Lunatic Asylum Regulations




17

  1. If any child be born of such patient, special entry of the birth shall be made in the Register of Admissions, and in its place in order of date.

  2. The Inspector shall have his attention specially called to the entry, on his first visit after it has been made.

  3. If such patient be unmarried, the Keeper shall at once report the circumstance to the Government, supplying at the same time all evidence he may be able to discover as likely to be useful in compelling any relation to relieve the public chest of the cost of the child’s maintenance.

  4. The Keeper will take care that every such birth be duly notified according to law to the District Registrar of Births, &c.

II. GENERAL RULES FOR THE GUIDANCE OF ATTENDANTS.

  1. A Copy of the “Lunatics Act,” in force in the Colony, together with a copy of these rules shall, by the Keeper, be given in charge to each attendant, who shall thereupon sign a receipt for the same.

  2. The Attendant in charge of any ward is responsible to the Keeper for the safe custody of each patient in the ward, and for the due observance of order and regularity therein.

  3. The other Attendants attached to the ward, are subject to the Attendant in charge in matters relating to the patients.

  4. Under no pretext whatever will the Attendant in charge leave the ward, without handing over his charge to another Attendant, and no ward shall be left on any occasion without at least one Attendant therein. Insane patients cannot with safety be left without supervision even for the shortest time.

  5. The Attendant in charge of the ward has the care of the brooms, pails, and such implements. The greatest watchfulness is required to prevent a suicidal patient from obtaining possession of some dangerous weapon.

  6. When patients are out at exercise the Attendants will be careful that they walk about sufficiently. A convalescent patient will often be of much service in aiding the Attendants in this and similar duties. The insane have a habit of lying on the ground, and crouching up into corners which must be discountenanced.

  7. The Attendants in charge of wards shall each of them immediately before going off duty for the day, make up a daily report according to the form supplied to them by the clerk or the Keeper, and shall deposit the same in the box kept for that purpose. They shall also mark upon a slate to be kept in the attendants’ room, all special instructions received by them throughout the day which require the attention of the Night Attendants.

  8. Whenever the Attendants in charge of wards shall notice any change for the better, or the contrary, in either the mental or the bodily condition of a patient, they shall make special note thereof in their daily reports.

  9. If the Attendant think that any patient is so far improved that he would derive benefit from being placed in a superior ward where more freedom is allowed, or from being sent out on trial to any friend, he shall report accordingly in writing to the Keeper.

  10. The file of day and night reports shall be laid before the Inspector when he visits the Asylum.

  11. On any sudden display of violence, the Attendants may, for the protection of others, place the patient in the padded room or place of seclusion, reporting the fact at once to the Keeper, Matron, or Head Attendant.

  12. A competent attendant will soon gain the confidence of his patient, and he will find that he can thus, with kind words, cheerfulness, and a thorough command of temper, guide him almost at will. Whatever discipline may be necessary must be carried out under the direction, and with the authority only, of the Medical Officer, or Keeper.

  13. No attendant, servant, or other officer may strike, push, or pull about, or willfully neglect any patient; any one who violates this rule shall instantly be suspended by the Keeper, and reported to the Government, and dealt with according to the provisions of the Lunacy Act in force for the time being.

III. THE RULES FOR NIGHT ATTENDANTS.

  1. The Night Attendants shall invariably reside at the Asylum. The Keeper shall daily inform himself that they take such proper rest in the day time as will ensure their thorough wakefulness while on night duty. The care of the insane demands constant thought and attention at every hour of the day and night. The night duty commences at 9 p.m.

  2. Night Clocks will be provided for checking the visits required; their state shall be carefully noted by the Keeper each morning. The dial peg shall be depressed from time to time as may be directed in writing by the Keeper.

  3. The Night Attendants’ first duty shall be to ascertain both verbally and from the remarks entered upon the Attendant’s room slate, the names of the patients who require at night particular attention in the administering of medicine or other comforts for the sick, and of those disposed to suicide.

  4. All such patients, as well as epileptic patients, must be visited frequently during the night. All patients shall be visited from 9 to 10 p.m., and their condition noted.

  5. The several wards shall be visited at least four times during the night, and at such other hours as the Keeper may direct.



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Online Sources for this page:

VUW Te Waharoa PDF Canterbury Provincial Gazette 1875, No 4





✨ LLM interpretation of page content

🏥 Proclamation of Lunatic Asylum Regulations (continued from previous page)

🏥 Health & Social Welfare
7 January 1875
Lunatic Asylum, Regulations, Patient Care, Staff Duties, Sunnyside, Canterbury, Mental Health