1827.J Pauper Lunatics. 457 



" Has the knowledge of this matter weakened his confidence in Mr.. Jen- 

 nings ?" " It has." " Then has he not reason to doubt Mr. Jennings's 

 statement in other matters ?" " No." " Is it not probable that, if he 

 conceals one thing, he may another ?" " Yes." " But his general con- 

 fidence is not shaken ?" " No." The examination closes with the 

 Committee returning to the charge of chaining to their beds the crib- 

 patients on Sundays. Mr. W. is again asked if he chains his private 

 patients from Saturday to Monday; and he answers they are never 

 chained. How does he justify the difference of treatment ? The pauper 

 patients of course are not under the same sort of discipline as the wealthier 

 patients : he assigns, he adds, no other reason than that. 



This is the sum of Mr. W/s own testimony. No one can fail of being 

 struck with the real ignorance under which he labours of his own esta- 

 blishment; by the sort of confidence he places in all about him the sur- 

 geon the superintendent ; he scarcely seems to think any check or con- 

 trol required. He glances over the establishment tw T ice a week ; he trusts 

 to the surgeon for their bodily health, and for following up his own direc- 

 tions for their mental maladies ; he himself exercises his own curative 

 powers by a word a look ; virtue goes out of him ; he commands, and 

 all obey ; do this, and it is done for any thing he knows. For our 

 own part, it seems marvellous how the establishment thrives; but that it 

 does thrive that is, that it pays is of course beyond all question. 



The cursory view we have thus taken of Mr. W/s own evidence is of 

 itself, we imagine, nearly sufficient to establish, to every body's convic- 

 tion, that the system of management requires re-modelling built as it is 

 on the principles of money-making ; that, in short, other institutions are 

 demanded for the protection of. the insane, to screen them from the oppres- 

 sions which, first or last, sooner or later, more or less, are sure to spring 

 from the sordid sources of personal avarice. But, to make the case still 

 plainer, and to shew the interior workings of the establishment more dis- 

 tinctly, we will briefly look over the superintendent's evidence. His 

 interests are of course so closely bound up with the establishment, that it 

 will hardly be supposed master and man do not agree ; and yet, the truth 

 is, scarcely in any facts do they agree. The discrepancies arise chiefly 

 from the one knowing more of the matter than the other more of the 

 whole range of facts and management : both are equally ready to vouch 

 for the absolute perfection of the whole concern. 



In reply to the inquiries of the Committee as to medical attendance, 

 Mr. Jennings gives nearly the same account as Mr. W., except that he, 

 is not quite so peremptory about the surgeon's friend : he attends, he says, 

 a/most every other day. M r. W. does not, after his manner, qualify at 

 all. But how far this " unpaid" friend is effective, it is impossible to get 

 at from any part of the evidence. The regular surgeon visits from eleven 

 to twelve, or from twelve to one. According 1 to this account, he could 

 never encounter Mr. W., who comes at ten, for one hour. When asked, 

 as to the several sorts of insanity some violent, and some melancholy 

 and mopish whether he considers the same diet fit for all ? he answers, 

 " yes, if the bodily health be good." Therefore, that diet is not regu- 

 lated, as Mr. Warburton says it is, with reference to the mental state of 

 the patient. When asked, as the patients are all treated alike, private and 

 paupers, if he can state any paupers who have received the better, the 

 sick diet, in the last year ? He really does not know that he can ; it 



M.M. New Scries, VOL. IV. No. 23. 3 N 



