The Necessity of Insanity as a Branch of Medical Education

Abstract

The last Public Lunatic Asylum Act, 16 and 17, Vict., c. 97, passed in 1853, “For the regulation of those institutions, and for the admission &c. of pauper lunatics, wandering lunatics, whether paupers or not; or lunatics, not paupers, not wandering, and who are not under proper care and control; and also lunatics who are cruelly treated or neglected by any person having charge of them, further provides for the medical visitation in every quarter ending with March, June, September, and December, of pauper lunatics and idiots who are not in any asylum or house licensed for the reception of lunatics.” In the New Lunatic Asylums Bill, introduced this Session, by the Right Hon. Mr. Walpole, there is but one amendment affecting the public portion, which has relation to the medical certificate. The medical practitioner who is called by order of a justice to examine a supposed lunatic, is to certify not only that the person is of unsound mind or an idiot, but that he is also a proper subject to be taken charge of in the asylum, and he must also give his reasons for coming to such conclusion; firstly, from facts which he has observed himself; and, secondly, from facts communicated to him by others. These are usually the causes which have led to the inquiry of insanity, and it is of the greatest importance that he should make no confusion between those two classes of facts; he should give an account of every thing that is material in the certificate.