AVONDALE LUNATIC ASYLUM. OFFICIAL VISITORS' REPORT. Auckland, April 12.

Te Aroha News, Volume V, Issue 255, 14 April 1888, Page 3

AVONDALE LUNATIC ASYLUM. OFFICIAL VISITORS' REPORT. Auckland, April 12.

Mkssr{j Enwncton am) Sti;vi;nson, J. LVs, the oinciul visitors to Avondtilo Asylum undor tho Lunatics Act, 1882, have mado thoir quarterly report on the condition of that institution. These gentlemen state that they ha\e frequently visited tho Asylum during the past three months at unexpected hours ; and with regard to the treatment of the patients Mr Ewington, who signs the report, says:—"! feel sure that tho poor afllicted ones who lose their reason are better cared for in our Asylum than they could possibly be cared for by relatives at their homes, and that their chances of euro are greater in the Asylum.''

THE HARMLESS INS ATS 1 E. One of the worst features in connection with Asylum matters is tho fact that poor unfortunate souls, who are not dangerous to themselves or others, aro kept confined unless some persons will take chargo of them. That is a matter which will have to be seriously dealt with, and the local authorities would render a real and beneficent service by making some provision for the temporary reception of such persons It is only natural (Mr Ewington says) that doctors should laugh clown their sleeve* at the \ory idea of a layman imagining that lie can know anything about lunacy ; but I think that male and female attendants who have been constantly with lunatics for months or yoars, watching them closely, can give pretty clear evidence to a visitor about their vanity ; and if he, too, has intelligently and fiequcntly obsened them, he can form a good idea as to whether any of them can be liberated without danger or injury to themselves or the public. That is ically the only legal ground for a person's imprisonment in a mad-house. Lord Chief Justice Campbell declared " that no person oi unbound mind who \vu.- not dangerous, could legally bo either taken up as a lunatic 01 restrained of his liberty or confined." In the case of Fletcher \. Fletcher, Mr .lattice Lush maintained that, "at the common law, to be a \ahd justification, it mu*t be alleged and shown that the pei.son confined was a lunatic and dangeious. " Mr Justice Wightman said: "At common lav\ , anyone taking up another a- a lunatic, in order to justify himself, mu*t show that he i* a dangerous lunatic." Mr Justice Ciompton and Mr Justice Hall concurred : and it was admitted by the judges that " th©. law was assumed to be undoubted on this point. Now, our lunacy law is to the Mime purport. The Resident Magistrate, after hearing the two doctors, is to be '' satisfied that such person is a dangerous lunatic.'' But it is ewdent that thcie arc in our as) lums poison* who aie no more dangeiou-. than many persons in our streets ; and it will be very interc-ting to watch the hrst action in Auckland for damage* for wiongful detention in an asylum. Without tl>c ai-sistance of doctors no one can bo got into an asylum, but an eminent specialist, Dr. P.ueknill, *ays : " The best men in the medical profession were more and more in the habit of refusing to *ign the*e certificates ot lunacy. . . They will become more and more the peiquisitc of ! hack cci titicis — hangers-on upon the as} him system." Loid tShaftesbury's earnest voids have need to be echoed here : "1 look to the \igilance ot the public ; I want e\eryhody to be alive to the matter."' On grounds of civil liboity, economy, and humanity, it is necespary for the public to be in sympathetic ! touch with our asylums.

CONDITION OF THE ASYLUM. The report proceeds :— " We found that since the Ist of January last 9 males and 5 females have been admitted there ; 2 males and 3 females have been discharged on tiial ; 2 male-* and 2 females have been discharged lelie^ed; 4 males ami 5 female-, have been discharged cured ; and 6 males and 2 females have- died. There arc now in the two asylums 240 males and 131 females : total, 871 They are under the chaige of 40 attendants (inclushc of 2 cooks, 1 mechanic, and the farm manager). The average number? employed are 150 males, and 78 females. Only 5 patients were sick ; all the remainder w ere physically well, and many seemed to be \ery jolly. In the absence of Dr. Cremonini, who i^ away for a holiday, Dr. J. Hanvood Hooper, of Mount Albert, daily visits the Asylum, and the head male attendant in in charge. We found the patients very tranquil, and the whole affairs of the Asylum most satisfactory. The food is good, and sufficient in quantity ; the dormitories were scrupulously clean ; the day rooms were homelike ; and the grounds looked lovely. One cannot help regretting that some other pro\ision than the Asylum is not made for children confined there ; but the kind attention they get there is beyond all prai-e.

REFORMS ADVOCATED. YVondeiful progress has been made during the last few years, and the authorities are alive to many reforms which are delayed only through an impoverished exchequer ; but we must never cea.^e to strive for reform. (1) There ought to be provision for the reception and treatment of private patients, apart from paupers, who could pay adequately for quieter quarters than our detective means for classification allow of now. (2) Provision ought to be made for privately boardins: out convalescent patients whose mental agonies through asylum life are terrible when they are returning to a bound mind ; and whose chances of getting employment from a private home would be better than from the Asylum. The expense of their keep would be no greater, and such homes might be subject to the visits of inspectors and official visitors, as an assurance of proper treatment until the patients are cured and discharged. If their removal took place at the right time, ifc might prove t,n incalculable benefit to the patients. (3) More publicity should be given to preliminary magisterial examinations of lunatics, and the Resident Magistrate ought always (not merely sometimes, as is now the case) to have two Justices to assist him. (4) The Crown Solicitor ought always to appear in behalf of the supposed lunatic at the magisterial inquiry, lest the novelty of the situation or the excitement ot the hour should seal his lips. (5) Persons not dangerous to themselves or the public ought not to be detained in Lunatic Asylums, even though they have no homes to go to, as is now thecase ; the Charitable Aid Board could provide temporary relief. (6) Medical dupcrin tendents ought to be relieved of trying to collect maintenance money (which the Asylum clerks could do better for five percent.); also of other minor duties, so that they could pay more attention to mental cures. (7) An honorary medical Board ought to be invited to vi&it our Lunatic Asylums, and any patient permitted to appeal from superintendents to the Board for their discharge. Thus superintendents would be relieved of some responsibility, the civil liberty of patients would be conserved, and doctors might interest themselves more in mental diseases. (8) Inebriates ought nob to be associated with other lunatics, and until provision is

made for their separate treatment, tho second part of the Lunatics Act respecting habitual drunkards will remain a dead letter, or be unavoidably infringed. Provision was being made for dipsomaniacs at the now Farm Asylum at I'orirua, but owing to tho absolute necessity for retrenchment, the work hns been stopped. (9) Dotormined opposition should bo mado to tho continuous enlargement of asylums. J)r. Tucker, who has recently travelled all over tho world, and inspected hundreds of asylums, says experience shows that when more than 300 pationts aro congregated in an asylum tho percentages of cures decrease and the expense of management increases. (10) Faces should be set like llint ngauibt the over-growing exponbca of lunacy, some of which will bo avoided when love of country predominates over love of money, and the honours of gratuitous ollice under a grateful people are held in proper esteem.