Nineteenth annual report of the medical superintendent of the lunatic asylum, for the counties of Salop and Montgomery, and for the boroughs of Wenlock, Shrewsbury, and Oswestry. 1863 / [Salop and Montgomeryshire Counties Lunatic Asylum].

  • Salop and Montgomeryshire Counties Lunatic Asylum.
Date:
1864
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Nineteenth annual report of the medical superintendent of the lunatic asylum, for the counties of Salop and Montgomery, and for the boroughs of Wenlock, Shrewsbury, and Oswestry. 1863 / [Salop and Montgomeryshire Counties Lunatic Asylum]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    Out of 37 Patients who were allowed to leave the Asylum for a month’s trial, previous to their discharge, 20 were discharged re¬ covered, 9 returned not improved, and 8 were discharged through lapse of time, this latter is a very unsatisfactory way of discharging a Patient, and ought if possible to he remedied, it occurs chiefly owing to the carelessness of Relieving Officers, and the relations, who pro¬ vided the Patient continues well, do not care to take any further trouble in the matter. The Superintendent has power under the Lunacy Act to send and bring the Patient back to the Asylum, as is done in case of an escape, but this has never yet been done in this Asylum, and it would no doubt he better to let matters remain as they are, than to adopt such a harsh mode of procedure. Of the 37 deaths that have occurred, four require special notice. 1st. That of John 'Watkin, who died on April 25th. from an Abcess in the brain, the effect of a blow on the head given some months before hijs death by another Patient with a rake, while working in the garden; an inquest was held and the Patient who struck the blow was committed to take his trial for manslaughter, but as he was quite unable to plead, he has never been tried, and still remains in the Asylum. It should be stated that the blow was a slight one, and if it had not been that the Patient was very old (upwards of 80) and in a bad state of health, the result would not probably have been so serious. 2nd. The case of William Bishop, who was admitted on May 22nd. 1863, and fell down dead in the ward on June the 17th. he had been seen by the Committee of Visitors only an hour or two before his death, and was then apparently better than usual. A Post Mortem examination revealed extensive disease of the heart; notice of this death was sent to the Coroner, but he did not think it necessary to hold an inquest. 3rd. The case of William Chilton, who died from the effects of a scald caused by his falling into a bath of hot water; as the cir¬ cumstances connected with this case were carefully considered by you at the time of its occurrence it is unnecessary for me to go through the: whole of them again; an inquest was held and a verdict of acciden¬ tal death returned, attaching blame however, to the Attendant in charge, who was, in consequence dismissed, and every precautions has been taken to prevent the recurrence of such an accident.