[The text of this Report is limited to five pages. ]
REPORT
ON THE
PUNJAB LUNATIC ASYLUM FOR THE TRIENNIUM
1903—1905.
IN the absence of Major Ewens on furlough, the duty of submitting this,
the second triennial report on the Punjab Asylum, has devolved on me.
I—THE FEMALE ASYLUM.
Opening of female asy-
Join, accommodation, &c.
3, The most important changes which I have to chronicle as haying taken
place during the past three years are the opening of the
female asylum and the introduction of a new and better
system of nursing for the women patients. The female asylum was opened on
5th October 1903, with accommodation for 8 European women, 144 native women
and 10 children; on that date there were admitted from the central asylum
4 Europeans, 106 natives and 7 children.
On 31st December 1905 the
numbers had risen to 7 Europeans, 115 native women and 4 children. Excluding
the latter, the rate of increase per annum is, therefore, 6.
The prevalence and
causes of insanity among
women.
3, Contrary to what obtains in Europe and elsewhere insanity would appear
to be much less common among the women of India than
among the men. The reasons for this are probably that
the stresses attendant on parturition are less felt than by
women living under the more artificial conditions of Western civilisation and,
secondly, that there is as yet an almost entire absence of any addiction to
alcohol, hemp-drug preparations or opium on the part of the women of this
country. In the case of only one woman a history of bhang and spirit drinking
was suspected but could not be proved.* Among women the causes of mania
appear to be chiefly domestic and social troubles : of melancholia, grief at the
loss of near relatives,—the connection of the epidemics of plague to this in both
sexes is interesting. These two classes comprise about two-thirds of the
female patients, the remaining third being chiefly constituted by epileptics and
imbeciles.
Recovery among the
women,
4. Compared with the men, the percentage of recovery among the women
is low, in spite of the fact that under present circumstances
they are better looked after than the men. The absence
of acute forms of insanity due to drugs among women is to a certain extent
explanatory of this.
The "Siatera" and their
work,
5. Shortly before the opening of the female asylum, the matron was
replaced by Sisters of the Order of Franoiscans, of whom
there are four, and who have by their devotion to their
duties, their attention and their care, revolutionised for the better the lot of
their afflicted charges.. What they have done and are doing is beyond all praise.
Desiderata.
6. In my opinion there are certain defects regarding the female asylum,
the remedy of which will demand consideration in the
future. These are : the extension of the present compound,
which is too small; the separation by a railing of that portion of the grounds
adjoining the European block; an increase in the number of cubicles is very
necsesary, and a cubioular block, such as has been proposed for the males, might
replace the existing cells which are very hot in the summer months ; increased
provision for Europeans will certainly be required.
II—THE MALE ASYLUM.
Accommidation and over-
crowding.
7. With the departure of the women to their new asylum, the original
central asylum was entirely handed over for occupation by
males; the accommodation thus available being for 8
Europeans or paying patients and 458 ordinary native males. For the former
* The natural disinclination that exists in India to the placing of women in any institution, sucb at a
hospital or asylum is partly responaible alto for the paucity in their numbers.