Renfrew District Asylum as a War Hospital for Mental Invalids: Some Contrasts in Administration. With an Analysis of Cases admitted during the First Year

Abstract

I purpose giving first of all a short description of the steps taken in connection with the conversion of this institution into a war hospital, and of the necessary additions to the staff. No structural alterations were required to the buildings, as they were to be used only for mental cases, and the changes therefore required were very slight in comparison to what, for example, took place at Bangour or at other asylums. Most of you will have read the minute and vivid description by the President of our Association, Lieut.-Col. Thomson, when the Norfolk County Asylum was converted into a war hospital for the sick and wounded, but the radical changes described there in the buildings and amongst the staff were quite unnecessary at Dykebar, as it was taken over as a going concern. Consequently we were able to admit soldier patients almost at once when the others had been removed. It happened by good luck that the new nurses' home had just been completed, otherwise it would have been impossible to have accommodated all the female staff. With the exception of four orderlies who are billeted with the married orderlies, and tradesmen, all the others are housed in the institution. The daily routine in the institution is much the same as you are all accustomed to, except that there is here a certain liveliness, as the majority of the patients are young, strong, active men, and a march out here is quite a different thing to the slow and decrepit walking parties formerly in vogue, and in the farm and garden there is displayed energy never seen before. Work, and especially outside work, is encouraged, but of course there is always a certain proportion who cannot be persuaded to do anything.