EVADING THE ASYLUM

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 78, 27 December 1918, Page 4

EVADING THE ASYLUM

CLEVEB WOMAN OUTWITS THE DOCTORS.

Amending and consolidating Acts were nassed at frequent intervals after the Lunacy Act of 1845 (says the London "Hospital"), but no material or fundamental change was made in the,law until 1890, when the great Act 53 and 54 Vict., cap. 5, was passed, and introduced several important changes in tho law. The origin of this Act is interesting as an illustration of tho illogical vagaries of tho 'Public mind and of the way in which legislation is brought about.

It happened that in 1878 the friends of a. certain Mrs. Weldon bad, or thought they had, reason to suppose that she was not sane, and" they consulted a certain Dr. AVinslow, who appears to /have ar- . rived at the conclusion on their ex parte statement that the lady was.insane. He was the proprietor or manag'er of a private asylum, and was willing to receivo the lady as a' certified patient. Accordingly lie sent., two doctors, Dr. Semple and Dr. 'Rutherford, to her house to examine and, if necessary, to certify her as a lunatic. They did so, and certified her, on grounds that were subsequently, found by juWes io be insufficient, to be insane. On receiving these certificates, Dr. AVinslow sent nurses to Mrs. Weldon's house to fetch her to his asylum, but Mrs. Weldon was forewarned and forearmed. She sent for the police to protect her. She barricaded herself into her own room. She escaped from the house and took refuge with friends, and altogether eluded Dr. Winslow's efforts to capture her; and then the fun began. Mrs. Weldon, whether mad or not, was an extremely eleveir woman, and Dr. Winslow was an extremely 6tupid man. . The contest was a very unequal one, and Dr. Winslow and the other doctors concerned .never had a chance. She brought actions for damages against each of them, and conducted her case herself.. Slio was not only a very clevel - woman. Mid soon acquired a knowledge of law and procedure sufficient to conduct her own case with prouriety. but she proved a most persuasive speaker and a most efficient cross-examiner.

Add to this that she was a very handsome woman, with a fine'nresence, and a grent Rift of distinct and deliberate utterance, and what chance had a mere man against her before a British jury,'already deeply prejudiced auainst lunatic asylums by the traditional abuses of the old madhouses? Mrs. Weldon won all along tho line. She gained .£SOO each in damnees from the two certifying doctors, and then went for Dr. rWinslow as the arch-con-snirtor and instigator of the whole plot. Here, however, she m°t with a cheek. She was nonsuited by Baron Knddleston (the last of the barons), and Dr. low congratulated himself upon his impunity. But his Tftioicinirs were premature, Nothing daunted, Mrs. Weldon took her case to the Court of Appeal, and won it. A new trial was ordered, aid held, and T>r. Winslnw was mulcted in damages to the tune of .£IOOO. The damages had been laid nt .£IO,OOO. but iris. Weldon was well satisfied, and Dr. Winslow was completely ruined.