RErORT ON THE TEZPUtt LUNATIC ASYLUM.
There
into the A
Of tin
are formed of dry loose earth, which can be removed without any trouble; and the dry-ear tli
The a
system has been carried out as fully as possible with insanes, many of whom, as is well
mon°"st tl
known, can be induced to go to the latrine with the greatest difficulty, or not at all. Most many 5
of those visiting the latrines are perfectly incapable of comprehending the simple rules off
the dry-earth system, so that one has to be satisfied with the fact of their resorting for the!
purpose of nature to one spot, from which it is possible to remove all traces of ordure. The!
latrines are cleaned twice daily by the mehter and assistants, and the filth is carried away,
and buried fully 600 yards from any portion of the Asylum. With regard to ablution, no;
special provision for water is made, as 1 found from the first that the large majority of the:
insanes would not use water, though ready provided at the latrine, whilst those who would
use it would as readily obtain it from the well in their own vessels. As regards the water;
used after washing, I found it also impossible to get any special vessels provided for its!
reception used, so I was driven to the conclusion that it was safest and surest, as well as
cleanest, to let the insanes follow their own plans, and to have all moisture in the neigh-
bourhood of the privies removed as a portion of the excreta and replaced by fresh earth.
However, even if the moisture derived from this process of cleansing were not removed, it
could have no possible effect on the patients' health. From the plan in vogue, this one
source of lumbricus infection is done away with. Whatever influence this may be
supposed to have had, of this I am certain, that lumbrici have been of comparatively less
frequent occurrence during the year. Knowing the unfavourable effects produced by
these parasites on individuals in bad health, my strict order has been to the mehter and com-
pounder to observe carefully and report the occurrence of lumbrici in any of the stools;
and in most of the instances in which such cases have come under treatment the first in-
formation of their existence has been gained in this way. A more difficult problem has
been the sanitary condition of the dormitories devoted to filthy patients, but this difficulty
has been overcome, as far as may be, by the use of the dry-earth system and by the free use
of leepino-, &c.
This
Assam we
As re
jin either o
3n excess,
increase is
incurable
The ]
is one less
The .
attacks,
have left
was finall
9. ' .
'ai
6. Drainage.—With all the improvements made in the drainage, I regret to say
that the floors of some of the barracks became very damp, and in two instances tin
barracks had to be disused. In one instance, in the male division, this was of no impor-
tance, as there was ample room elsewhere, but in the other, in the female division, the
effect of the necessary overcrowding became apparent after a time, so that I had to give
up a portion of the hospital to the women for the time being, and with the best
result. This dampness, which results from the fact that the Asylum is built in a
stratum of sandy soil of very varying thickness, lying on a bed of red clay, almost imper-
vious to water, I do not believe irremediable, and I am at present engaged in cutting
deep drains near each of the lines of barracks to be filled in with boulders, according
to the plan proposed by Dr. DeKenzy, and I hope that this sub-soil drainage will have the
desired effect, for the drainage carried out at the latter end of 1877 had so far a
beneficial effect that fewer barracks became uninhabitable from dampness, and in the few
that did so, it happened at a much later period of the season. Of course, ic would be
better if the floors could be made damp-roof by a flooring of asphalt, but here again the
question of expense comes to the front, for, of course, it is questionable whether it is worth
while spending the necessary amount on barracks of this nature.
7. Cleanliness.—The precincts have been kept invariably clean and neat, and no
difficulty this year has been experienced in keeping down the jungle. Much attention
has been paid to giving the whole place a cheerful look, and one pleasant to the eye, so
as to remove as much as possible any jail-like appearance. Working only with the
lunatics, I found it impossible to plant the row of trees to the east of the Asylum, as I
proposed, but hope to be able to do so this year.
8. Admissions, discharges, fyc. {Statement No. 1):—
1S70 (9 months).
1877.
1878.
Mute. Female, Total. Male. Female, Totul. Mule. Female. Total.
*49
"l*5
"til
37
18
4
10
2
47
20
27
13
...
7
0
1
34
22
1
Total
49
15
G4
59
12
71
40
17
57
25-34
7
5
37
I)-4H
1
4
10
34-83
H
1)
47
27 83
21
11
27
7-63
3
7
;'.vn;
21
13
34
2S-7'.l
7
1
32
11-63
1
14
4042
Died
1)
•>
4tJ
Cured
Made over tc
Died total ,
Died per cei
))
))
The"
improved
supposing
adniissioi
small fig
there we
10.
amounte
whereas
at the be
U, the
viz,, 8, i;
Tin
much h
marked
Th.