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requirements or even the necessities of European patients. To give any form of
separate accommodation to excitable patients a block of native criminal cells had to
be taken into the European enclosure by extending the boundary wall. These
cells are each 10 feet by 7 feet and 12¾ feet high, and in this space, which allows
of 892½ cubic feet, a man who is excited with mental disease which has for the time
broken out into any acute phase, has to be confined. The heat in Agra in a low
building with stone walls is terrific, and it is under such surroundings that the
diseased mind is supposed to recover from this acute phase of excitement or distress
the unfortunate European is passing through. He would not be treated in this
way as a European convict in a jail. I know that it has been hoped that this state
of affairs would soon cease on the Ranchi asylum being built, but it is now five
years since this desirable termination to such an undesirable situation was
anticipated and it is possible that the present state of affairs will continue for
many more years for in July 1910 the Government of India said that the
Government of Bengal had been asked to prepare revised plans and estimates of
the proposed European Central Asylum at Ranchi and that it was not possible to
say when the Asylum would be likely to be ready.
The European women have somewhat ample accommodation in a portion
of the native women's barracks and with this and the quarters which are
temporarily occupied by the European warder, comparatively fair arrangements
may be made which should suffice for the present, in view of the fact of the future
move to Ranchi. But immediate action should, I consider, be taken to provide
better accommodation for the male Europeans. Two blocks, accommodating each six
patients, would probably be sufficient, and use might be made of these later (when
the Ranchi asylum is eventually built) for a better class of native patients whose
friends would wish, and would be glad, to pay for better accommodation. I have
asked the Superintendent to have a plan and estimate drawn up.
Buildings and
works.
17. The asylum buildings at Bareilly are all in good order and the
sanitary condition of the barracks and grounds satisfactory. The work of
reroofing all the barracks at a cost of Rs. 15,535 was completed in April 1911.
The barracks have been much improved in appearance and have been rendered
cleaner and healthier by being raised and reroofed with Allahabad tiles.
The new ward for the treatment of tuberculous disease was completed and
opened in the end of 1909. A ward of the same description in the female
enclosure is under consideration. Work on the water supply scheme has been
commenced. Almost all the pipes have been laid down and only the arrival
of the pump and reservoir are awaited to complete the work. The erection of
quarters for the warders is a pressing necessity, for at present more than half the
number of warders are living in the city which constitutes a danger as infection is
liable to be conveyed to the asylum from outside. One of the lunatics died from
plague during 1909. A warder also died from plague the same year. An estimate
amounting to Rs. 16,078 for constructing 17 warders' quarters was drawn up in
1909 but was not sanctioned as Government in September 1909 stated that the
plan was on too expensive a scale and the standard plan for warders' quarters was
under revision. No further orders have been received.
At Benares there were four quadruple cells in each of which one inmate
only was accommodated. These cells were supposed each to contain four inmates
but as this number could not be watched and looked after only one was ever put in
each. The cells have now been divided by a barrier into two and eight single
cells have been constructed. Owing to the falling in of the old garden well
another new well is in course of construction. A new barrack and a new main
gate, at a cost of Rs. 16,027 are also under construction, The warders'
accommodation, as in Bareilly, is wholly insufficient and the men live in the Bazars.
The water supply at Agra was very scanty up to the year 1909 and great
inconvenience and want was experienced. In December 1,909 the new pipe
bringing water direct from the main was connected up and the supply materially
improved, but there is still a great scarcity of water during May, June and July.
The supply has had to be supplemented during these months by water carts
supplied by the Municipality, and even on occasion recourse has been had to the
asylum well in order to provide sufficient drinking water for the inmates. The
cause of the deficiency is probably due to the water being drawn off in the bazars,
which the main supplies, prior to its reaching the asylum.