The Report of the Inspector for Scotland Under the Inebriates Acts, 1879-1900, for The

THE REPORT OF THE INSPECTOR FOR SCOTLAND UNDER
THE INEBRIATES ACTS, 1879-1900, FOR THE YEAR 1904.

33 CHESTER STREET. EDINBURGH,

June1905.

To THE Most HONOURABLE

THE MARQUESS OF LINLITHGOW, K.T.,

H.M. Secretary for Scotland.

My Lord Marquess

In compliance with the requirements of the Inebriates Acts, I have now the honor to submit my Report for the year ending 31st December 1904.

In my last Report I was able to state that a startha been made in Scotland

To gie effect to these Acts, but the start was a limited one, and that the accommodation was insufficient to meet the requirements of the country. This year I am able to report that those institutions previously reported on are still active, and that some additional accommodation for the treatment of habitual drunkards has been provided.

On 1st January 1904 there were in Scotland 4 institutions for the care and treatment of inebriates, namely, Invernith Lodge Retreat, Girgenti Certified Inebriate Reformatorv. Greenock House of Refuge Certified Inebriate Reformatory, and the State Inebriate Reformatory. During the year 1904 there have been added 2 institutions namely the Scottish Labour Colony, which was certified as an Inebriate Reformatory on 1st January and the Lanarkshire Inebriate Reformatory, which was certified on 30th November. During the year there have been alterations on 2 existing institutions increasing the accommodation, namely, an extension of Invernith Retreat, by which additional accommodation for 7 patients has been provided, and an alteration of the State Inebriate Reformatory, by which additional accommodation for 11 has been provided. At the close of the year in these institutions there was accommodation for the treatment of 162 inebriates, 34 being in retreats, 98 in certified reformatories, and 30 in the State Reformatory.

At the commencement of the year there were under treatment 120 persons, of whom 17 were in retreat. 57 in certified Reformatories, 15 in the State Reformatory, and 31 temporarily absent from reformatories During the year admissions to these institutions numbered 81 of whom 20 were admitted to retreat in terms of the 1879 Act, 32 to retreat as private cases, 25 to certified reformatories under Section 24 of that Act, and 4 to the state Reformatory under Section 23 of that Act.

During the year 6 inmates were transferred from certified reformatories to the State Reformatory as unmanageable in the former. At the end of the year there were on the register of these institutions 107 persons, of whom 27 were in retreat, 47 in certified reformatories, 12 in the State Reformatory, and 21 temporarily absent from reformatories. During the year admissions to these institutions numbered 81, of whom 20 wer admitted to retreat in terms of the 1879 Act and 4 to the State Reformatory under section 23 of that Act.

Institution / Accommodation / Admissions
1901 / 1902 / 1903 / 1904 / 1901 / 1902 / 1903 / 1904
Invernith Retreat / 20 / 20 / 27 / 34 / 23 / 31 / 48 / 52
Girgenti Reformatory / 58 / 58 / 58 / 58 / 46 / 20 / 12 / 10
Greenock Reformatory / 20 / 20 / 19 / 15
Scottish Labour Colony / 10
Lanarkshire Reformatory / 10
State Reformatory / 1
18 / 19 / 19 / 30 / 3 / 5 / 4 / 4
Total / 96 / 97 / 124 / 162 / 72 / 56 / 81 / 81

These figures may e epitomised by stating that during the year now under review there has been an increase of the available accommodation, an increase of the number of cases admitted to retreat but a diminution of the number of convicted cases admitted to reformatories.

As to the efficiency of these institutions, it may be stated that accumulating experience is showing that they can be of great service to the community. The comparatively hopeful cases who enter retreats can be cured of their vicious habits. and indeed in a large proportion of cases are cured, and the segregation of the most hopeless in reformatories has been found to be an immense benefit. not only by removing the drunken pests from a town, but also by saving others, and more especially the younger, from the contaminating influence of these pests. The value of a retreat as a means of cure bas-been demonstrated at Invernith Lodge Retreat, and the utility of segregating the worst cases in certified reformatories in Greenock.

INVERNITH LODGE RETREAT.

This retreat at the date of my last Report was the only one licensed in Scotland for the reception and treatment of inebriates who apply for admission to a retreat in terms of the 1879 Act, and is still the only licensed one. On 1st January there were under treatment there 17 patients, during the year 52 patients were received and 42 discharged, while at the end of the year there were 27 under treatment. Of the 52 cases admitted, 20 made application for reception in the manner prescribed by the 1879 Act, while the remainder made no such application but were received as private patients.

At the dates of my visits of inspection I have always found evidence of the very careful and satisfactory manner in which this retreat is conducted. The patients are housed carefully treated and the routine of he establishment is such as is adapted from the requirements of successful treatment of inebriates of the class to which the patients of this institution belong. In this retreat no reliance whatever is put on the treatment of inebriety by so-called specific drugs: drugs are used for the relief of immediate symptoms but not as a specific means of cure, the curative means relied on being the personal influence of the superintendent combined with a hygienic fresh-air life.

The results of the treatment at Invernith Retreat has been very satisfactory. Since he foundation of the institution 152 patients have been under treatment; of them 27 were still under treatment at the end of the year now under recview, 2 died when under treatment, 29 have been lost sight of, while the history subsequent to discharge of the remaining 94 is known. Of these 94, 22 in that they have been totally abstinent for more than a year may be considered as cured of their habit, 31 by total abstinence since discharge, though the time had not yet amounted to a year, may be taken as giving good hope of a successful issue, while 41: are known to have relapsed into their old habits. The fact that 53 out of the 94 patients who have been discharged and whose subsequent history is known, either give evidence of cure or give good promise of cure indicates a recovery rate of between 50 and 60 per cent, and warrants the opinion that the result of treatment in the institution under review is very satisfactory.

There is a great contrast between the result of treatment in a well-conducted retreat and that got from treatment in certified reformatories, but that is only what might be expected. Admission to retreat is possible at a time when there is a chance of cure, while admission to a certified inebriate reformatory seldom takes place before the condition of the inebriate is extreme, and before his case is comparatively hopeless. It is to be regretted that more inebriates do not get the chance of cure, of reformation, in retreats at a time when there is some probability of a successful issue of the treatment. Reformatories do useful work, but as curative institutions they must compare very unfavourably with retreats. The Inebriates Acts give permissive power not only to private individuals and philanthropic associations to found and maintain retreats, but also-to town and county councils, who are permitted to do so at the cost of the ratepayers; but until now there is only this one retreat in Scotland, and this one retreat deals only with male inebriates of the monied classes. There is still no licensed retreat accommodation for male inebriates of the poorer classes, or for female inebriates of either class, and the local authorities who have been given power by the Act to do this useful work have till now done nothing in the matter.

GIRGENTI CERTIFIED INEBRIATE REFORMATORY.

This reformatory has now been in existence for four years, and to it 88 inmates have been admitted. The establishment and management remain the same as at the date of my last Report ; it is managed by a committee of the Glasgow Town Council, and certified for the reception and treatment of 58 women convicted under Sections 23 and 24 of the 1898 Act.

On 1st January 1904 there were resident in the reformatory 39 inmates, absent on license 18, and absent without leave ( having escaped from the reformatory or absconded from guardians when out on license)10; in all 67 during the year 10 women were admitted 29 were discharged at the expiry of their sentence, 4 were transferred to the State Reformatory, and 1 died. On 31st December there were in residence 27, out on license 9, absent without leave 7, making a total of 43. The daily average in residence in the reformatory during the year was 38.

The previous occupation, criminal and parish records, mental condition, and conduct in reformatory of cases admitted during the year, are as stated in the following Table. Compared to the cases previously admitted, those admitted this year are on an average younger, have on an average fewer previous convictions, and were on an verage on fewer occasions in receipt of parochial relief, but they resemble the majority of cases previously admitted in that the most of them show some evidence of mental defect. The younger age of the inmates and the absence of habitual paupers may be taken as indicating that the managers have been fully exercising the right of selecting cases and of refusing to receive those who they may deem to be unsuitable. All these admissions were under sentence of three years' detention.

Number
In Register / Age / Previous
Occupation / Previous
Convictions / Times
Chargeable
To Parish / Mental
Condition / Conduct
79 / 30 / Domestic Servant / 20 / 0 / Moderate / Good
80 / 25 / Bag Darner / 9 / 0 / Good / Escaped 4 times
during year
81 / 19 / Farm servant / 13 / (?) / Moderate / Bad
82 / 19 / Domestic Servant / 9 / 0 / Weak / Fair
83 / 43 / Housewife / 0 / 0 / Good / Good
84 / 33 / Millworker / 28 / 0 / Weak / Good
85 / 29 / Domestic Servant / 3 / 0 / Weak / Good
86 / 31 / Charwoman / 4 / 1 / Moderate / Good
87 / 34 / Umbrella Coverer &c / 14 / 2 / Weak / Good
88 / 26 / Farm Servant / 4 / 0 / Good / Good

The treatment of the inmates in the reformatory has, with one exception, been much the same as formerly, abstention from drink combined with wholesome work, food, surroundings, &c., and that exception was the use n as evidence that he failed to find indication of any material beneficial influence. That such should be so is not to be wondered at, for it is a scientific absurdity to expect that a short course of treatment by drugs should mend the diseased or degenerated condition of the brain of the habitual drunkard, and especially of the habitual drunkard whose condition is so extreme as to bring him under Section 24 of the 1898 Act.

The conduct of the reformatory inmates has on the whole been fair ; some have behaved well and made an honest endeavour to get the full benefits of the institution, but others have been found to be very unruly, and of the worst of them 4 have required transfer to the State Reformatory as unmanageable. Escapes from the institution have again during the year been too numerous, for escapes from the reformatory during the year numbered 27. For these 27 escapes 10 inmates were responsible ; of them 1 escaped on 8 occasions, 1 on 4 occasions, 2 on 3 occasions, 2 on 2 occasions, and 3 on 1 occasion. Of the 10 inmates who escaped all were brought back except 1.

The managers of this reformatory have continued their policy of a free use of their powers to license inmates to live with approved guardians outside the reformatory. During the year 47 inmates were absent on license from the reformatory; to these 47, no fewer than 72 licenses were granted. In 12 instances the licenses were continued until the inmates were liberated by expiry of sentence, in 8 instances the licenses were forfeited by the inmates drinking, in 15 the licenses were forfeited by the inmates .absconding from their guardians, in 1 case the licensed person died, in 7 instances the licenses were revoked for reasons connected with the health of the inmates, while in 20 instances the licenses were revoked or not renewed for other reasons, such as unsuitability of the inmate for the situation or change of guardian. There were 9 licenses in vogue at the end of the year. It may be noted that only 23 out of the 72 licenses issued during the year, or in vogue at the commencement of the year, were forfeited by absconding or drinking, while 49 were either unrevoked or withdrawn for reasons unconnected with the drinking habit ; such a result may be taken as satisfactory, and quite as good as may be expected so long as the managers of the reformatory continue the policy of issuing licenses to inmates so freely as they have been doing in the past.

The advantages of discharge on license over absolute discharge have during the year now under review become very apparent. In several instances inmates who were able to behave and control themselves under guardianship have been found quite unable to do so when absolutely discharged. Here are some instances. A woman aged 39 was able to do useful work and behave herself for fully eighteen months when licensed it live with a guardian, but immediately gave way to drink when absolutely discharged, and has been in and out of prison ever since. Another woman aged 27 after nine months residence in the reformatory was able under guardianship to live as a domestic servant in respectable situations for over two years, but when absolutely discharged returned to her old associations, and has done no good since. Another woman aged 45 lived a respectable and useful life for nearly a year when under guardianship, but shortly after discharge took drink and pawned her clothes to get more drink. The power of licensing suitable cases to live outside the reformatories under guardianship is a most useful of the Act and the only pity is that some cases the guardianship cannot be indefinitely prolonged.