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FIFTY-FIFTH ANNUAL REPORT OF THE GENERAL BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS IN LUNACY FOR SCOTLAND.
96 the hills which are exposed to the south whose wine the inhabitant5 pay 5 sols. the pint, that in the valley is but 2 sols., and but ordinary wine. The hills yield but a small quantity. To Chalon we came Aprill 6, which wee had as little time to see as Beaune (a pretty town where there’s the best hospitall in France). In Chalon the Prince of Conde hath a small but pretty house, and the Nostre Dame de Chalon is famous for miracles, before whose shrine I saw many crutches hanged up which they say were the vota of the healed. Sunday, Aprill 7, wee tooke boat for 20 sols. We head for Liens, but lay all night on the water that wee might reach Macon by morning, which is a pretty town but in passage we could not see it particularly. To Lyons wee came on Tuesday. Aprill 9; every man pays a sols for en+rance and no man is permitted to lodge there unlesse he hath a
FIFTY-FIFTH ANNUAL REPORT OF THE GENERAL BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS IN LUNACY FOR
SCOTLAND. AT the
,
tickett.......
On Sunday, Aprill 4-14, for 181. 1 tooke horse with the messenger for Geneve but so extreamly sick that I was, besides asthmaticall, generally distempered. We had a cold east wind all that day; I eat nothing nor the next day till noone (except a little broth in the morning), when at Nantua I eat a little. There’s a little lake betweene two cliffes of a rock of an incredible depth but the people say that and that of Geneve are bottomlesse. Tuesday, Aprill 6-16, wee passed within. 2 leagues and a halfe of Geneve a castle called L’Escluse which is situated under a rock of an unmercifull heighth and below a vast precipice in whose bottome the Rhosne passes. It’s impossible to passe to Geneve from Lions but by this way, and but two men a breast can stand in the passage. This castle and all the country betwixt this and Geneve belonged to the Duke of Savoy, but this castle was stormed by the Genevois and in the interim men lett down by ropes from the top of the rock and so taken. They sold it for 50,000 crowns to the King of France who stiles himselfe their protector, but I thinke nothing protects them more than the inaccessible mountains which an army can with difficulty passe. Geneve is seated at the end of the lake, which is on the North-east side of the town, after the beginning 20 mile in breadth and 30 in length, and on the other side upon a hill it is walled and compassed with a ditch, but not so fortified but that other towns are better provided in that kind. There’s a perpetuall garrison and every night there are sentinells upon the lake which they chayn that no boat can passe, and upon the walls. About 50 years since they were attempted by the Duke of Savoy, whose army was within 6 leagues of them but pretended friendship and in the meantime corrupted him that sett the watch and about 60 gott into the town, men of quality, but offering to ravish a maid that went to call a midwife to her mistress they were discovered and taken and all hanged and there heads at this day are hanged up in case of warre. The Switzers and they are in a strict league offensive and defensive, so that Basle, Berne, and two other cantons if they have warre are to send them 2400 men and the Genevois if they have warre are to send them 1200 men and to pay them for three months at their own charge. They have alwayes two years provision of course in the town. Every Saturday they cry the lands of those men that are in debt and sell them to them will give most. They punish here malefactors of all countries; whilst they doe justice the town gates are shutt, the bridges drawn and sentinels sett, which happened on Tuesday April 6-16. A Savoyard was condemned for a witch and scorched first almost to death then hanged and afterwards burnt. It rayned and yet wee were forced to stand an houre out of the town till execution was past, it not being lawfull to lett down the bridg. There was not one executed before in 30 years. On Wednesday, April 7-17, I came to the house of Monsieur Parost that married a Welsh woman; he was steward to Monsieur Beleivre the French Ambassadour. In three dayes, flnding English beere and conveniences, after a purge I was perfectly well....... Those that dye here are carried out of the town and thrown into the pitt without anything said concerning them, nor is it lawfull to make any solemnity at the death of their friends or for a mother to mourn for her child....... It’s not permitted to any to weare satin or silver in the town by reason there being a parity luxury in apparrell would undoe the meaner sort. At church the servants and others sitt as they come and no distinction of places or pews. If any powder their hair they are called into the Chamber of Reformation if they be of the inhabitants, but strangers have more liberty If any notice be taken of any loose carriage they are called thither. There’s no good water in the town, that of the lake feeding the springs and that nourished by the hills of snow, which begirting the town make the ayr raw and unwholesome, so cold that in ’, vintage time they have gathered their grapes up to the midleg in ,
snow.......
They trye any malefactor by the lawes of Geneve though his crime be committed in a forrain country. They give the strappado to extort confession if the person accused denies the fact, for they cannot condemn unlesse the party acknowledges the crime....... One was excommunicated here for drinking a health to the Devill, but upon the testimony of their confederates in Languedock that he repented he was readmitted into the church after two yeares. From Geneva Sir John went to Milan, but the Journal does not carry him so far, leaving him in a small cottage at the top of the Simplon, weather-bound by "the abundance of rain.""
beginning
of this year there
were
patients by 18 and an increase of pauper patients by 151. Decreases, amounting in all to 109, have occurred in 17 counties or urban areas, while increases amounting in all to 260 have taken place in 20 counties or urban areas. The decreases are mainly distributed among counties with falling populations and the increases in counties having an increasing population. There are, however, districts which show a substantial increase in numbers which cannot be attributed to
increasing population. The total number of patients admitted to establishments during 1912 was 3469, 20 more than the average for the quinquenniad 1905-09. The highest proportion admitted per 100, 000 of the normal population was 81’22 in the year 1902, in 1912 the proportion was 73’ 2. The Commissioners point out that the average number of voluntary patients admitted for the ten years 1903-1912 was 99. The number resident on Jan. 1st, 1913, was 130. It appears that for many years nothing has occurred to indicate any difficulty or disadvantage traceable to the presence of this class of patients in asylums. We believe that the number of such patients to a certain extent marks the confidence of the general public in the therapeutic value of institutional treatment, and it is satisfactory to see an increase in the numbers of this class of patient. 198 private patients were discharged recovered during 1912. This is 12 less than the number in the preceding year and 31 below the average for the five years 1905-09. The number of pauper patients discharged recovered was 1090, which is 71 less than in the preceding year and 61 less The than the average for the five years 1905-09. rates would in it recent been have, seem, years recovery unfavourably affected by the increased use of observation wards connected with the parochial hospitals of several large parishes which receive persons suffering from passing attacks of mental disorder, of whom some, in the absence of such wards, would have been removed to asylums and would have been discharged recovered shortly after admission. The lowering of the rate may, however, be mainly ascribed to the accumulation of chronic patients and to the fact that the development of nursing and the improved means of hospital care in asylums have led to their being more freely used for the reception of patients whose age and mental and physical condition are such as to preclude hope
of recovery
who died in establishments than the average of the five years 1905-09. The number of pauper patients who died was 1295. 116 more than in 1912 and 139 above the average The death-rate per cent. of of the five years 1905-9. number resident in all establishments was 9’88 for the past year, and is higher than it has been for many years past, the higher rate being no doubt due to causes similar to, those which have lowered the rate of recoverv. In the Commissioners’ report on the condition of establishments for the insane it is pleasant to note the approbation which is expressed of the standard of nursing which has been reached. In certain very large asylums we read that no restraint or seclusion had been found necessary. As regards boarded-out pauper patients, the Deputy Commissioners report very favourably upon the care and attention given by the guardians to their charges. It would appear, however, that the circumstances of patients left in the care of their relatives were less satisfactory, the average standard of comfort, cleanliness, and well-being being lower than among the patients residing with selected The number of
during 1912
was
private patients
228, 37
more
present
LITERARY INTELLIGENCE.-Messrs. Cassell and announce for immediate publication a second
Co., Limited,
edition of Dr. G. E. Herman’s "Student’s Handbook of revised by the author, with additions by Dr. R. Drummond Maxwell.-Professor James Walker, of Edinburgh University, is completing a "Text-book of Organic Chemistry for Students of Medicine," which will shortly be published by Messrs. Gurney and Jackson, London, and Messrs. Oliver and Boyd, Edinburgh. -An important work on Arterial Disease and Angina Pectoris, by Sir T. Clifford Allbutt, M.D., F. R. S., is announced for publication in the autumn by Messrs. Macmillan and Co.
Gynaecology,"
in Scotland
19,188 insane persons of whom the Commissioners had official cognisance. In 1912, as compared with 1911, there was a total increase of 133, due to a decrease of private
guardians.
FIFTY-FIFTH ANNUAL REPORT OF THE GENERAL BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS IN LUNACY FOR
SCOTLAND. AT the
,
tickett.......
On Sunday, Aprill 4-14, for 181. 1 tooke horse with the messenger for Geneve but so extreamly sick that I was, besides asthmaticall, generally distempered. We had a cold east wind all that day; I eat nothing nor the next day till noone (except a little broth in the morning), when at Nantua I eat a little. There’s a little lake betweene two cliffes of a rock of an incredible depth but the people say that and that of Geneve are bottomlesse. Tuesday, Aprill 6-16, wee passed within. 2 leagues and a halfe of Geneve a castle called L’Escluse which is situated under a rock of an unmercifull heighth and below a vast precipice in whose bottome the Rhosne passes. It’s impossible to passe to Geneve from Lions but by this way, and but two men a breast can stand in the passage. This castle and all the country betwixt this and Geneve belonged to the Duke of Savoy, but this castle was stormed by the Genevois and in the interim men lett down by ropes from the top of the rock and so taken. They sold it for 50,000 crowns to the King of France who stiles himselfe their protector, but I thinke nothing protects them more than the inaccessible mountains which an army can with difficulty passe. Geneve is seated at the end of the lake, which is on the North-east side of the town, after the beginning 20 mile in breadth and 30 in length, and on the other side upon a hill it is walled and compassed with a ditch, but not so fortified but that other towns are better provided in that kind. There’s a perpetuall garrison and every night there are sentinells upon the lake which they chayn that no boat can passe, and upon the walls. About 50 years since they were attempted by the Duke of Savoy, whose army was within 6 leagues of them but pretended friendship and in the meantime corrupted him that sett the watch and about 60 gott into the town, men of quality, but offering to ravish a maid that went to call a midwife to her mistress they were discovered and taken and all hanged and there heads at this day are hanged up in case of warre. The Switzers and they are in a strict league offensive and defensive, so that Basle, Berne, and two other cantons if they have warre are to send them 2400 men and the Genevois if they have warre are to send them 1200 men and to pay them for three months at their own charge. They have alwayes two years provision of course in the town. Every Saturday they cry the lands of those men that are in debt and sell them to them will give most. They punish here malefactors of all countries; whilst they doe justice the town gates are shutt, the bridges drawn and sentinels sett, which happened on Tuesday April 6-16. A Savoyard was condemned for a witch and scorched first almost to death then hanged and afterwards burnt. It rayned and yet wee were forced to stand an houre out of the town till execution was past, it not being lawfull to lett down the bridg. There was not one executed before in 30 years. On Wednesday, April 7-17, I came to the house of Monsieur Parost that married a Welsh woman; he was steward to Monsieur Beleivre the French Ambassadour. In three dayes, flnding English beere and conveniences, after a purge I was perfectly well....... Those that dye here are carried out of the town and thrown into the pitt without anything said concerning them, nor is it lawfull to make any solemnity at the death of their friends or for a mother to mourn for her child....... It’s not permitted to any to weare satin or silver in the town by reason there being a parity luxury in apparrell would undoe the meaner sort. At church the servants and others sitt as they come and no distinction of places or pews. If any powder their hair they are called into the Chamber of Reformation if they be of the inhabitants, but strangers have more liberty If any notice be taken of any loose carriage they are called thither. There’s no good water in the town, that of the lake feeding the springs and that nourished by the hills of snow, which begirting the town make the ayr raw and unwholesome, so cold that in ’, vintage time they have gathered their grapes up to the midleg in ,
snow.......
They trye any malefactor by the lawes of Geneve though his crime be committed in a forrain country. They give the strappado to extort confession if the person accused denies the fact, for they cannot condemn unlesse the party acknowledges the crime....... One was excommunicated here for drinking a health to the Devill, but upon the testimony of their confederates in Languedock that he repented he was readmitted into the church after two yeares. From Geneva Sir John went to Milan, but the Journal does not carry him so far, leaving him in a small cottage at the top of the Simplon, weather-bound by "the abundance of rain.""
beginning
of this year there
were
patients by 18 and an increase of pauper patients by 151. Decreases, amounting in all to 109, have occurred in 17 counties or urban areas, while increases amounting in all to 260 have taken place in 20 counties or urban areas. The decreases are mainly distributed among counties with falling populations and the increases in counties having an increasing population. There are, however, districts which show a substantial increase in numbers which cannot be attributed to
increasing population. The total number of patients admitted to establishments during 1912 was 3469, 20 more than the average for the quinquenniad 1905-09. The highest proportion admitted per 100, 000 of the normal population was 81’22 in the year 1902, in 1912 the proportion was 73’ 2. The Commissioners point out that the average number of voluntary patients admitted for the ten years 1903-1912 was 99. The number resident on Jan. 1st, 1913, was 130. It appears that for many years nothing has occurred to indicate any difficulty or disadvantage traceable to the presence of this class of patients in asylums. We believe that the number of such patients to a certain extent marks the confidence of the general public in the therapeutic value of institutional treatment, and it is satisfactory to see an increase in the numbers of this class of patient. 198 private patients were discharged recovered during 1912. This is 12 less than the number in the preceding year and 31 below the average for the five years 1905-09. The number of pauper patients discharged recovered was 1090, which is 71 less than in the preceding year and 61 less The than the average for the five years 1905-09. rates would in it recent been have, seem, years recovery unfavourably affected by the increased use of observation wards connected with the parochial hospitals of several large parishes which receive persons suffering from passing attacks of mental disorder, of whom some, in the absence of such wards, would have been removed to asylums and would have been discharged recovered shortly after admission. The lowering of the rate may, however, be mainly ascribed to the accumulation of chronic patients and to the fact that the development of nursing and the improved means of hospital care in asylums have led to their being more freely used for the reception of patients whose age and mental and physical condition are such as to preclude hope
of recovery
who died in establishments than the average of the five years 1905-09. The number of pauper patients who died was 1295. 116 more than in 1912 and 139 above the average The death-rate per cent. of of the five years 1905-9. number resident in all establishments was 9’88 for the past year, and is higher than it has been for many years past, the higher rate being no doubt due to causes similar to, those which have lowered the rate of recoverv. In the Commissioners’ report on the condition of establishments for the insane it is pleasant to note the approbation which is expressed of the standard of nursing which has been reached. In certain very large asylums we read that no restraint or seclusion had been found necessary. As regards boarded-out pauper patients, the Deputy Commissioners report very favourably upon the care and attention given by the guardians to their charges. It would appear, however, that the circumstances of patients left in the care of their relatives were less satisfactory, the average standard of comfort, cleanliness, and well-being being lower than among the patients residing with selected The number of
during 1912
was
private patients
228, 37
more
present
LITERARY INTELLIGENCE.-Messrs. Cassell and announce for immediate publication a second
Co., Limited,
edition of Dr. G. E. Herman’s "Student’s Handbook of revised by the author, with additions by Dr. R. Drummond Maxwell.-Professor James Walker, of Edinburgh University, is completing a "Text-book of Organic Chemistry for Students of Medicine," which will shortly be published by Messrs. Gurney and Jackson, London, and Messrs. Oliver and Boyd, Edinburgh. -An important work on Arterial Disease and Angina Pectoris, by Sir T. Clifford Allbutt, M.D., F. R. S., is announced for publication in the autumn by Messrs. Macmillan and Co.
Gynaecology,"
in Scotland
19,188 insane persons of whom the Commissioners had official cognisance. In 1912, as compared with 1911, there was a total increase of 133, due to a decrease of private
guardians.