Genre:

News-Commentary, Drollery

Subjects:

Mental Illness, Government, Race, Cultural Geography, Human Development

People mentioned:

John H Speke

    Discusses a letter from Sydney Hodges to the The Times describing the 'barbarous and disgusting' treatment of the insane on the Isle of Man, a claim confirmed by the Commissioners in Lunacy. Quotes William C Spring-Rice's reply from The Times, pointing out that the Isle of Man government knew of the neglect of lunatics on the island but were 'taking active measures to build a proper asylum'. Punch is sceptical and wonders why the lunacy commissioners were so late in revealing the sorry state of lunatics to the Home Secretary, George Grey, given that they have only recently made a 'tardy representation to Government'. Suggests that the reason was either fear of Grey (who Punch thinks must have seemed like a barbarous 'African Monarch') or because the commissioners are like 'African ladies' who are 'fed and fattened and kept doing nothing'.