The Insane in Private Dwellings. By Arthur Mitchell, A.M., M.D.
Deputy Commissioner in Lunacy for Scotland. (Edmonston and Douglas.)—This book is a little inconsequential. The author com- mences by giving a number of harrowing cases of the ill-treatment of pauper lunatics by their relatives, and then proceeds to argue that it is much better and cheaper to keep manageable pauper lunatics in private houses. If this be so, the details of exceptional cases of ill-treatment were unnecessary. The fact, however, that lunatics die much more rapidly in asylums, and cost more, prove Dr. Mitchell's case. Of course, the private houses are to be under the control of the Commissioners, and violent patients must be kept in asylums. Singularly enough, the non-pauper lunatics seem to be least cared for in Scotland, as the Com- missioners have practically no jurisdiction except over asylums and paupers. If a lunatic resides with relatives, and is under coercion, the medical man attending him ought to tell the Board ; but what is co- ercion? And if he does give the information, the Board can only visit and advise.
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