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CONTENTS OF NO. 6.
Fix this textPRACTICAL MEDICINE & SURGERY.
Fix this textExtracts. Page
Fix this textLectures on the Construction and
Fix this textGovernment of Lunatic Asylums.
Fix this textBy John Conolly, M.D. {From
Fix this textthe Lancet.) 61
Fix this textLobelia Inflata 63
Fix this textGalvanism in Uterine Hemorrhage ib.
Fix this textInjections in Nsevus ib.
Fix this textReduction of Dislocations by the
Fix this textpower of Twisted Rope ib.
Fix this textTar-vapour in Hooping-cough ib.
Fix this textOriginal Cases.
Fix this textObstetric Medicine.
Fix this textInversion of the Uterus. By Dr.
Fix this textMackellar 64
Fix this textErgot of Rye. Case. By the Editor 65
Fix this textAneurism, treated by Compression ib.
Fix this textReviews.
Fix this textConfessions of a Water-Patient.
Fix this textBy Sir E. Bulwer Lytton, Bart. 66
Fix this textHydrotherapia, or the Water-Cure.
Fix this textBy T. Smethurst, M. D ib.
Fix this textLeaders.
Fix this textState of the Medical Profession in
Fix this textNew South Wales 67
Fix this textSydney Infirmary and Dispensary.. 68
Fix this textBenevolent Asylum Report 69
Fix this textMedical Jurisprudence.
Fix this textCoroner’s Inquest—Guesses of the
Fix this textMedical Witness received as Evi-
Fix this textdence ib.
Fix this textThe Coroner again ! 70
Fix this textMiscellanea.
Fix this textAdulteration of Drugs—lnoculation
Fix this textof Animals—Fulminating Mer-
Fix this textcury— A ustralian Moss— Chemical
Fix this textsolution of Vesical Calculi—Death
Fix this textfrom Aconite—Cow Urine, &c. 71
Fix this textMesmeric Infirmary—Danger of
Fix this textkeeping Milk in Zinc Vessels—
Fix this textthe Alkaloids—Nuisances and
Fix this textDisease—Death from Hydropa-
Fix this textthy—Depressed Fracture, &c.
Fix this textcured- Railway Motion,&c. &c. 72
Fix this textTo Correspondents ib.
Fix this textPractical Medicine and Surgery
Fix this textLECTURES
Fix this textON THE
Fix this textCONSTRUCTION AND GOVERNMENT
Fix this textOF
Fix this textLUNATIC ASYLUMS.
Fix this textBY JOHN CONOLLY, M.D.
Fix this text(From the Lancet.')
Fix this text[The interest connected with the subject of these
Fix this textLectures, in reference to the late official in-
Fix this textvestigation into the “construction and govern-
Fix this textment” of the Asylum at Tarban Creek, renders
Fix this textit unnecessary for us to apologise to our readers
Fix this textfor substituting the observations of so expe-
Fix this textrienced a party, as we know Dr. C. to be, for our
Fix this textown crude and imperfect remarks.— Ed.]
Fix this textLECTURE I.
Fix this textAfter noticing the importance of the subject,
Fix this texton account of the many new asylums about to
Fix this textbe built, as well as in relation to the treatment
Fix this textof the patients, the Dr. remarks, “ that a luna-
Fix this texttic asylum is intended to be, not merely a place
Fix this textof security , but a place of cure , and that every
Fix this textcase is curable or improvable up to a certain
Fix this textpoint. The cure of the curable, the improve-
Fix this textment of the incurable, the comfort and happi-
Fix this textness of all the pati&nts, should steadily be kept
Fix this textin view by the architect and should be the
Fix this textconstant guide of the governing bodies of
Fix this textasylums in every law and regulation which
Fix this textthey make At*present this is very far from
Fix this textbeing the case.”
Fix this textIn these matters, Dr. C. observes, that “no-
Fix this textthing appears to be viewed with so much dislike
Fix this textas an appeal to the authority of medical men
Fix this textwho have lived in asylums, and among the in-
Fix this textsane, and who alone know what the insane re-
Fix this textquire consequently “ that no two plans are
Fix this textalike, and almost all asylums are under regula-
Fix this texttions several of which are injudicious, often in-
Fix this textterfering with the comfort of the officers, and
Fix this textsometimes directly impeding the improvement
Fix this textof the patients.”
Fix this textFor information on this subject the scarcity
Fix this textof works in reference to it is alluded to, and the
Fix this textwritings of M. Esquirol and Sir W. Ellis are
Fix this textreferred to as containing some sound observa-
Fix this texttions and valuable remarks. A work entirely
Fix this textdevoted to the construction and management of
Fix this textasylums, by Dr. Jacobi of Liegburg, has been
Fix this texttranslated by Mr. Kitching, under the super-
Fix this textintendence of Mr. Tuke of York, who has
Fix this textadded to it a valuable preface and notes, but,
Fix this texthaving been written thirteen years ago, it is
Fix this textbased on the old system of restraint and force.
Fix this text“ In most of the old asylums the architects
Fix this textappear to have had regard solely to the safe
Fix this textkeeping of the inmates, and the buildings re-
Fix this textsemble prisons rather than hospitals for the
Fix this textcure of insanity. Even now, high and gloomy
Fix this textwalls, narrow or inaccessible windows, heavy
Fix this textand immovable tables and benches, and prison
Fix this textregulations applied to the officers and attend-
Fix this textants, attest the prevalence of mistaken and li-
Fix this textmited views. It appears to me that, not only
Fix this textshould no general plan be determined upon
Fix this textwithout being submitted to the consideration
Fix this textof a physician acquainted with the character,
Fix this texthabits and wants of the insane, but that no
Fix this textalteration should be made in an asylum with-
Fix this textout a reference to its resident medical officers.
Fix this textThey alone at once see, or at least appear much
Fix this textto regard, the effects of rash and unadvised mo-
Fix this textdifications. The building of a wall, the raising
Fix this textof a roof, the alteration of a door or window,
Fix this textmay materially affect the daily comfort of nu-
Fix this textmerous patients. What an anxiety for mere
Fix this textsafety has suggested, may at once be seen by
Fix this textthem to be inconsistent with light and cheerful-
Fix this textness, and apparent conveniences will to them
Fix this textalways appear objectionable if purchased by a
Fix this textdiminution of proper ventilation and warmth.”
Fix this textThough perfect security is necessary, “ secu-
Fix this textrity does not require gloom or a frightful appa-
Fix this textratus. We require that the building should be
Fix this texton a healthy site, freely admitting light and air
Fix this textand drainage—space for summer and winter
Fix this textexercise, for various employments, and for all
Fix this textthe purposes of domestic economy. Warmth
Fix this textmust be provided for during winter, light for
Fix this textwinter evenings, coolness and shade in summer.
Fix this textSeparate wards and bed-rooms for the tranquil,
Fix this textfor the sick, for the helpless, for the noisy, the
Fix this textunruly or violent, and the dirty ; a supply of
Fix this textwater so copious, and a drainage so complete,
Fix this textthat the baths, water-closets, and building in
Fix this textgeneral, may always be kept perfectly clean and
Fix this textfree from bad odours. There should be work-
Fix this textshops and rooms, and school-rooms separate
Fix this textfiom the wards, and cheerfully situated: a
Fix this textchapel, conveniently accessible from both sides
Fix this textof the asylum ; as also a kitchen, a laundry, a
Fix this textbake-house, a brew-house, and rooms for stores,
Fix this textand all the requisites for gardening and farm-
Fix this texting ; and also a surgery, and all that is neces-
Fix this textsary for the medical staff. All these are indis-
Fix this textpensable in every large’public asylum.
Fix this text(i There can be no doubt that the best site
Fix this textfor an asylum is a gentle eminence, of which
Fix this textthe soil is naturally dry, and in a fertile and
Fix this textagreeable country, near enough to high-roads,
Fix this texta railway or a canal, and a town, to facilitate
Fix this textthe supply of stores, and the occasional visits cf
Fix this textthe friends of the patients, and to diversify the
Fix this textscene without occasioning disturbance Pa-
Fix this texttients of all classes derive advantage from these
Fix this textcircumstances of situation There are few
Fix this textpersons of any degree of education, rauen of
Fix this textwhose daily and habitual pleasure does not arise
Fix this textfrom the view of objects around them Even
Fix this textin the populous city the pent-up artisan has a
Fix this textbird to sing to him whilst he works, and a tew
Fix this textflowers which he cultivates with care. We
Fix this textmust not neglect such instincts and capacities if
Fix this textwe profess to cure the diseased mind.
Fix this textThe height of the building should not exceed
Fix this texttwo stories; if it is more than this “ the third
Fix this textstory is difficult of access and egress for the pa-
Fix this texttients, is unavoidably dull, and becomes almost
Fix this textunavoidably neglected; is equally opposed to
Fix this textgood classification and proper superintendence,
Fix this textand causes too many insane persons to be in-
Fix this textcluded on the same measure of ground, render-
Fix this texting ventilation more difficult, and decreasing-
Fix this textthe healthiness of the establishment. There
Fix this textshould be no inhabited attics, no bed-rooms in
Fix this textthe basement. All the rooms should be above
Fix this textground, so as easily to be visited, and to make
Fix this textit easy for the patients to go out of doors.
Fix this textWide and easy stone stair-cases, with good
Fix this textsquare landing-places, and without acute-angled
Fix this textsteps, should connect the upper and the lower
Fix this textstory ; light and air should pervade every part;
Fix this textwater and warmth should be everywhere equally
Fix this textsupplied.”
Fix this textThe attainment or preservation of all these
Fix this textobjects becomes, says Dr. C., more difficult ia
Fix this textany building larger than is required for from
Fix this text360 to 400 patients.
Fix this text“ A great fault is generally committed in the
Fix this textoriginal construction of county asylums, which
Fix this textentails many other faults ; being usually erected
Fix this textmerely fur the supposed actual number of luna-
Fix this texttics within the county, it becomes, in the course
Fix this textof ten years, in consequence of the incurable pa-
Fix this texttients remaining, crow'ded with nearly double
Fix this textthe number first provided for ; first, by the
Fix this texterection or extension of wings, to which, if the
Fix this textoriginal plan has been well devised, there exists
Fix this textno objection, but afterward, by piling a third
Fix this textstory or by excavating rooms under ground.
Fix this textThese arrangements make proper classification
Fix this textalmost impossible, and by the accumulation of
Fix this textso many persons, day and night, in a lofty
Fix this textbuilding, many of whom can seldom leave the
Fix this textwards, and none of whom are in perfect health,
Fix this textthe asylum becomes subject to every atmos-
Fix this textpheric and terrestrial influence unfavourable to
Fix this textlife. If no epidemic outbreak alarms the go-
Fix this textvernors into an investigation and reform of
Fix this textbuildings so arranged or ill-placed, or otherwise
Fix this textunhealthy, the inmates are merely all brought
Fix this textto a low standard of health, to uneasiness, suf-
Fix this textfering and a disposition to illness. There is
Fix this textalways a risk of more active disease ; and this
Fix this textmay not only depopulate the institution to a
Fix this textgreat extent, but spread pestilence around it
Fix this textI believe the most convenient form for an asy-
Fix this textIt's easy and takes two shakes of a lamb's tail!
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{{Citation
| author1=Brooks, George.
| title=Australian medical journal.
| year=2018
| section=online resource : illlustrations
| issue=Vol. 1 No. 6 (January 1, 1847)
| location=Canberra
| publisher=National Library of Australia
| url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-765252251
| id=nla.obj-765252251
| access-date=18 May 2025
| via=Trove
}}
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