OBSERVATIONS. (Hansard, 2 August 1861)

§ MR. BLAKE,

in rising to call the attention of the Chief Secretary for Ireland to the want which existed in the Irish district lunatic asylums of sufficient necessary appliances for promoting the happi- 1846 ness and recovery of the insane, said, he desired to draw the attention of the right hon. Baronet to this subject with a view of inducing him, by personal inquiry, to satisfy himself as to whether the statement which he would make regarding the defects in the Irish asylums were correct or not; and besides, if the things he complained of were not remedied before next Session, he would, if nothing prevented him, take an early opportunity, after the assembling of Parliament, to again bring forward the subject. Up to about thirty years ago the places for the detention of the insane poor in Ireland—for they did not deserve the name of institutions—were, he believed, in as deplorable a state as those of the United Kingdom generally—lunatics being for the most part treated like, and incarcerated with, criminals. About that time, however, a much better state of things arose. District asylums were erected in various parts of the country, which in point of construction, management, and comfort, were far beyond anything of the kind which had previously existed. The arrangements made for the care, treatment, and recovery of the patients were also very superior, as compared with the old system, and quite as good in every respect as anything of the kind then in operation in the kingdom, and very great results for the happiness of the insane followed. But he was sorry to say that those institutions by no means kept pace with the advance made by others, to which he would presently allude, in certain important particulars for alleviating the condition and promoting the recovery of the insane. It was difficult to know to whom to attach most blame for this; but those holding the highest positions in the administration of the affairs of the country certainly deserved their share of censure; and this might be said of every successive Government, as they each helped more or less to perpetuate a state of things calling strongly for amendment. There was, however, one honourable exception in the right hon. Member for Stroud (Mr. Horsman). When that right hon. Gentleman was Chief Secretary he had sagacity enough to see that there was much in connection with the asylums calling for change, and he moved for, and obtained, a Royal Commission "to inquire into and report on the state of the asylums" The Commissioners consisted of Sir Thomas Redington, Robert Andrews, R. W. S. Lutwidge, James Wilkes, and 1847 sitions, experience, and intelligence. Their labours occupied more than a year, and the result was a very admirable Report, to one part of which he wished to direct the attention of the House—that in which the Commissioners recommended agreeable employment and recreation for those not disposed or able to take a part in agricultural labour. The hon. Member read the recommendations of the Report, and also passages from the reports of Dr. Hood, the Resident Physician of the Royal Hospital of Bethlehem, in which he advocates "those occupations for the insane which tend to divert the mind from its delusions, and which rouse and invigorate the healthy exercise of the reflective faculties." The patients had been permitted to visit many different public exhibitions—the National Gallery, the Crystal Palace, the Zoological Gardens, &c., with marked beneficial effect. Dr. Hood says— If we can succeed in giving a patient the impression that we repose confidence in him—if we can make him sensible of the importance of his parole d'honneur, we are greatly improving his mental state; for the recovery of self-respect is often the first indication of impending cure. Hence we find the reports of many lunatic asylums attesting the advantages which patients derive from such excursions. Acting on the principle of occupying the patients' minds by agreeable employment and suitable recreation, Dr. Hood left no means untried to interest them, and no better proof could be shown of the soundness of his views than the results which followed, for, whilst in other institutions 20 per cent of discharges on admissions was considered a very satisfactory result, the discharges on admissions at Bethlehem sometimes amounted to 68 per cent. Last year they were nearly 60, and yet the whole first cost of the various matters required in a large asylum for the indoor recreation and employment of the patients would not exceed pound;100. Dr Hood frequently sent his patients in walking parties about London, without any unpleasant results occurring, and with great benefit to the patients themselves, an idea that would be and had been ridiculed at some of the Irish asylums. The example of Bethlehem had been followed in some of the English county asylums with good effect. He could speak particularly of Derby, Gloucester, and Leicester, as it was best known to him. There, under the able manager, Dr. Buck, the very same state of things might be seen in operation; and though wages and provisions were higher, the cost 1848 of the patients was not more than £2 a head per annum over some of the Irish asylums; and, what was most singular, there was not a wall or sunk fence around the entire of the outer grounds to prevent the patients from escaping. But the reason was easily told. The place was divested, as much as possible, of a prison aspect, and for those not equal to or disposed for agricultural labour there were ample means of occupation and amusement—music, games, books, pictures, birds, pet animals, &c., &c.; and since these things were introduced the patients were manifestly quieter, happier, and recoveries greater. In describing these asylums he by no means meant to convey that they represented England generally — by no means—as he believed the Irish asylums, taken as a whole, were beyond the English, ones; but there were in England a few far beyond the others, and better than anything in Ireland, and his object was to bring the latter up to the right standard. It was difficult to know who was to blame for their being so—whether the Government or the higher officials charged with their administration. Sufficient care had not been taken to make appointments from men who had previous experience of the treatment of insanity. For instance, take the inspectors of asylums. Dr. White, since deceased, was, no doubt, an able man well skilled in his profession; Dr. Nugent, who was private physician to Mr. O'Connell; and Dr. Hatchell, also eminent in his profession, were the first inspectors appointed; but not one of these, however eminent they might otherwise be, had any special knowledge of lunacy, or any especial experience in diseases of the mind. Now, he certainly thought that the Inspectors might have done much more than appeared to be done in the way of providing such occupations as he had spoken of for the patients' minds. Go into any county asylum in Ireland, after visiting Derby or Leicester, and the difference was very apparent in this respect. Let them take the instance of Waterford, with which he was best acquainted, and there they would find the patients not engaged in agricultural labour, shut up in yards, with walls so high that the poor lunatics had no prospect but the sky over their heads or the gravel under their feet; and when obliged to remain within doors they were huddled together in day-rooms, such as those described in the Report of the Royal Commission, without having anything to interest them, and the con- 1849 sequence was you would see more real signs of insanity in a room containing twenty patients than all over the Leicester asylum, with its nearly 400; and yet he had no hesitation in saying that Water-ford was quite as good in every respect as any other asylum in Ireland; but there was a great absence of the many things, trifling as they were, that would alleviate the dreadful tedium of the poor patients' lives, and help their recovery. There was no reason why the very same resources should not exist in the asylums in Ireland. The expense of everything he had described, even for a large institution, would not cost £50; but the utmost apathy, if not, indeed, prejudice, against such improvements appeared to exist. He had lately gone with a deputation from the Grand Jury of Waterford to visit the district asylum there; they had drawn up a report recommending increased recreation, which appeared to excite the surprise and draw down on him the disapproval of the resident manager, as he wrote to the papers stating there were pictures, plants, birds, and music, to amuse the patients, and wound up by expressing his fears that if patients were too much amused sane people outside might feign madness in order to join them. Now, the whole collection of pictures might be purchased, he thought, for 5s., the plants, perhaps, an equal sum, the birds, which for a long time consisted of only one, had to be caught by an enterprising patient, and the strains of music were only heard when some lunatic was in the vein to play on the fiddle or tambourine; however, when a manager of an asylum was found to express apprehension that if these joys were increased, people might endeavour to get themselves placed amongst lunatics, he thought he could not do better than hand in his letter, as the very strongest piece of evidence in support of his assertion that the Irish asylums needed reformation. All he now sought was to interest the right hon. Baronet in the subject, and to induce him to visit the two or three English asylums he had described, and then visit some of the Irish ones. He was quite sure when he had done so that he would agree with him that his description had not been exaggerated. He advocated no other reform than that recommended by the Royal Commission, and in successful operation in the places he had been describing. The late Chief Secretary had promised that new Privy Council rules 1850 should be introduced in place of the Bill of his predecessor. In addition to the Inspectors, a Commission like that which formerly existed ought to be formed, and each of the Inspectors ought to have separate districts assigned them, which would cause an emulation which did not now exist. He would now, until next Session, leave the matter in the hands of the right hon. Baronet. He hoped he would visit the asylums of both countries and judge for himself. The illustrious name he bore was associated with some good done for Ireland, and, though he differed with him in many of his opinions, still he believed he usually meant what he said. A few days before he had given expression to kindly sentiments towards Ireland, and, as he (Mr. Blake) was confident there was no subject more worthy of his attention than the one he had that day brought under his notice, he had every hope that ho would not lose sight of it, but would give to it that consideration which the claims of the poor beings for whose amelioration he pleaded deserved from one occupying a position enabling him to benefit them.