a dressing gown, with nothing to fasten it
in parts. The feet even were naked." Many women were locked up in
cells, naked and chained, on straw, with only one blanket for a covering;
and the windows being unglazed, the light in winter was shut out for the
sake of warmth. In the men's rooms, their nakedness and their mode of
confinement, continues the report from which we have already quoted, gave
this room the appearance of a dog-kennel. At this period the committee
for months together made no inspection of the inmates. The house surgeon
was in an insane state himself, and still oftener drunk; and the keepers
were often in the latter state; yet at this very time the governors spent
600 pounds in opposing a bill for regulating mad-houses, and I dare say
they cried out lustily, No centralization!--no interference with vested
interests! as enlightened Englishmen and parochial dignitaries are wont
to do in our days.

Could we not do without lunatic asylums, if society gave up its drinking
customs? Not exactly; but their number might be very much decreased.
Two-thirds of our lunatics become so through drink. "They are very bad
at first, sir," said one of my informants to me, "but after a little
while they get quieter, and perhaps they are cured in two or three
months." And yet I find all these lunatics are supplied with beer.
"They has two half-pints a day, sir, and when they work they gets two
half-pints more, and very good beer it is, sir," continued my informant,
"as strong as any man need drink." Now is not this preposterous? Men
who drink till they become lunatics should be taught to do without it;
but they are allowed their beer even in the asylum, and when they go out
they begin drinking again, and of course relapse. Thus we keep feeding
our lunatic asylums, at the very time we profess to cure lunatics. I
admit these places are in many respects well managed--that the buildings
are commodious--that the attention is good--that the governors are
humane, and the medical officers vigilant; but which is the truer
humanity, to take care of the man when in a lunatic asylum, or to keep
him out of it altogether?

* * * * *

THE END.

* * * * *

JOHN CHILDS AND SON, PRINTERS.

* * * * *

JUST PUBLISHED,

_Price_ 3_s._ 6_d._, _bound i