2
6. Accommodation .—The accommodation was insufficient during the years
1915 and 1916 amongst the criminals when the daily average strength rose a
little higher than the capacity. The capacity was raised in 1915 from 306 to
356 by the construction of a new sleeping ward for 40 criminal males and a
female ward with 10 cells. In view of the steady increase of the daily
average of criminal lunatics it was thought that even the increased
accommodation referred to above would be insufficient; hence sanction was
obtained and work started in 1916 on another male criminal ward with 40
beds. The work was finished in 1917 but owing to a defective floor the
ward was not occupied. The defect has not been entirely removed but the
ward can be used. The capacity will thereby be raised from 356 to 396.
The overcrowding of criminal males during the years 1915 and 1916 was
relieved by allowing harmless criminal lunatics to remain in the non-criminal
ward at night. There would have been overcrowding in the year 1917 when
the flood came and the floors of most of the wards were under water for several
days, but this was avoided by removing some of our inmates to the General
Hospital and some to Jail. A bund was suggested to protect the Asylum area.
Plans and estimates have been asked for from the Public Works Department.
During the day the lunatics are about the Asylum grounds except in special
cases.
7. Sickness and Mortality.—The total number admitted into the Asylum
Hospital was 288 in 1915, 396 in 1916 and 346 in 1917, the daily average sick
being 22.61, 23.06 and 27.25, and percentage of constantly sick to daily
average strength 7.17, 7.43 and 9.10 respectively. Of the numbers treated 253
were cured in 1915, 346 in 1916 and 317 in 1917 while 41 died in 1915,
35 in 1916 and 35 in 1917 ; the percentage of deaths to daily average strength
being 13.00 in 1915, 11.28 in 1916 and 11.68 in 1917, an average of 11.98
against 13.40 in the previous triennium.
The increase in the number of hospital admissions from 288 in 1915 to
396 in 1916, was due to large numbers of admissions for Ankylostomiasis,
Pyrexia of uncertain origin, Dysentery and for a large number of trivial causes,
such as minor injuries, abscess, etc., in order to keep such cases under proper
supervision and care. Repeated admission of some of the cases was also res-
ponsible for the increase. An inferior water-supply due to delay in repairing
the well pump by the Public Works Department also affected the health of the
patients to some extent. The health of the inmates admitted to the Asylum
during the years under review was not good. Seventy-one patients were receiv-
ed in bad health in 1915, 51 in 1916 and 52 in 1917 against 29, 51 and 67 in
the previous three years.
Dysentery was responsible for 23 admissions in 1915, 40 in 1916 and 28
in 1917 with one death in 1916 and two in 1917. These cases were treated
with injections of. Emetine Hydrochlor and Alburgin Enemata as they
were amæbic or bacillary in origin. There were also some cases of mixed
infection. Emetine Bismuth. Iodidi was also introduced during the year
1917.
For Ankylostomiasis, 47 were admitted in 1915, 73 in 1916 and 49 in 1917
with 22, 20 and 13 deaths, respectively. Thymol was given in these cases.
A systematic investigation of all patients in this Asylum for the presence of
intestinal parasites has been carried out for the last four years and the results
recorded. No case has been returned as " Ankylostomiasis" except when the
symptoms were present, the ova found in the fæces and the diagnosis confirmed
at autopsy by an independent observer.
For Diarrhœa 23 were admitted in 1915, 20 in 1916 and 11 in 1917. There
was no death from this disease during the triennium.
Eating of mud and fæces and any garbage the lunatics could lay hands
upon was as before specially frequent during the years under review. Dysen-
tery, Diarrhœa and Ankylostomiasis may be attributed to these causes acting
before and after admission, but it would be interesting to have reliable figures
for their extra-mural prevalence. The routine examination of excreta, blood