirely naked, since the
18th of this month ; and that a patient, named
Hobbs, had received the like treatment for 140
nights in succession during the winter of 1864-651
and these were not the only cases of a similar
kind. The commissioners thereupon communicated
with the committee of visitors of the asylum, ask-
ing if such allegations were well founded, express-
ing great surprise at such a state of things, and
with a view to afford Dr. Sheppard the earliest op-
portunity of refuting them, they invited his attend-
ance at a meeting of the board on the 18th inst.
Dr. Sheppard having seen the letter spoken of, ad-
mitted that the facts were in the main correct, and
that a similar mode of treatment was adopted where
patients destroyed their bedding and clothes habituallY
of which character Harrison and Hobbs were, and they
were told if they destroyed their clothing or bedding
they would not be allowed any more, and that pa-
tients were frequently confined thus in the day in
a state of nudity, and wearing locked leather gloves.
The commissioners said that they never yet knew of
such treatment being applied to patients nor would
such a case admit of • any justification. Dr. Shep-
pard replied that Harrison, although having clothes,
would not wear them, preferring a nude state ; and
that Hobbs, who was now dead, was of the like dis-
position. They were both of that class of patients
called general paralytics, whose physical sensations
were impaired or annihilated. After some further
remarks in justification of his treatment, he con-
cluded by saying that during the time he had been
medical superintendent of the male department he
had always striven to promote the happiness and
wellbeing of patients, and that he was open to any
suggestions that may tend to advance such a desir-
able end. In reply, the commissioners stated that
there was nothing in Dr. Sheppard's letter in vin-
dication of the system in question, and that in their,
opinion the statements were most unsatisfactory and
untenable. The commissioners believing the com-
mittee to be of the same opinion infer from pr.
Sheppard's letter that no recurrence of the practice
will be permitted in the Colney-hatch Asyluro•
The CHAIRMAN asked the Court, and those in
particular who were acquainted with their county
asylums, whether that was the way that the poor
.
patients ought to be treated who were committed
to their care ; and he expressed his surprise that 12:1
the report of the committee no observation was in_ecle
upon the subject, nor had they reprimanded Pr.
Sheppard for his conduct. This ought, too, to have
been recorded by Dr. Sheppard in his journal ;
and
had he required any assistance, or a night watch
man for such patients, he (the chairman) was sure
the magistrates would not have withheld any as-
sistance for that purpose. Instead of that be said
he knew of no other means, and left these poor
patients perfectly naked for days together on o.e
floor of their room. If that was the way thel.!
asylums were to be conducted, the sooner thevia
medical officers were changed the better. He kne
Hanwell 25 years ago, where similar scenes had
occurred ; but what Dr.Conolly, that humane raan:
did, was to put on these poor creatures a stout
canvas dress lined with flannel, sewn up at the bo
tom, and fastened from behind, so that thfs:3
could not open them, and they never found t,'„,
disgusting things that had been set forth in tutsl'
report. Dr. Sheppard had said that when patiel3_A
who formerly had lain upon straw could lie nak7;
on the floor it gave them infinite amusement ;
ellocLLl,s
no doubt it did, but humanity shuddered at _.
th
suffering as was endured by these poor creature
ess.
Dr. Sheppard had never once recorded ,
circumstances, and it was his (the chairman
eas)
opinion that he ought to be told if they occur'
tagainhe co thatcount
nty .h e would a
sb edue to dismissedthe
themselves,
rsoeml
etsh, the
asrag
serviceari
g.
trates of the county, to keep up the chara;:te
these institutions, and he hoped that he (Drc.aSselisePm
pard) would be required to enter all such
his book, for they did not know how many al_ I;
conic cases that had not to the knowledge of t
reatlY
visiting justices; but he must say that he was gme
to
o
surprised when all these circumstances had their
their knowledge that the visiting justices 111
report should not have made a single observaw
upon hem. it
Mr. t
WYATT, chairman of the committee, saidf
;Lidgineu
was their opinion that Dr. Sheppard had committed'
a great error, but as it was an error of j
the committee did not feel that they could speak to
in
the
strong terms that the chairman had used, eiPe
nder
a gentleman of intelligence and sensibility
craliy
so as the asylum had risen in discipline u
h this was
patients of the worst class, and, althou g
to effec-
Sheppard's management. He had to deal with 900
an error of judgment, they had taken steps
aip•
tually prevent any similar thing oc
urring agc
The other business was disposed of, and
was report was then put, and agreed tdottitic:/c•
was adjourned.
stitiCe
body,Do.
of
arTno
nnie I 4:h' on the
w_, air-
dered by her mother, Jane Wearth
MURDERaaret ty,lvt was
eAcoNhpDiel
naeAtd:oyTe3ErselltarePrsdTglidt
so.
hi
o,ans
own throat. Sbd
crime the mother endeavoured to cut herndoition.
Evidence
is not yet dead, but lies in a hopeless co
public was pro-
haP-
confirmatory of the facts already maded
street, Shoreditch, on Tuesday last. Aftera committing tills
duced, and the inquiry was adjourn° •
DAT, Thurs-
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