42
REPORT ON THE
Extended
accommodation
necessary.
It is quite clear, from the returns now submitted and those of former years, that much
remains to be done to render the Dacca asylum a fit residence for the lunatics of Eastern
Bengal. For four years nothing has been done towards extending the accommodation.
The scheme for improving the asylum, which met with the approval of the Government in
1867, was hardly entered upon before it was suspended; and year after year the visitors,
Inspector-General of Jails, Deputy Surgeon-General, and the superintendent, have repeatedly
urged upon Government the absolute necessity of building new wards for the accommodation
of the lunatics, but without success.
Superficial area of
asylum buildings.
It was laid down in Government letter No. 796 of the 24th February 1873, "that the
minimum amount of accommodation to be allowed to inmates of lunatic asylums in Bengal,
whenever practicable, shall be 50 superficial feet." During the past year the average number
of males sleeping in the asylum was 196, with only 22 superficial feet of room. The ground
area of all the male-cells and dormitories, exclusive of twenty solitary cells and of an average
of 19 sick in the hospital, amounts to 4,480 superficial feet. Dividing this by the minimum
amount of accommodation sanctioned by Government, the Dacca asylum can safely house—
In solitary cells
... ...
...
...
In hospital
...
... ... ...
In dormitories
... ... ... ...
Males.
20
19
88
127
Overcrowded state
of asylum.
As Mr. Heeley truly said in his remarks dated 13th September 1872, which were
forwarded to Government,—" If the death-rate of this asylum prevailed in any jail, the most
serious measures would be at once taken;" and again, on the 22nd September 1873—" the
amount of 28 superficial feet for each lunatic is smaller than I should allow in a jail."
The only reply to these repeated recommendations during the past year was that given
in Government letter No. 1417 of the 9th April. In that letter it was suggested that the
erection of temporary sheds, or the filling up of some of the work-sheds, might be under-
taken, and that the completion of the asylum for criminal lunatics would ere long relieve to
a considerable extent the crowding of the wards. To the housing of lunatics in temporary
sheds, or sheds constructed of inflammable materials, there are the strongest objections;
and as there is only one manufacturing shed in the asylum, part of which is occupied
by the bakery and the godown with Government property and records, it is impossible
to transform it into a sleeping apartment.
Further, Government has intimated that the new asylum being built "is not for
criminal lunatics as such, but for dangerous lunatics of any class." If only dangerous
lunatics are to be removed to the new asylum, the numbers in this asylum will be reduced
by about fifteen.
The new asylum building in Assam will probably lessen the crowding of this asylum ;
but while the Magistrates of nine zillahs, whose population is estimated to be over thirteen
millions, keep forwarding lunatics to this asylum, it is absurd to assert that accommodation
for 127 males is sufficient for the wants of so numerous a population.
Two new wards
required.
Asylums are provided for criminal lunatics, whose custody the law requires ; but
Government also recognises the claim that the harmless and homeless lunatics have on its
consideration, and has established institutions where it is assumed that they will be properly
accommodated and cared for. Instead of that, these unfortunates are crowded into quarters
where they die in the proportion of from sixteen to nineteen per cent. per annum. I trust
the administrative medical officers, to whom this report is sent before submission to
Government, will continue to urge upon the Government of Bengal the necessity of at
once placing the Dacca asylum in a proper sanitary state for the reception of the lunatics
forwarded to it, and of sanctioning the construction of at least two new wards to meet the
present wants of the institution. Until this is accomplished, the yearly returns of the
asylum must continue to exhibit an excessive mortality from preventible diseases.
Gheel system.
In letter No. 5224 of the 26th November 1872, Government sanctioned, as an experi-
ment, the introduction of the Gheel system of boarding out lunatics—under the conditions
that the boarders should be carefully selected; that their friends are not in a position to
maintain them; that they are domiciled in a known place with a known person; that they are
periodically visited by a competent person; and that their treatment is carefully inquired into.
After several unsuccessful attempts to induce individuals to accept the responsibility
of looking after harmless lunatics, I succeeded in arranging with two residents of the city
for the boarding out of six non-criminal males.
On the 3rd September three men were consigned to the care of the head master of
the normal school. The building occupied by the school is surrounded by a large open
space, and one side is an enclosed garden, where the lunatics are employed. Proper accommo-
dation having been provided, and a man specially appointed to look after them, it was agreed
to pay for each boarder at the rate of Rs. 5 per mensem. These men have lived happily in
their new quarters, and none of them have been ill or given any trouble.
On the 16th November three more were given on the same terms to a Portuguese
zemindar residing in the city. Two are employed in the garden, and one as a domestic.