Continued Wednesday 30th. April 1783

In the Winter there are certain Rooms with
Comfortable Fires Where those who are in a
Convalescent State meet and Associate & in the Summer
they Walk in the large Adjoining Court Yards and
Sometimes amuse themselves with such Diversions
as are deom'd not Improper to quiet their Spirits and
Compose the Agitation of their Minds The Hospital used
formerly to derive a Revenue of at least £400 a Year
from the indiscriminate admission of Visitants whom
very often an Idle and want on Curiosity drew to these
Regions of distress But this Liberty tho' beneficial to
the funds of the Charity was thought to Counteract its
Grand design as it tended to disturb the tranquility
of the Patients It was therefore Judged proper in
the Year 1770 no longer to expose the House to
Public View and now it is scrace ever open to Strangers
unless they are introduced by a particular Order
The friends of the pose Objects have a limited Access to
them. At the Admission of a Patient a Ticket is delivered
which Authorizes the Bearer of it to come to the Hospital
on Mondays and Wednesdys between the Hours of ten
and twelve And here it may not be admiss to Contradict
a very mistaken and injurious notion that has been
adopted chiefly Indeed by the lower Class of People who
are most prone to form prejudices against Eleemosynary
Institutions. It is believed by many that the Patients
in Bethlem Hospital are beaten and in other Respects ill
treated in order to Compel them to Submit to the necessary
operations. This Idea is absolutely Erroncous. No Servant
is allowed so wanton an abuse of the Authority that is