Code of rules and regulations for the government of those employed in the care of the patients of the Pennsylvania Hospital for the Insane : at Philadelphia / by Thomas S. Kirkbride.

  • Pennsylvania Hospital for the Insane.
Date:
1878
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Code of rules and regulations for the government of those employed in the care of the patients of the Pennsylvania Hospital for the Insane : at Philadelphia / by Thomas S. Kirkbride. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library at Yale University, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library at Yale University.

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    and the deep disgrace of those guilty of participat- ing in them. Although the prevalent views of that period may have offered some excuse for such proceedings, no such reason can now be tolerated for a moment, for it is almost as clearly demonstrated as is the existence of the sun on a bright noonday, that insanity, in all its forms, various as they are, is a disease of the brain, to which, under certain contingencies, all are liable, and the subjects of which are never to be ex- posed to a rude remark or a rough act, but who are always to be treated with courtesy, respectful kind- ness, and sympathy—who are to be aided on all oc- casions in finding means with which to interest, amuse, or employ themselves, and who are ever- to have excuses made for the wayward, irritable, vio- lent, or careless acts and words, which spring from a disease over which they have no control, and which destroys responsibility for their actions. These are the only views of this disease that can be held by those about the insane that will allow full justice to be done to the patients. All must remember that the engagement to perform duties in an institution for the insane implies an obligation on their part, religiously, and to the best of their abilities, to carry out all rules prepared by the proper authority, in their true spirit, and to submit with- out a murmur to such acts of patients as sprino- from their disease. By a uniform course of steady, unwavering attention, gentleness, kindness, and sympathy towards every one under their care, all employed will certainly command the confidence of those directing the institution, will win the grati-