RErOIlT ON THE TEZPUft LUNATIC ASYLUM.
whatever was cut off, the lunatics enjoyed an almost complete immunity from dysentery
and worms. The inevitable inference from this case is that the cause of the dysentery
and of the worms lay in the impure water which die lunatics had been using for ablution,|
19. I may here state that Dr. Garden has evidently mistaken the argument I
founded on the Dullunda Asylum case in the Sanitary Report.
From para. 24 of his report he evidently supposes that I believe that worms are the
chief cause of the dysentery of the province. Though there can be no doubt that worms'
often cause diarrhoea and dysenteiy, the aim of my argument was to establish that worms
and d3'sentery were, as a rule, both caused by impure water, and that both affections would
cease, or nearly cease, by the entire disuse of impure water, whether for ablution purposes
or for drinking purposes.
20. The Asylum well-water, though far from being as good as it might be, is much
safer than the Mora Bhorelli water, and it would have been strange if the comparative
disuse of the latter had not been attended with a reduction in the frequency of bowel-
diseases.
21. The state of the water-supply is at present the chief sanitary defect in the Asylum,
The well, not being deep enough, goes dry after long drought, showing that it is mainly
fed by percolation from the surface-soil. The appliances for drawing the water, too, are
defective, they consist merely of a bucket and rope, the drawer having to stand on the
edge of the tube. Two evils result from this arrangement—(1) there is a constant reflux
of fouled water into the well, and (2) the supply of water is altogether insufficient to keep
the lunatics in a satisfactory state as regards personal cleanliness. As a fact, I found
several of them very unclean in their persons, their skins giving proof of infrequent
ablution.
22. With regard to the employment of the lunatics, I would suggest that, now that
the Asylum grounds have been pretty well drained and cleared, an endeavour should be
made to employ them more in agricultural operations. This will be by far the best way
of employing persons who are derived in the great majority of cases from the agricultural
classes. They will be more healthy if employed moderately in the occupations they have
been accustomed to.
23. Para. 35 of Dr. Garden's report, too, furnishes evidence that such employment
may be made«profitable, for it appears that an average of 2*33 lunatics earned Us. 197-11-3
by garden work, or upwards of Us. 8-1 each. There is a fine piece of ground in the hands of
Government around the Asylum, it is admirably adapted for cultivation, and would produce
potatoes, vegetables, and fruits of various kinds, for which there is always a good demand.
By utilising a piece of that land for the employment of the lunatics, 1 am inclined to think
that the cost of the maintenance of the Asylum would be considerably reduced.
24. At the present stage of the Asylum's history, I do not think there would be any
benefit in remarking on the classes of mental disease which have presented themselves, but
I would call attention to Dr. Garden's renewed complaint of the scantiness of the informa-
tion furnished on the admission of lunatics regarding their previous history.
25. In conclusion, I feel bound to record my opinion that Dr. Garden has, by his
most able management of the Asylum ever since it fell under his charge, established a claim
to the cordial thanks of the Chief Commissioner.
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