The Sun. — 1841-12-17 (London, England)

LUNATIC ASYLUM.  Mr. P. LAURIE requested the Magistrates would proceed to the consideration of the Report of the Visiting Justices of the County Lunatic Asylum at Hanwell, and also the Report of the resident physician thereunto annexed, and which were laid before the Court on the last county day. From the length of time that has elapsed since the system of non-coercion mentioned in the Report had been adopted at the Asylum, the Magistrates had had ample opportunities of judging of its effects, and were now fully competent to decide whether it should be continued or not. He was about to propose a resolution to the effect that the Magistrates approved of the present system. He confessed that he felt a very considerable degree of anxiety as to the result of his motion convinced, as- he was, that the question about to be discussed was among the most important subjects that had ever been brought under :he notice of that Court, and the result was looked forward to with considerable anxiety by the people of France,.Belgium, German), and America, and if the present system was sanctioned by the Court, there could be no doubt that it would have a considerable effect in those countries. It was only fifty years since that the treatment of lunatics in this and other countries was that of criminals of the very worst character, and the places appointed tor their reception, were neither more nor less than ill-constructed and badly-arranged prisons. The French were the first who endeavoured to ameliorate the condition of these unfortunate persons Mons. Pinel made the first attempt, which was attended with the most beneficial results. His plan was soon after introduced in this country, and had been attended with success. In fact, receptacles for insane persons werenow hospitals for their cure, and not as formerly, mere places for their safe custody.—(Hear, hear.) With regard to the,Hanwell Lunatic Asylum, great and important alterations were effected by the late Sir William Ellis ; but Dr. Conolly, soon after he had been appointed the resident physician, went farther, and said, that all mechanical restraints might be altogether dispensed with, and accordingly, ever since September 21, 1839, they had been altogether discontinued. A period of 'two years had since elapsed; and, in an asyltun that, on an average, had contained about 1,000 patients, restraint had not been applied in any one instance, and the alteration had been attended with the happiest results. He did not intend to call upon his brother Magistrates to pledge themselves to a continuance of the present system, but merely that, as far as it had been tried, it had been attended with the most beneficial results. The worthy Magistrate here read several extracts from the reports of the Visiting Justices and Resident Physician •, and proceeded to remark that many persons considered that patients disposed to suicide, and those subject to epileptic fits, ought at all events to be kept in some degree of restraint, to prevent them from injuring either themselves or others. In answer to that, he would state that, within the last year, eight patients, who were disposed to commit suicide, had been admitted into the Asylum ; that no restraint whatever had been imposed upon them, and that no bad consequences had resulted.—(Hear.) He was happy to state that the success that had attended the anti-coercion system at Hanwell had led to its adoption in several other asylums, In conclusion, he would call the attention of the Court to the Adelaide fund which. had been established by her Most Gracious Majesty the Queen Dowager, for the purpose of providing for the future welfare of persons on their being discharged from the Asylum cured. He much regretted that the report of the Visiting Justices did not contain any notice of that most excellent charity —(Hear, hear)—and that independent of that fund a sum of money was not placed by the county at thz: disposal of the Visiting Justices, to be distributed as they might think fit among more unfortunate persons who were discharged from the Asylum to defray the expenses of their return home. The Visiting Justices of the different gaols had the power of rendering this kind of assistance to disc Larged criminals, and surely the unfortunate persons who were discharged from the County Lunatic Asylum had a much stronger claim to that sort of assistance. The latter had been rendered destitute from no fault of their own. On their return to their miserable homes they found them completely deserte.l. They had no friends to whom they could apply for assistance, and it not unfrequently happened that their first effect of returning reason was to regret their restoration to health, and it was a melancholy fact that many instances 'of relapse were owing to the wretched circumstances in which unfortunate lunatics found themselves placed after they had been discharged from,the Asylum. The Learned Gentleman concluded by moving the following resolution :  " That on a full consideration of the reports of the Visiting Justices and of the Resident Physician of the County Pauper Lunatic Asylum, at Harwell, presented on the county day of the last Michaelmas Quarter Sessions, this Court is of opinion that the system of management pursued therein for the last two years has been attended with highly beneficial results, and affords strong evidence in support of the opinion that the personal co ercion of the patients may be safely abolished, by the substitution of uniform kindness, efficient superintend ence, and constant vigilance ; and also that such system tends greatly to the amelioration of the condition and the increase of the comforts of the patients, and on these considerations this Court now express their confidence in the advantages, and their sanction of the continuance, of the system of non-restraint as now practised in the Hanwell Asylum." Mr. Sergeant HALCOMBE opposed the motion, on the ground that the discussion ought not to be gone into pending certain proceedings that had recently been instituted in the Court of Queen's Bench.  After a strong discussion, the amendment was negatived by a majority of thirty-two, there being seven in favour, and thirty-nine against it. Mr. Sergeant ADAMS, and several other Magistrates, eloquently addressed the Court in favour of the non coercion system, and the resolution was carried by a large majority. Mr. Charles Wright Ns as elected housekeeper of the Sessions-house, in the room of the late Mr. Richards. There were sixty Magistrates voted, and there were three candidates. Mr. Wright had fifty-seven votes. The Court then adjourned, after the transaction of some other business of minor importance.