56
APPENDIX.
It requires inspection holes, as do the corner
cells in the non-criminal buildings.
The
general drainage is good. The cleanest and
sweetest place in the Asylum is the latrine.
The Superintendent has improved this, with
the result that dysentery, which Surgeon-Colo-
nel Ross held to be the bane of this Asylum,
has almost ceased.
The female side is better than the male.
The work-shed had no bad smell, but the cells
were very old, and it is impossible to keep
them in a satisfactory state.
The hospital is full of old wooden cots, and
the atmosphere in it was poisonous.
There was a little dispensary in good order,
but it is quite unsuited for the purpose to
which it is put.
The cook-room is in the old place and has
no Larymore range, but it has not been desir-
able to spend money on such a place as this,
now the construction of a conjoined lunatic
asylum is under consideration.
It is simply impossible for any Superintend-
ent to do anything with such buildings as are
found here.
The lunatics are well nourished; the food
is good, and the new warder and his wife
(Mr. and Mrs. Slater) are reported to be
energetic and careful as well as kind to the
patients.
The women are employed chiefly in grind-
ing corn, and the males, very wisely, in the
garden instead of on heavy work in a factory.
The garden is in excellent order. Every
spare foot of ground is under cultivation.
The average daily sick last year was 14.08:
males 7.45, females 6.63.
The total admissions into hospital were
males 68, females 35; total 103.
There were 23 deaths in 1897.
There have been seven deaths this year, of
which three were due to phthisis, one was
suicidal, one anæmia, one fatty heart, one
malarial cachexia. Last year there were six
deaths from phthisis following influenza in
1896, five from dysentery, three from pneu-
monia, one from cancer, one ulceration of
stomach, two general dropsy and cirrhosis of
the liver, one general debility, one fatty heart,
two remittent fever, one œdema of the lungs.
In 1896 there were 19 deaths, in 1895 17, in
1894 21. Many of these diseases were prob-
ably due to residence in such an unhealthy
place and in such imperfect buildings.
If this Asylum is not moved, it ought to be
reconstructed on a healthy site.
Taking into consideration all the difficulties,
as much seems to have been done as is possible.
I would recommend that more urine tubs
should be scattered about the place.
The warders are inefficient, and are slowly
being replaced. Amusements are provided.
The patients appear to be happy.
T. H. HENDLEY, COL., I.M.S.,
Inspector-General of Civil Hospitals, Bengal.
The 24th
November 1898.
REPORT BY SUPERINTENDENT.
Necessary arrangements have been made
for the corner cells in the non-criminal ward.
The padded cell is provided with ispec-
tion holes.
The hospital wooden cots have been
repaired. They will be replaced by new
ones from time to time. The Public Works
Department have made extra holes in the
roof of the hospital rooms which will keep
the atmosphere purer.
The dispensary will be removed to a
better and larger room attached to the
hospital.
Four such tubs have been brought.
Other directions will be duly carried out
as soon as the Public Works Department
have finished their work in the Asylum, and
it is seen how much they have left to be
done.