Some English County and Borough Asylums

Abstract

Carmarthen.—We read with considerable surprise some very trenchant remarks made by the visiting Commissioners in their report. They regret to find that many matters requiring attention have remained neglected for years because of the dispute that rages between the authorities contributing to the asylum. Among these is mentioned the absence of any proper system of drainage. The Commissioners record their opinion that by this neglect of the above and other things the interests of the asylum and the patients suffer to a considerable extent, and that the condition of things is not creditable to those responsible. But far more serious, in our opinion, is the record, “It does not appear from the entries of visits that two or more members of the committee have visited the institution on any one occasion during this year.” Some of us think that the best chance of solving lunacy difficulties lies in relaxing some of the cast-iron precision of the lunacy law in favour of increased liberty of experiment and exploitation on local initiative. How this can be conceded when the Commissioners have to whip up committees to carry out the very first essential of their being it is impossible to see. The actual facts, however, suggest that the cast-iron precision of the lunacy law, inconvenient in many important matters, is not of much value where it is particularly wanted. We note that considerable use has been made of electric baths, but no report of the results is given.