REPORT ON THE TEZPUR LUNATIC ASYLUM.
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ANNUAL REPORT OF THE LUNATIC ASYLUM, TEZPUR, FOR \m.
THE situation of the Asylum, to the east of the station, about a quarter of a mile beyond the police
•lines, is, taking it all in all, about as good a one as could have been selected, with a view to
convenience of access, as well as seclusion and quietness,—elements so important in the management and
treatment of those mentally diseased.
2. The Asylum is placed on an open plateau of no great extent, comparatively elevated, and
beyond all chances of inundation, and lying about a quarter of a mile or less north-west of the low
lands which border the Mora Borelli Uiver, and having to its north a patar, or ravine, by which its
thorough drainage is secured.
3. The ground occupied is close to this patar, and slopes decidedly downward towards it, the
highest point of the pleateau being in front of the Asylum precincts, and more or less occupied by a
public, but comparatively little used, road.
4. The inconvenience of this position, on a slope and below the watershed of this individual spot
was shown during the rains by the fact that the movement of the sub-soil water tended towards the
potar through the Asylum grounds, so that, until large and deep drains had been cut, it was impossible,
when once the rains had commenced, to prevent the whole Asylum compound becoming more or less in
the condition of a swamp, and the floors of the huts extremely damp.
After the large drains were cut, this swampy condition was remedied to a great extent, whilst the
large amount of water that had previously drained through the Asylum was shown by the number of
bubbling springs that continued to throw out water in the deep drains for days after a heavy fall of
rain.
One unfortunate result was that the floors of the huts became in most instances thoroughly-
soaked, and it was found impossible, with the thin construction of the huts, to dry them, and two huts
had to be abandoned as unfit for residence.
5. The soil, 1 may observe, is the common red clay soil of this part of the country, which
i ahsorbes water slowly and with difficulty, and apparently gives it up with an equal want of facility.
It is one admirably adapted, however, for surface drainage, as all the rainfall can, with a proper
provision of channels, be passed away.
G. Dr. lmthurn, in the last report, pointed out that in this open spot the Asylum is exposed to
the prevalent east and north-east w r inds, which blow over a large extent of low grass-covered land, liable
to be submerged during the rains, and which he considered, and probably with some justice, as likely to
affect the health of the inmates unfavourably, besides exposing the kutcha buildings to damage during
high winds and gales which occasionally occur.
To do away with these objectionable circumstances as much as might bo, a hedge of erythina was
planted, so as to form part and parcel of the Asylum boundary fence. This did not thrive very well
during 1876, and the renewal of the outer boundary fence in 1877 has rendered the removal of most
of what little there was necessary. I do not look on this as a matter for regret, as any thick boundary
of vegetation, sufficient to protect buildings, would have impeded the proper circulation of the air.
What is required is a good belt of trees lying some distance from the Asylum boundary, which would
protect from violent winds and malaria-burthened air without interfering with free ventilation.
7. The Asylum, in its present condition, cannot be looked on as anything else but a temporary
makeshift; only two buildings, the hospital and the cells, being such as it would be desirable to retain
permanently. "
8. The hospital is a neatly-constructed " chang" bungalow, with boarded floors, and contains
iiwo rooms and two closets. Owing to want of proper offices, &c, one of these rooms has been, and is,
used as an office, whilst until recently tho overseer used the two closets as his residence. This latter,
ot course, was objectionable, but unavoidable under the circumstances of the case.
The building was not put to its original intended use at first, one of the ordinary huts being used
as a hospital, In the dry weather this was the most satisfactory arrangement, as a boarded floor is
|lot at all suited to tie dirty habits of many or most of the insanes, bad enough when they are in their
ordinary bodily health, but ten times worse when they are ill. During the rains, however, I was
compelled to bring the sick into the hospital building, owing to the extreme dampness of the huts; and
*}ny anticipations as to the difficulty of keeping the ward anything approaching to clean and sweet
have been fulfilled.
9. The padded colls are two in number, and stand out alone near tho hospital as a single solid
masonry structure, in cubic space and superficial area they are ample, but 1 cannot say that they
pre in any way perfect. The ventilation has been pronounced good, but I cannot say that I consider
.at ventilators placed close to the roof of a lofty cell, the lower portion of which is completely sealed,
"with the exception of a small drain on one side, is well ventilated, and this is just the condition of these;
jjolls. They are closed by heavy battened doors, so that no air can enter from the floor or from below.
"is matter is ot* importance, as it has prevented my using the only means of seclusion in my power
»ar less than 1 should otherwise have done.
It is advisable ai times to keep patients secluded and quiet, and this is done with advantage when
'"inurement in such dungeons as these for any but the shortest periods could do nought but harm.
One of the fust requirements of the Asylum is properly-constructed well-ventilated separate rooms
1 CellB, in which insanes can be placed in seclusion without depriving them of all fresh air and light.