Note 516 — LUNATIC ASYLUMS.
Reading edition
Public Lunatic Asylums may be considered as divisible into three classes, viz. 1. Those which are entirely eleemosynary, or are supported partly by an income, funded or landed, but arising from benevolence, and partly by voluntary contributions,
2. Those which are supported, partly by voluntary contributions, and partly by pensionary patients, paying according to a certain gradation of rank,
3. Pauper Lunatic Asylums founded under Mr. Wynne’s act, at the expense of the county, and where the patients are supported by their parishes.
Most Eleemosynary Lunatic Asylums, either for want of sufficient funds, or of room to accommodate all the lunatics who apply, exclude epilepsy and idiotsy, making occasional exceptions, where the friends of the patient can afford to pay the expense of maintenance. County Pauper-lunatic Asylums are compelled to receive both these classes of patients, if considered dangerous, but not otherwise.