PUBLIC DOCUMENTS.

1.--DOMESTIC.

REPORT ON PAUPER LUNATICS.

THE select Committee appoint- Mr. Warburton's establishment has ed to inquire into the state of the hitherto been considered as good as Pauper Lunatics in the county of the generality of licensed houses Middlesex, to consider the propriety where paupers are received in the of extending the provisions of 14 neighbourhood of the metropolis ; Geo. 3rd, c. 49, to pauper lunatics, but if the White House is to be and of the consolidation of all acts taken as a fair specimen of similar relative to lunatics and lunatic establishments, your committee asylums, and of making further cannot too strongly or too anxiousprovisions relative thereto, have, ly express their conviction, that the pursuant to the order of the House, greatest possible benefit will accrue considered the subject to them re- to pauper patients by the erection ferred, and agreed to the following of a County Lunatic Asylum. Report:

The select committee of 1815 In the course of their inquiry called the attention of the House into the state of the pauper lunatics to the following abuses in the of the county of Middlesex, the management of the houses for the attention of your committee has reception of lunatics :been particularly directed to the “1. Keepers of the houses retreatment of the male paupers of ceiving a much greater number of the parishes of Marylebone, St. persons in them than they are calGeorge, Hanover-square, and St. culated for; and the consequent Pancras, who have been or are con- want of accommodation for the fined in the White House at patients, which greatly retards Bethnal-green, belonging to Mr. recovery. Warburton. The evidence thereon “2. The insufficiency of the is specially submitted to the con- number of keepers in proportion to sideration of the House.

the number of persons intrusted to From the registers of the visiters their care, unavoidably leading to a appointed by the college of physici- proportionably greater degree of ans, and from other testimony, restraint than the patients would your committee might infer, that otherwise require. however great its defects may be, “ 3. The union of patients who

are outrageous, with those who are points may more properly be conquiet and inoffensive.

sidered when any bill or bills shall “4. The want of medical assista be introduced. ance, so applied to the malady for Your committee are aware that which the persons are confined. some expense may be incurred by

“ 5. The detention of persons the system of visitation they recomwhose minds do not require con- mend, but the appropriation of the finement.

fees on licences (which might “6. The insufficiency of the perhaps be increased), and fines certificates on which patients are levied, would defray a considerable received into madhouses.

part of such expense; and your “7. The defective visitations of committee confidently anticipate, private madhouses, under the pro- that the additional sum required visions of 14 Geo. 3rd, c. 49.” will not be considered of importance

The evidence taken before your when compared with the great and committee leaves no doubt that practical benefits to be derived from these observations are still applic- an extended and improved system able to licensed houses where of regulating and visiting lunatic paupers are received in the neigh- asylums. bourhood of the metropolis, and 1.- That it is expedient to repeal they are apprehensive that similar the acts of 17 Geo. 2nd, c. 5. s. 20 abuses elsewhere prevail, as no im- and 21 ; 48 Geo. 3rd, c. 96; 51 Geo. provement has taken place in the 3rd, c. 79; 55 Geo. 3rd, c. 46; 56 law. It has been clearly established Geo. 3rd, c. 117; 59 Geo. 3rd, c. in evidence, that there is no due 127; 5 Geo. 4th, c. 71; 39 and 40 precaution with respect to the cer- Geo. 3rd, c. 94. And to consolitificates of admission, to the con- date into one act of parliament the sideration of discharge, or to the provisions of the same, and to make application of any curative process such further provisions as will to the mental malady. Your com- facilitate the erection of county mittee therefore repeat, adopt, and lunatic asylums, and improve the confirm, the recommendations of treatment of pauper and criminal the committees of 1807 and 1815; lunatics. and they trust that every effort will 2.-That it is expedient to rebe made during the recess, by all peal the acts of 14 Geo. 3rd, c. persons concerned in the control 49; 19 Geo. 3rd, c. 15; 26 Geo. and management of their establish- 3rd, c. 91, and that an act of parments, to improve the condition of liament should be passed, under the unfortunate lunatics committed the provisions of which all houses to their charge; and they further for the reception of insane persons, recommend, that legislative mea- except county pauper lunatic asysures of a remedial character should lums, St. Luke's, and Bethlem be introduced at the earliest period hospitals, shall be licensed and of the next session. They have, regulated ; and that the following therefore, in consequence, prepared provisions should form the grounda series of propositions, which they work of such act. beg to offer as the basis of future 3.—That it is expedient that the legislation. Your committee have Secretary of State for the Home purposely omitted any statement of Department do, on the day of fines and penalties, conceiving such in every year, by an instrus ment under his hand and seal, justices of quarter-sessions shall appoint persons, of whom not think fit to refuse any licence so less than five shall be police ma- applied for, the reasons of such gistrates, together with five phy- refusal or suspension shall be sicians, to be visiters within the delivered in writing to the party cities of London and Westminster, applying: within seven miles thereof, and 6.-That previous to the grantwithin the county of Middlesex; ing of any such licence, the person and that the Secretary of State for requiring the same shall give one the Home Department do appoint month's notice in writing to the a clerk to attend such board of clerk of the said London visiters, visiters, and to record their pro- or the clerk of the peace, or his ceedings.

deputy (as the case may be), 4.That such visiters do meet accompanied by a plan of the house at least four times in each year, proposed to be licensed, which plan and at such meetings the said shall be afterwards deposited with visiters (five to be a quorum, two the clerk of the visiters or clerk of of whom at the least to be magis- the peace; and the proprietor, if trates) shall, if they think fit, grant licensed, whenever he shall make licences to all persons requiring the any alterations in his house, shall same, for keeping houses for the transmit an amended plan of the reception of two or more lunatics, same, containing all such alterawithin the cities of London and tions laid down thereon, to the Westminster, and within seven clerk of the said London visiters, or miles thereof, and within the coun- clerk of the peace, or his deputy, as ty of Middlesex, such licences to the case may be. be for one year from the date 7.-That previously also to the thereof; and that in case the said granting of any such licence, three visiters shall think fit to refuse any at least of the said London visiters licence so applied for, they shall (one of whom shall be a magisstate their reasons in writing, and trate), or if not in London, &c.

of such reasons to the any two magistrates resident in the person so applying:

neighbourhood, and a physician, or 5.That in other parts of Eng- surgeon or licensed apothecary, land and Wales, the magistrates shall visit such house, and shall assembled in quarter sessions shall, report to the board of London if they think fit, grant licences, visiters or court of quarter-sessions,

, such licences to be for one year, to as to the fitness of such house for all persons requiring the same, for the reception of lunatic patients, keeping houses for the reception of the number which it is capable of two or more lunatics in their re- containing, and its conformity to spective counties; and that the the plan delivered. clerk of the peace or his deputy in 8.–That every person concerned each county shall act in the same and interested in the house to be manner within his county as the licensed shall be named in the clerk to the board of visiters with- licence, and shall be responsible for in the cities of London and West- the management of such house ; minster, within seven miles there and that one person so interested of, and within the county of shall be actually resident in such Middlesex, and that in case the house, if it contain fifty patients,

deliver a copy

and in houses containing less than tion to the Secretary of State for fifty patients, the name of the the Home Department, relative to actual resident superintendent shall lunatics or lunatic asylums in the be inserted in the licence.

country, he may appoint any of the 9. That in all parts of England above London visiters, together and Wales, except London, &c., with any physicians or magistrates the magistrates in quarter-sessions of the county from whence the assembled shall appoint for each complaint shall come, according as licensed house within their district the nature of the case may require, two magistrates and one physician, to make such inquiries as he shall

, or surgeon or licensed apothecary, think fit to direct, and to report to to act as visiters.

him thereupon. 10.—That every house so li- 12.- That no keeper of any censed shall be inspected by three house licensed for the reception of London visiters (one of whom to lunatics shall receive any lunatic, be a magistrate), or by the visiters except a pauper lunatic, without appointed at quarter-sessions, as the first having an order in writing case may be, at least four times in under the hand of the person by every year, and at all other such whose direction such lunatic is sent times as they shall think fit, at any to his house ; in which order shall hour of the day or night; such be stated the degree of relationship London or country visiters to be or circumstance of connexion beattended by the clerk of the Lon- tween such person and the lunatic, don visiters, or clerk of the peace, and the name, place of residence,' or his deputy, who shall make a former occupation, date of the comminute of the state and condition mencement of illness of the lunatic, of the house, comparing every and the asylum (if any) in which room thereof with the plan de the lunatic shall have been previposited, and ascertaining by per- ously confined, and also a certifisonal inspection the state of each cate under the hand of two department, of the number of the members of the college of physicikeepers regularly employed, and ans or college of surgeons, or of the number of patients confined licensed apothecaries, who shall therein at the time of such visit, state that such lunatic is a proper which minute shall be afterwards person to be confined, and the day fairly transcribed into a proper book on which he shall last have been or register; and in case the London examined by them ; nor shall the visiters or visiting magistrates and keeper of any lunatic asylum physicians shall find cause of com- receive any person into his estaplaint against the proprietor of blishment, if such last examination such house, the clerk shall transmit shall not have taken place within a copy of such complaint to the the fourteen days next preceding; proprietor, who may be summoned, but the keeper of any licensed if it be thought necessary, to house shall be authorized to receive attend the next quarterly meeting a pauper lunatic under an order of such London visiters, or the from any magistrate, together with quarter-sessions of the county, as a certificate of insanity, signed by the case may be, to be examined the usual medical attendant, the relative to such complaint.

rector, vicar, or curate, and one of 11.-That on a special applica- the overseers of the poor of the VOL. LXIX.

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