A discourse on the life and character of Dr. Luther V. Bell : read to the Association of Superintendents of North American Institutions for the Insane, at its Annual Meeting, in Providence, R.I., June 10th, 1862 / by I. Ray.

  • Ray, Isaac, 1807-1881.
Date:
1863
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A discourse on the life and character of Dr. Luther V. Bell : read to the Association of Superintendents of North American Institutions for the Insane, at its Annual Meeting, in Providence, R.I., June 10th, 1862 / by I. Ray. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)

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    ours, and that in their later buildings, many questions of architectural arrangement had been practically an- swered. He found them taking down hospitals super- ior to any of ours, and saw, on a large scale, the results of a more liberal expenditure than we had been accus- tomed to. He was struck with the greater account there made of ample space, light, and dimensions, even in pauper establishments, and was impressed with the salutary influence they must exert on the disordered mind. In regard to internal arrangements, he learned much that was calculated to produce reflection, both as to the sanitary and the economical result. He found, for instance, to his surprise, that associated dormitories, which were hardly known with us, were considered as indispensable to the highest measure of success, and had been introduced into every recently erected estab- lishment. His observations convinced him that in some degree or other, they were worthy of trial by us, though the comparative amount of accommodation of this kind, must vary with the character of the patients. He in- troduced them into the plan of the Butler hospital, and fifteen years of experience have abundantly confirmed the correctness of his views. It was in the matter of warming and ventilation, however, that the British institutions exhibited the greatest advance. The furnace, cockle, stove and fire- [.lare, had given way. in many instances, to coils of steam or hot-water pipes, and ventilation was secured by the employment of an artificial force. The immense