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DELHI LUNATIC ASYLUM.
No. 54, dated 24th March 1877.
From—Colonel W. G. DAVIES, Commissioner and Superintendent, Delhi Division,
To—The Officiating Secretary to Government, Punjab.
HAS the honor to forward copy of Deputy Commissioner, Delhi's
No. 102, of the 20th Current, with its enclosures in original, from the Civil
Surgeon of Delhi, reporting on the management of the Delhi Lunatic Asylum
for the year 1876.
2. The report bears evidence of the interest taken by Dr. Fairweather
in the management of this institution. He deserves credit for having suc-
ceeded to some extent in introducing manufactures into the Asylum in the
face of considerable opposition.
No. 102, dated 20th March 1877.
From—T. W. SMYTH, Esquire, Deputy Commissioner, Delhi,
To—The Commissioner and Superintendent, Delhi Division.
HAS the honor to forward, for transmission to Government, the Superintendent's
Report on the Delhi Lunatic Asylum for the year 1876.
A satisfactory feature in the past year's management is the attempt to introduce some light
employment suitable to the capacities of the inmates. The Asylum was under Dr.
Fairweather's charge throughout the year.
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE DELHI LUNATIC ASYLUM FOR 1876.
Population.
ON 31st December 1875 there remained 80 lunatics in the Asylum; 28 were admit-
ted and 2 readmitted during the year, making a total population of
110 ; of which 12 were discharged cured, 9 were made over to their
friends " improved," and 2 " not improved," 2 were discharged as not insane, 10 died, and
75 remained on 31st December 1876. The admissions are fewer than they have been in any
year since 1870, but the daily average number of lunatics confined in the Asylum, viz., 72, is
higher than in any previous year. The number discharged cured is 4 times that of the
previous year. The percentage of deaths to average strength, viz., 13.88, is exactly the aver-
age death-rate of the Asylum for the previous 9 years.
Causes of mortality.
2. Of the deaths, 1 occurred from fever, 1 from dysentery, 2 from debility, 1 from
albuminuria, 1 from splenitis, 3 from dropsy, and 1 from meningitis.
The last-mentioned died a few days after admission, and ought pro-
perly to be excluded from the deaths among the lunatics, as the man was not insane, and was
only sent to the Asylum to be under observation.
Health.
3. The general health of the lunatics for the year has been tolerably good; during the
summer months it was particularly so, and many debilitated creatures
with odomatous feet and ankles then improved so much that they
raised delusive hopes as to their recovery. No sooner did the autumnal fevers, however, begin
to prevail, which they did with some severity this year, then down they all wont again, and
most of them were carried off by dysentery or debility. Upon the whole the lunatics suffered
less from fever than either the prisoners in jail or the population of many parts of the city.
On the first appearance of malarious fever in the neighbourhood, extra blankets and warmer
clothing were given to the old and weak lunatics, and they were not allowed to leave their
sleeping barracks until the sun had been up for a considerable time.
Criminal lunatics.
4. There has only been 1 admission and 1 discharge among the criminal lunatics
during the year, leaving the number the same (6) as on 31st December
1875. The criminal lunatic who was discharged was made over to
his friends under Act V., Section 81, of 1871, and Act XXXVI., Section 9, of 1858.