The Commune Hospital was built in 1863 for the reception of poor patients of all classes from the city of Copenhagen. It was therefore necessary to provide a ward for the treatment of the insane. For this special purpose a pavilion was erected simultaneously with the main building, within the grounds of the hospital. It was arranged on the corridor plan, with single rooms only. The pavilion cost between £3000 and £4000. It was forty-two yards long, and had twenty-two single rooms, on two flats, besides a special room in the basement for the reception of patients suffering from delirium tremens. It was by no means intended to provide the city with a regular fully-equipped hospital for the continuous treatment and nursing of the insane. The pavilion was designed to serve as a reception-house, and those patients who did not show signs of improvement within a short time were removed to one of the country asylums. Besides ordinary insane persons, the pavilion was also to receive patients whose condition necessitated isolation, e. g. suicidal cases, epileptics, and severe cases of alcoholic poisoning. Later on, when the physician in charge was appointed Physician of the Court of Justice, all criminals suspected of insanity were sent to the pavilion for observation.