The twelfth annual report of the state of the lunatic asylum for the County of Nottingham, and the seventy-sixth of the original institution, formerly the General Lunatic Asylum, 1886 / [Nottingham County Lunatic Asylum].

  • Nottingham County Lunatic Asylum.
Date:
1887
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The twelfth annual report of the state of the lunatic asylum for the County of Nottingham, and the seventy-sixth of the original institution, formerly the General Lunatic Asylum, 1886 / [Nottingham County Lunatic Asylum]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    10/38 (page 10)
    man and four women died after having resided here for periods exceeding 29, 20, 20, 26 and 28 years respectively. Of the causes of death nothing need he said except that they were such as one would expect to find amongst an insane population and comprised a variety of forms of Disease of Brain and Nervous System, and some of the common forms of heart and lung disease. No death resulted from acute specific fever nor has there been any illness from such diseases as scarlet fever, smallpox, typhoid, &c., during the year. This is a matter for much gratitude as the “ spreading ” fevers are extremely difficult to deal with in an Asylum, and cause great anxiety and expense as well as a troublesome disturbance of the routine of the establishment. The Causes of the Insanity in those admitted do not differ greatly from those commented on in previous years Of the 71 patients admitted 22 had previously suffered one or more attacks of Insanity, although not all of these had been previously in an asylum. In thirty-two of the cases Hereditary predisposition was traced ; in sixteen intemper¬ ance in Drink was regarded as a sole or combined cause ; and in other cases drinking habits although discovered were believed to be the result rather than the cause of the insanity. Of the moral causes Mental Worry, Adverse Circumstances, and Domestic Trouble are the most active and are often found in combination with Physical Causes. Bodily disease is very generally found to be present either as sole or part cause of the insanity or a troublesome complication. As I predicted in my last report the cost of Water has very largely increased during the present financial year ; but