TRIENNIAL REPORT ON THE LUNATIC ASYLUMS
IN THE CENTRAL PROVINCES FOR THE
YEARS 1900, 1901 & 1902.
Alteration of report from an
annual to a triennial one.
Prior to the year 1900, the Report on Lunatic Asylums was prepared annu-
ally. In paragraph 10 of Government of India, Home
Department, letter No. 2745, dated the 26th March 1901,
it was directed that, in future, the report should be submitted triennially ; the
present report, which deals with the circumstances of the years 1900, 1901 and
1902, is therefore the first one submitted in accordance with the above instruc-
tions.
Cause of delay in submission
of report.
2. The report should have been sent to Press on the 10th February, but
it was not possible to do this, as the reports on the Nag-
pur and Jubbulpore Asylums were received late. The
Superintendents of the Asylums, who are also Civil Surgeons of the districts,
were much occupied with measures in connection with plague, and hence were
unable to submit their reports on the prescribed dates. Some delay also occurred
in this office owing to my absence on tour.
Officers in charge.
3. During the year 1900 the Nagpur Asylum was in charge of the following
officers, viz., Major A. Silcock, I. M. S., from 1st
January to 23rd March; Major A. Buchanan, I. M. S.,
from 24th to 26th March, and Lieutenant-Colonel W. A. Quayle, I. M. S., from
27th March to 31st December. In 1901 Lieutenant-Colonel Quayle held charge
from 1st January to 13th April and again from 15th November to 31st Decem-
ber, while Major Buchanan held charge from 14th April to 14th November.
In 1902 Lieutenant-Colonel Quayle held charge throughout the year. Lieuten-
ant-Colonel H. K. McKay, I. M. S., C. I. E., held charge of the Jubbulpore
Asylum throughout the years 1900 and 1901. During the year 1902 the
following officers held charge, viz., Lieutenant-Colonel H. K. McKay, from 1st
January to 10th July and again from 12th October to 13th December; Captain
P. F. Chapman, I. M. S., from 11th July to 11th October, and Captain D. Lawson,
R. A. M. C., from 14th to 31st December, during Lieutenant-Colonel McKay's
temporary absence at the Delhi Durbar.
Buildings.
4. Nagpur Asylum.—Besides the usual annual repairs and white-washing,
six new cells have been built, a large barrack has been
re-roofed with Allahabad tiles, and the drainage has been
improved. Three shower-baths have also been erected, one in the female yard
and two in the male enclosures. Jubbulpore Asylum.—In addition to the usual
annual repairs, a verandah was added to the cook-house and the inner wall
removed, thus affording more space and light; a water tap and shower-bath with
bathing platform were put up in the criminal yard, and a latrine and dry-earth
shed erected in the non-criminal yard. Other improvements are in contemplation,
including the substitution of a wall and railing similar to that surrounding the
non-criminal yard for the walls at present enclosing the criminal yard, the
erection of a workshed and latrine in the latter yard, and the re-construction of
the old Thagi Hospital as an observation ward for European and Eurasian insanes
prior to their transfer to a Presidency asylum. All these, however, have been
postponed pending final orders on the proposed amalgamation of the asylum with
that at Nagpur.
Introductory remarks on the
statistical returns.
5. In Home Department (Medical) letter No. 629, dated the 7th May 1901,
it was stated that no notes or statistics were required in
years intervening between the submission of any two
triennial reports. Subsequently, however, in the same Department's letter No.
1296, dated the 5th September 1901, it was pointed out that the statistical forms
relating to intermediate years generally should still be furnished to that Depart-
ment and to the Director-General of Statistics, annually, on the prescribed date.
Accordingly, the statistical forms for the years 1900 and 1901 have already been
submitted; having regard to this fact, the statistical forms appended to the present