Cottage asylums / by W.A.F. Browne.

  • Browne, W. A. F. (William Alexander Francis), 1806-1885.
Date:
1861
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Cottage asylums / by W.A.F. Browne. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    objection, tliat, after all the expenses incurred for the keep and clothing of the patients, as in asylums, there would he no profit, we would reply, that this is a great mistake; for, admitting even that the expenditure was the same (which is not the case, as we have shown), there would remain a double number of cures to the credit of free air, conjoined with the rejection of useless discomforts for the incurables. (p. 293-) Since the publication of this paper, the author has visited this country, chiefly to preach a bloodless and philanthropic crusade in favour of his own creed and against the prison-asylums, as he stigmatises them, which exist here ; and I have had an opportunity of cultivating his friendship and of forming a high estimate of his benevolence, enthusiasm, and ability. It is expedient to express thus explicitly and strongly the respect entertained towards Dr. Parigot, and the confidence placed in the sincerity with which he endeavours to propagate a new system of treatment; because it will become necessary to characterize that system, and especially the mode in which it is advocated, in less approbatory terms. While fully appreciating the romantic interest, the historic prestige, the psychological curiosity, the substantial and, above all, the suggestive elements of good connected with the commu- nity of Gheel,—it is foreign to the purpose and spirit of these observations to denounce, as M. Parigot has done, those who fail to arrive at the same conclusions, or who regard them as erroneous, as “ speculators and traffickers ” in madness (p. 280), whose “ arguments depend upon their interests and their pre- judices” (p. 294), “who may seek to retain captive unfortunate beings whom, most frequently, unnatural relatives, from dis- graceful motives, wish to get rid of” (p. 280). Such a class I do not believe to exist in this country; nor can I credit the assertion, “ that passers-by are imposed upon,” or that it is the intention of any one “ to impose upon passers-by by the sound of music, dancing, fetes, aud entertainments of various kinds, while the desire to cure is either altogether absent or lightly appreciated.” These rash accusations and the insinuations conveyed in the terms, “ mercantile idea,” “ contempt of science,” “ personal interest,” and the bitterness of feeling from which they appear to emanate, and which they are undoubtedly calculated to produce, shall be placed out of view, and an attempt made to discuss the “ Traitement a Fair libre,” &c., as a curative agent, or as a means of removing difficulties known to exist, aud known gi'eatly to embarrass and impede the exertions of men of science as well as of the philanthropist, in so far, at least, as these considerations are involved in, or affected by, the proposal made by the writer and commented upon by Drs. Jessen and Parigot.