ABSTRACT
from 1815 to 1819, repeated efforts were made by Wynn and his associates to introduce new and effective legislation. The reports of 1815–16 had shown clearly that a comprehensive lunacy law covering all types of institutions was necessary; but for that, the time was not yet ripe. The parliamentary group concentrated instead on a limited objective—that of reforming the private madhouses. The most pressing need was for a competent and powerful inspectorate; had this been achieved, it would have been a comparatively simple matter to extend the scope of its activities at a later date, and thus bring all the insane under a central control.
