-------------+------------------------------------------ | When first opened. Name of +-------+----------------------+----------- asylum. | | | Number of | Date. | Cost including site. | beds. -------------+-------+----------------------+----------- | | £ s. d. | Cork | 1852 | 79,827 1 5 | 500 Kilkenny | 1852 | 24,920 12 1 | 150 Killarney | 1852 | 38,354 8 3 | 250 Mullingar | 1855 | 37,716 15 9 | 300 Omagh | 1853 | 41,407 12 2 | 310 Sligo | 1855 | 39,769 0 7 | 250 +-------+----------------------+----------- Total 261,995 10 3 | 1760 --------------------------------------------+----------- The Report of the Commission recommended that parts of the workhouses should be adapted and used for some of the incurable class of patients. This was not done, and we cannot be surprised, seeing the unfortunate state of these abodes. But, in addition to the removal of incurable cases to workhouses, the Commissioners recommended additional buildings in connection with existing asylums, for the reception of cases which, although incurable, might yet, from their habits or dangerous tendency, be considered improper cases to be removed from institutions especially devoted to the treatment of insanity. They were satisfied that the number of district asylums would be found more and more inadequate for the wants of the country. There was a Select Committee of the House of Commons on lunatics in 1859.[270] In the minutes of evidence great stress is laid upon the necessity of providing, in Irish asylums, accommodation for the class immediately above paupers, whose friends were willing to pay a small additional sum for their maintenance; and also establishing district asylums, similar to the chartered asylums in Scotland. Two years later (1861), and three after the Royal Commission, the Act 24 and 25 Vict., c. 57, continued the various Acts respecting private and public asylums (5 and 6 Vict., c. 123; 18 and 19 Vict., c. 76). The subsequent Act of 1867 (30 and 31 Vict., c. 118) provided for the appointment of the officers of district asylums, and amended the law relating to the custody of dangerous lunatics and idiots. These were not to be sent to any jail in the land after January 1, 1868. Dangerous lunatics previously had to pass through jails, instead of going direct to asylums. The 31 and 32 Vict., c. 97, made provision for the audit of accounts of district asylums, and is of no general interest. During three years (1866-69) six additional asylums were erected, viz.:--