MOYDAPORE ASYLUM.
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REPORT ON THE MOYDAPORE LUNATIC ASYLUM FOR 1869.
THERE remained at the close of last year 9 patients, and during the year there were
admitted 14 more,—in all, 23. Many of them are cases of old standing, and in a hopeless con-
dition. Two have been discharged completely cured, and there is every reason to believe that
several of the recently admitted cases will make fair recoveries. There were five criminal
lunatics. One has been under observation by order of Government since the 4th May 1869,
and has shown no signs of mental disease since his admission; but he has not been sufficiently
long under observation to admit of any opinion being formed as to the permanence of his
restoration to reason, supposing him ever to have been mad. One is quite imbecile, one is
without hope of recovery and confined since 27th July 1865 ; the remaining two are slightly
improved, but require further treatment.
The diet during the first portion of the year was supplied by the jail darogah as before ;
lately it has been purchased by the overseer. It has always been of good quality and well
cooked. Vegetables are grown in the garden. All the clothing has been paid out of the
lunatic labor profit fund, except thirty blankets, which were paid for by Government.
A mehteranee had to be appointed on the 1st October in consequence of the female ward
having been opened. An extra burkundauz was appointed in the middle of September in con-
sequence of the increase of patients. Both come within the budget allowance, the former not
having been calculated for in the budget. The expense of feeding each lunatic throughout
the year, exclusive of cost of establishment, has been Rs. 21-11-4 ; this is a slight increase
over the previous year, owing to the enhanced price of provisions.
The profits amount to Rs. 563-15-3, which gives for each lunatic employed on labor
Rs. 46-15-11.
Building.—The whole of the asylum was put into order during the year, and completed
in August. The first female was admitted, October 2nd.
Overseer J. Frawley is attentive and kind to the inmates of the asylum. The same may
be said of the native doctor Ruttoo, who is always at his post.
The asylum grounds are not in good order owing to the paucity of inmates to employ
upon them. An increase of patients will in this respect make a great change for the better.
BERHAMPORE,
The 18th January 1870.
JOHN WHITE, M.D.,
Superintendent, Lunatic Asylum, Moydapore.
Deputy Inspector-General of Hospitals G. Saunders inspected the asylum in March
1870, and reports:—
THE asylum is quite close to the jail, and is as badly situated as such an institution
could well be, lying in the midst of low swampy rice cultivation, and in itself bearing distinct
evidences of unfitness and neglect. I think it is to be regretted that when once the
Government determined on closing this asylum it was not done at once. It is a very great
distance from the station, and takes up a great portion of the civil surgeon's time in going
backwards and forwards. An institution of this kind needs to be within easy reach, and
well under observation. As it is, there is a European overseer (superintendent Frawley) who
is as inefficient an officer as I could well conceive. He was at Patna for a time, and there
the civil surgeon was only too anxious to get rid of him.*
Here he has only 18 insanes to look after, and though this cannot overtax his time
and zeal, yet the little he has to do is done in a slovenly way, which would have caused
* Mr. Frawley resigned in March 1870, and was succeeded by a native darogah on Rs. 25 a month.
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