1827.] Pauper Lunatics. 455 



and a great part of that time occupied, as it probably is, by the other duties 

 which devolve on him as proprietor of the house ? " By examining the 

 patients, as other people do," is his answer. Besides, he adds, the confi- 

 dence he places in Mr. Jennings, his superintendent, enables him to give 

 more of the two hours to the " curative process" of the minds of the ,500, 

 than he could otherwise do. But when farther pressed by the questions of 

 the Committee, who are naturally puzzled, and cannot comprehend how 

 one poor mortal can look to 500 cases in less than an hour, that is at about 

 the rate of ten per minute, he " conceives the surgeon is the person 

 whose constant attention in that way is required, and he knows that con- 

 stant attention the surgeon does give at his visitations ; but, with regard to 

 himself, he sees the patients, and examines, and gives directions accord- 

 ingly ;" all which it finally appears he contrives to do very well, because 

 " a very short time does for insane patients, many of whom also are incu- 

 rables." When again pressed about his knowledge of the surgeon's attend- 

 ance, and asked, as he himself only visits twice a week, and the surgeon 

 every other day, if it frequently happened he did not see. him he boldly 

 answers, " it rarely happens :" though, in fact, if both attended at the 

 same hour, they could only meet once a week; but, on their own shewing, 

 they do not even visit at the same hours. However, they possibly meet at 

 Mr. W,'s other establishments ; and the surgeon's report, so paradingly 

 alluded to, may then be made of all the establishments together. But 

 how, after all, are these reports, which are stated to be so regularly made . 

 how are they made in writing ? No such thing ; all verbal only. Truly, 

 the one must have a memory, and the other an apprehension, quite unpa* 

 ralleled, to make such reports complete or useful. 



With respect to professional attendance, then, the fact is, and must be, 

 no attention at all is paid to the cure of the minds of the patients, beyond 

 some general system of restraint and occasional separation none, we mean, 

 to particular cases. The patients are kept in safe custody, and acute 

 diseases are attended to : that is the sum of Mr. W.'s " curative process." 



Mr. Warburton is next examined as to the classification of the patients. 

 " Any classification ?" " Certainly ; one room for the violent, one for 

 the more quiet, and another for the sick." It is a curious feature in Mr. 

 W.'s examination, that he always answers as if his replies would be 

 accepted as absolute and conclusive. He seems never to anticipate ques- 

 tions that must compel him to modify his peremptory statements. Even 

 the very inadequate classification he speaks of turns out to be quite falla- 

 cious. The rooms are all accessible ; nothing prevents the quiet from 

 going to the violent, nor the violent from going to the quiet only that the 

 keepers would of course send back the violent to their own room, if they 

 saw them out of it. 



As to food, a difference, he says, is made between the sick and well. 

 When asked if the same difference is made with respect to the paupers 

 and if, in point of fact, any paupers were then on the sick diet ? he is 

 " positive there must be a great number, because it is constantly ordered, if 

 required." We do not comprehend the logic of this reply. When asked, 

 as no written report is made of those who are ordered a change of diet, 

 how he knows that each has the diet directed ? the answer is, he relies 

 on the superintendent. " Is Mr. W. aware of the different diet given in 

 each case ?" " He is aware it is directed." " Is any distinction of diet 

 made with reference to the mental malady ?'' " The variation is according 

 to the nature of the case." But in this matter, as well as in others, Mr. W. 



