20
Associated Rooms—Cells.
and, during the year, 13 lunatics were refused admission because there
was no room for them. In this asylum there is accommodation for 49
males in cells or separate rooms and for 41 in associa-
ted rooms ; for females there are 10 cells, and accom-
modation for 8 in an associated room. It will be observed that nearly half
the accommodation is cellular, and as such cannot be available for in-
creasing the admissions, as no more than one insane can be accommo-
dated in a separate room or cell. As the associated rooms are limited,
it is difficult, if not impossible, with due regard to safety, to admit more
than 113, or 5 above the intended or proper number. Drs. Wyllie, Johnson,
and Wiehe are all agreed that the asylum must be enlarged if the wants
of Guzerat are to be fairly met, and such extension should take the form of
a new and separate building for females. Dr. Wyllie says :—
Extension of Buildings
necessary.
" Thus, till extension be made, future admissions must be strictly
limited to the number of discharges. But current
wants cannot thus be anything like met. Experi-
ence during the year shows the demand for recep-
tion to have been equal to 43, while the aggregate of discharges was
only 26: and bearing in mind that insanity is curable directly in propor-
tion as cases are recent, it appears to me that humanity and regard for
economy alike call for a speedy provision of further accommodation. De-
lay can only result in adding to the number of incurables sooner or later
to be provided for, with the contingent likelihood of increase intermediately
by hereditary transmission."
Rejected Insanes, what
becomes of them.
87. With reference to those who are refused admission, Dr. Wiehe
says:—" I am unaware what becomes of the re-
jected lunatics ; probably a few find their way to
Colaba,but the condition of the others in village chow-
kies or in the hands of so-called friends must be deplorable indeed." I am not
prepared to endorse in full Dr. Wiehe's statement, for I believe there are
many harmless insanes well-cared for by their relatives, especially among the
rural populations; in cities I have reason to believe that the condition of insanes
in private families is at times anything but consonant with our ideas of the
proper care and treatment of the insane. I am of opinion that Government
must be prepared to extend the asylum, and 1 agree with Dr. Wyllie in
thinking that it cannot be done too soon
General Health.
88. The general health of the inmates is said to have been very good,
and only those who were confirmed invalids, required
medical treatment. The cases were chiefly among
anœmic and scorbutic patients whose general health had been impaired pre-
vious to admission. In all only 56 cases required treatment, or 28 less than
in the year preceding. The diseases were chiefly ague and bowel complaints.
89. The whole of the insanes were natives.
Remained from previous
year.
90. At the end of the previous year there re-
mained in the asylum 109, of whom 90 were males
and 19 females.
Admitted.
There were 30 admissions and re-admissions—22 males and 8 females.
The admissions were fewer by 7 than the average of
the last decade. The total number under treatment
was, therefore, 139, of whom 112 were males and 27 females. The admissions
were 27.6 to average daily strength and the discharges 23.9 ; the difference