Case of Bethlem Hospital. [QUEENS BENCH]
| Jurisdiction | England & Wales |
| Judgment Date | 01 January 1847 |
| Date | 01 January 1847 |
| Court | Court of the Queen's Bench |
English Reports Citation: 116 E.R. 323
QUEENS BENCH
Case of Bethlem Hospital. Bethlem Hospital was instituted for the reception, maintenance and cure of lunatics, and is still so employed. By letters patent, dated 13th January, 38 H. 8, the custody, order and government of Bethlem Hospital, then situate in the City of London, and its appurtenances, were given and granted to the Mayor and Commonalty and Citizens of London, and their successors; and the [854] said mayor, commonalty, 324 CASE OF BETHLEM HOSPITAL 10 Q. B. 855. and citizens, and their successors, were thereby constituted masters, keepers and governors of the said hospital and its appurtenances. By letters patent of Edward VI., dated the 23d April 1550, the said mayor, commonalty and citizens were seised in fee of certain lands in St. George's Fields in the said parish of St. George the Martyr. By an Act of Parliament, 50 G. 3, c. cxcviii., local and personal, the mayor, commonalty and citizens aforesaid were empowered and directed to demise the said last mentioned lands in St. George's Fields to trustees for the governors of the said hospital of Bethlem, upon condition, and the said Act of Parliament authorized and directed, that the said governors should erect thereon a new hospital for the reception of not lass than 200 lunatics in lieu and instead of the hospital then situate near Bishopsgate. By indenture, dated llth July 1810, the said lands in St. George's Fields were demised in pursuance of the said Act of Parliament to trustees for the said Mayor, Commonalty and Citizens of London. And the hospital of Bethlem, now known and rated as Bethlem Hospital, was erected upon part of the said lands. As many patients (who are indigent and lunatic) are admitted into the hospital as there is room for; and it is kept as full as possible: but none are received who are possessed of any estate or money sufficient to maintain them elsewhere. The regulations in the standing rules and regulations and orders of Bethlem Hospital are adhered to. (A copy of the rules and orders accompanied the case.) Indigent lunatics are received in the hospital for cure, and are provided with maintenance and medicine, and every other necessary except clothing, for twelve or fifteen months, and frequently longer when [855] there is a prospect of cure, without any charge or payment whatever. If they are riot cured in twelve or fifteen months, and in some instances a longer period, they are discharged. When discharged from the curable class, they are declared to be fit or unfit, as the case may be, for the incurable class, and are admitted thereto forthwith, or as vacancies occur, without favour or affection, in turn. No patients are admitted in the incurable class but those who have been already in the hospital for the purpose of cure for the space of one year at least, and are at the end of it found to be incurably mad, dangerous and ungovernable. For many of the incurable patients their friends and relatives, and, when received from parishes, then the parish officers, pay towards maintenance and medicine, averaging about 6a. per week ; but the...
To continue reading
Request your trial