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19 February 1900 — 3 Savile Row | |
Monday. 19th [February 1900]. After lunch Kate & I went off to Bethlem Hos: to go over the establishment as we had made an appointment with Dr Hyslop. We made the acquaintance of Mrs Hyslop a very nice little woman. We were 1½ hour going round the wards—first we saw the men. Their rooms are most comfortable. They can smoke, play billiards, talk & lounge in one room, in another read, write & sit in comfortable chairs. One patient Dr Hyslop pointed out who fancies himself the King of Hungary. He looked very ill—but was quiet & dignified & told us he was ill from a fall in a railway accident on the frontier of Hungary & Austria & his subjects were to be severely punished. He always said “we” not “I”—in the most approved royal way. Another fat old man (Doulton, the pottery man) fancied himself the Deity & was covered with medals. He seemed quite happy & thinks he orders everything. As it was raining at the time Dr Hyslop asked him why he had not ordered better weather for us & managed better. He quickly answered “Oh it is all right it has to come in rotation.” A very clever answer for a mad man. Then he rambled off to Ascot races & said all the race horses were his own & he often rode the races—& then he spoke of the War & said both Boers & British would win & they were all fighting for him. He seemed quite happy & placid & to like to talk to us. All the rest were quiet & we had not time to talk to them. Thence we went to the women’s ward which is most comfortable & bright & had flowers &c. Some were reading, some talking, some working. We saw one poor woman very melancholy & in bed. She looked the picture of despair & said she was very wicked. The Dr says she fancies she committed a heinous sin in letting a man kiss her. One old lady thinks herself Queen Anne & was too dignified to speak to us. One spoke so much & so fast one could not hear a word she said. She writes perpetual letters wh no one can read—tho’ at a glance they look like writing– We went to the ward of excited patients—there were 3 or 4 girls all laughing & skipping about—who came up at once to talk to us & ask to be let out. One called me a devil & then explained to Kate that she had been frightened at me because I was so tall! After that we returned to Mrs Hyslop’s room & I had a little talk with Dr Hyslop abt the MCH & then we went home to 5 o’cl tea. After that I went to see Addie & only got back for dinner. Mr Stevenson the stock jobber a friend of Nellie’s dined with us. He is a charming man. | |
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