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DEHLI LUNATIC ASYLUM.
No. 21, dated 30th January 1871
From—Lieut.-Col. R. YOUNG, R.E., Offg. Commissioner and Superintendent, Dehli Division
To—The Secretary to Government, Punjab
FORWARDS, in original, Dr. Penny's Report on the Dehli Lunatic Asylum for the year
1870, with copy of No. 26, dated 23rd instant, from the Deputy Commissioner, Dehli.
Copy of a letter No. 26, dated 23rd January 1871
From—Major C. A. McMAHON, Deputy Commissioner, Dehli
To—The Offg. Commissioner and Superintendent, Dehli Division
I HAVE the honor to forward, in original, the Annual Report and Returns of the Dehli
Lunatic Asylum.
Dr. Penny deserves credit for his kind and skilful management of the institution.
No. 11, dated Dehli, 14th January 1871
From—Dr. J. C. PENNY, Superintendent, Lunatic Asylum, Dehli
To—The Deputy Commissioner, Dehli
I HAVE the honor to forward the annual statistics of the Dehli Lunatic Asylum for the
year 1870, and to remark as follows:—
During the year gone by, the asylum building has undergone great and extensive
alterations, and been wonderfully improved.
At the entrance an entirely new block of buildings has been erected; it has an upper
story, includes spacious quarters for the Native Doctor, when we get one, an office room, and a
room for the gate-keeper.
Another distinct and quite new building is the observation ward, which has been so long
wished for. It consists of two wards, each 26' x 11' × 10 ½', having a ten-foot verandah and a
separate compound, shut off by an iron railing from the main enclosure.
In No. 1 barrack, which faces on entering the asylum, the whole of the separate rooms
in the two wings have been fitted with windows, iron-grated doors and ventilators.
Ten of the kotrees in the centre of the barrack have had their partition walls knocked
down and arched, making one handsome ward, thoroughly ventilated and convenient.
A new bath-room and a covered privy complete this barrack.
Within the enclosure which contains No. 1 and the observation ward, are a dispensary,
a cook-room and workshop.
Leaving this enclosure, we find ourselves in No. 2. The old juvenile ward, which was in
the form of a square, has, at the suggestion of Dr. Smith, Civil Surgeon of Labore, been opened
out into a single line of 10 separate houses, each with a sleeping room and a court-yard, and
all with strong iron-grated doors and new ventilators.
Facing No. 2 ward is a block intervening between the male and the female accommoda-
tion, part of which is set apart for the hospital—another great requirement. Adjoining it are
godowns and servants' quarters. There was an attempt made at a padded room, but it was a
miserable failure, besides which it is seldom or never required.
The only addition to the female wards are two bath-rooms, one to each ward.
These additions and alterations to the Dehli Lunatic Asylum have doubled the acom-
modation.
The capacity of the old building was for
Males ...
Females ...
42
8
Now there is room for
Males ...
Females ...
85
15
The average space for each patient is 10' in length and breadth, and 10½ in height. Many
of the separate apartments are 12' × 12' × 10½.
The hospital accommodation is included of course, but none of the verandahs. The
hospital verandah is on three sides 106' in length, and could be easily made available were
more accommodation necessary.
The ventilation is extremely good throughout the asylum, but I have long thought we
might improve it by introducing the revolving vanes one sees on chimney-pots in English
cities, and a Railway Engineer is making a pattern of one for me at Ghazeeabad.
In connection with the subject of the buildings, I may mention that the whole of them
are being constantly leeped, the sleeping barracks have raised berths, like those in the Lahore
Lunatic Asylum, and the atmosphere is at all times perfectly sweet.