The Central Glamorgan Gazette, and General, Commercial, and Agricultural Advertiser. — 1867-09-06 (Bridgend, Mid Glamorgan, Wales)

RANOE SUICIDE OF A LADY AT BETHLEHEM ASYLUM.  On Monday evening Mr. W. J. Payne, the deputy coroner, held an inquiry at Bethlehem Hospital respecting the suicide of Miss Mary Anne CornwalL The deceased lady was a member of a respectable family living at Brighton, and she has latterly been subject to a religious mania, which terminated in a desire to commit suicide. She alarmed her family by attempting upon several occasions to leap from heights, and they called in two medical gentlemen who signed a certificate, and she was, on the Ist of June, removed to Bethlehem Asylum. Dr. Henry Low Kempthorn, medical attendant at the asylum, said that the deceased had tried to commit suicide while in that institution. She had said "If you don't kill me or give me arsenic I'll do away with myself?' The attendants were, therefore, given special orders to watch her. On Thursday he was called to her after she had set herself on fire. She was burnt and charred all down the right side of the body. As the sparks were flying from her burning dress she said, "Let me die, the pain of my body is nothing to the pain of my mind.' She showed signs of suicidal tendency just as strong as ever. She died on Friday from shock from burns and mania. She wished to die, and that accelerated her death.  Emily Cousins, nurse of No. 4 Ward, said that the deceased had once tried to leap from one of the galleries at the asylum. She was always wishing to commit suicide. On Thursday she had to leave her in the care of other patients for eleven minutes, and she suddenly heard an alarm, and saw the deceased enveloped in flames. Witness threw herself upon her and tried to extinguish the fire. She asked her bow she did it, and she said, "By Inciters. I got them from the attendants' room and set fire to the hem of my skirt. I have waited for opportunities and that was the first one I have had." The attendants' room was being scrubbed out, and the deceased slipped into it and carried off a box of matches.  A juror said that it was very incautious to leave the matches there.  The witness said that an attendant had removed knives and dangerous articles from the room, but had overlooked the box of matches.  The coroner wished to know whether persons who had shown a suicidal tendency and a desire to commit suicide by throwing themselves from galleries, were allowed to roam about. Was there no restraint used 1  Dr. Kernpthorn said certainly there was no restraint used. It was good for the patient to be allowed non restraint.  The coroner said that the object of his inquiry was to prevent cases of this kind taking place, for another case of suicide at the same asylum had come before him in which the patient had, while an attendant's room was being scrubbed, slipped into it, and committed suicide with a knife taken from the room. It would be well to see if such cases could not be prevented. It was stated that there were four attenslants to each ward, and if four were not sufficient the law should compel four-and-twenty to be employed. The jury could add anything to their verdict that they liked.  The doctor said that the patients were not allowed string, ropes, knives, or matches, and that they were never left alone. The deceased, who slept with two other patients, was visited every hour during the night. She had set herself on fire at eleven o'clock in the morning. The leaving of the matches in the attendant's room was an oversight. . _  The jury returned a verdict, That the deceased committed suicide by setting herself on fire while in a state of unsound mind."  We have been informed that since the introduction of the modern non-restraint system at Bethlehem Asylum, suicide has diminiahed amongst the patient. by 80 per cent. There are now no bars placed to the windows, and the patients, whether suicidal or not, are allowed to walk about, and it has been found in many cases that the freedom glowed to them has made them cease to think of committing suicide.