| Asylum. | Number of patients. | Criminals. | Under restraint last visit. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Provincial Licensed Houses. | |||
| Derby—Green Hill House | 25 | — | 1 |
| Durham—Gateshead Fell | 92 | 8 | 1 |
| Essex—High Beach | 34 | — | 2 |
| Gloucester—Fishponds | 45 | — | 1 |
| „ Northwoods | 29 | — | 1 |
| „ Fairford | 175 | 1 | 1 |
| Hants—Grove Place | 78 | 1 | 1 |
| Herefordshire—Whitchurch | 32 | 2 | 1 |
| Kent—West Malling Place | 40 | — | 3 |
| Lancaster—Blakely House | 24 | — | 1 |
| Northumberland—Bell Grove House | 13 | — | 1 |
| Oxford—Witney | 11 | — | 2 |
| „ Hook-Norton | 57 | 1 | 2 |
| Somerset—Bailbrook House | 92 | 3 | 10 |
| Stafford—Oulton Retreat | 25 | — | 2 |
| „ Sandfield | 44 | — | 1 |
| Sussex—Ringmer | 3 | — | 1 |
| Warwick—Duddeston Hall | 87 | 3 | 6 |
| „ Kingstown House | 91 | — | 2 |
| Wilts—Bellevue House | 181 | 5 | 5 |
| „ Fiddington House | 193 | 3 | 3 |
| Worcester—Droitwich | 91 | 2 | 2 |
| York, East Riding—Hull and East Riding Refuge | 115 | 8 | 1 |
| „ „ Hessle | 12 | — | 1 |
| „ West Riding—Castleton Lodge | 15 | — | 1 |
| „ „ Grove House | 41 | — | 5 |
| „ „ Heworth | 29 | — | 1 |
If for the purpose of comparison at different years we take one asylum, Ringmer in Sussex, there were in November 1829, nineteen patients, of whom five were under restraint by day, and seven by night. In 1830 (February) the number of patients was twenty, and of these eleven were under restraint by day and six by night; while in October of the same year, out of eighteen patients, there were nine under restraint. In 1831, there were twenty-two patients, ten of whom were under restraint. Writing in 1848, the Commissioners enumerate the various changes for the better which had then taken place, among which were—an active medical superintendence; the abolition of excessive use of mechanical restraint, there being sometimes only one or two, and occasionally no patient whatever, under mechanical restraint; the introduction of warm and cold baths; the cleanliness of the day-rooms and dormitories; the addition of a good library, and various amusements and means of occupation; and also an excellent dietary. Such is a sample of the happy change which was, in many instances, brought about by inspection.
The following classification of asylums in 1851 will show at a glance the progress made in providing accommodation from time to time, consequent upon legislation:—
There were still upwards of fifty boroughs for whose pauper lunatics no legal provision was made, and no asylum was then erected for the City of London.
Under the head of mechanical restraint, the Commissioners now report that it has still further diminished, and has in some houses been absolutely abolished. However, in fifty entries made in the books of thirty-six private asylums, abuses and defects are animadverted upon in fifteen instances in regard to restraint, in twenty instances in regard to bedding and clothing, nine in regard to diet, seven in regard to cleanliness, and four in regard to management and treatment. They observe that the number of lunatics in workhouses has diminished in a very marked degree.
In this Report the Commissioners take the opportunity of animadverting, also, upon the defective state of the law in regard to the property of lunatics; the good effect of the Act 8 and 9 Vict., c. 100, being lessened by this and other causes.
Turning to the year 1854, nearly ten years after the Act of 1845 had been in fruitful operation, we find the Commissioners attaching importance to the alterations recently made in the law of lunacy by the three important statutes, 16 and 17 Vict., c. 70 (the "Lunacy Regulation Act" of 1853) which refers to Chancery lunatics; 16 and 17 Vict., c. 90 (an amendment of the Act under which the Board was constituted); and 16 and 17 Vict., c. 97 (the "Lunatic Asylums Act," 1853).
These Acts, with 8 and 9 Vict., c. 100, and 15 and 16 Vict., c. 48, and the Acts relative to criminal lunatics, constituted at that period the code of law of lunacy.