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Indeed, every portion of the old civil hospital promises might now, I think,
be repaired and made available for the accommodation of insanes. At the
same time, I cannot concur in Dr. Lord's views that the present asylum and
ground, if altered and put into a proper state of repair, would do away with
the necessity of building another asylum.
In the first place, the present site does not afford that seclusion so
ecessary in the treatment of lunatics, and in the next, there is no ground
around it available for garden purposes—a point of great importance in con-
nection with the subject of finding suitable employment for our insanes; and,
again, unless the whole building was pulled down and re-built, no proper
system for the separation and classification of patients could be carried out.
This is a subject on which I was called upon to report twelve years ago,
when superintendent of the asylum; but the only improvements which have
been made since that time are the alterations just completed and already
alluded to.
I fully concur with the superintendent that the asylum should be sup-
plied, without delay, from the Karackwasla canal. After the first outlay for
pipes, &c., the cost for water would be much less than at present, and the
ground, which formerly was prepared by the insanes for garden and agri-
cultural purposes, might be again brought under cultivation.
At present no suitable employment has been found for the insanes,
which, I conceive, is a great drawback to the institution.
This subject has been prominently brought to notice in Dr. Lord's report,
and I need not further allude to it, except by stating that one reason, I believe,
for the falling off in the numbers employed in field and garden work is the
scarcity of water, which has existed for some time past. I would further state
that it appears to me very desirable that other means of occupation should
be found for insanes, and would suggest rope-making and basket-work for
the males and grain-grinding and spinning for females. Although skilled
labour may not be found within the walls of the asylum, some of the more
rational and quietly disposed of the lunatics might be taught the above
handicrafts by persons outside the asylum, Government granting a small
allowance for that purpose. At any rate, the experiment is well worth a
trial.
The numbers of insanes remaining in this asylum at the close of the
year 1872 was 52 males and 9 females, since admitted 11, re-admissions
none; giving a total of 72. Of these, 8 were discharged cured, I trans-
ferred to Kolaba, 6 died , and there remained in the asylum criminal lunatics
8, ordinary, males 39, females 10.
Six deaths have taken place in the asylum. The fatal cases were male
patients, 4 of whom died from general debility, and 2 from general dropsy
and chronic diarrhœa. It may here be remarked, that among the glaring
defects of this asylum, proper hospital accommodation for the insane sick
cannot be included. The ward in which they are treated was formerly the
police ward of the old civil hospital, and is capable of containing 8 patients.
As it adjoins the dispensary and quarters of the hospital assistant, the
comfort and safety of the sick are well attended to.
No returns of sick, or those suffering from bodily ailments, have hitherto
been furnished to this office, an omission which might, in future, be supplied