RErOUT ON TIIE TEZPUR LUNATIC ASYLUM.
.",
ANNUAL EEPOET ON TEE TEZPUR LUNATIC ASYLUM, 1880.
IN last year's Report I proposed enclosing the Asylum and some of the adjoining ground in a closo
"pakoree" hedge. The hedge has been made; but for "pahoree" I have substituted cactus and castor-
oil plant, this is growing well, and will in tho course of two or three years do away with the necessity
for palisades, over which it will be a great improvement, in so far as appearances are concerned, and will
probably be a greater preventive to escapes- The palisades are kept up at an average annual cost of
Rs. 300, while the hedge, which has a ditch on either side, was constructed at a cost of Its. 50, includ-
ing planting. On the ground newly taken up urhor has been sown, and is turning out an excellent
crop. This enclosing hedge prevents tho patients from straying away, and allows of their being shut
off from the general public while at work, without giving the place anything of a jail-like appearance.
2. The system of draining tho grounds by means of boulder drains is still going on, and by
the end of tho present cold season we hope to have completed it. It was commenced in 1877, and is an
excellent plan for a high sito like this, and is, moreover, very easily done, and requires no skilled
labour, tho work being performed by the lunatics, without any outside aid.
3. The general plan of the buildings remains unchanged, they have all boon put in good repair,
though the sum of money allotted for the purpose is annually decreasing. Ventilation under tho eaves
has been introduced, and boulders have been placed under all tho floors in the male division, those ia
tho wards of the female division will bo so treated during present cold season. The completed wards
were very dry and airy during the last rains, and now, during tho cold season, the air in them seems
pure and sweet even when tho patients are all present and with the jhamps down, as they are at night
during the cold weather. In narrow wards,.such as these, with windows on either side and a through
current of air, it would be imprudently exposing the patients to leave the jhamps open at night; besides
the great object of ventilation, plenty of fresh air without draught, is obtained by the ventilation under
the eaves, assisted by the unairtight condition of all parts of these kutcha buildings. The jhamps are
closed during tho cold weather at 9 p.m., and opened the first thing in the morning. From sunset
until daylight is a long time for tho patients to be shut up in their wards. As they are continually
complaining to me of the weariness of this system, 1 shall for the future allow them an extra hour
or two in the day-room, where, as there are several musicians among them, they may amuse themselves
as they are allowed to in European asylums.
4. The hospital and padded cells remain very much as they were last year. Tho colls are seldom
required; they have been padded with canvas instead of leather, and the patients amuse themselves by
tearing the canvas to pieces, hardly a safe employment, considering the state of mind of those employed.
The hospital has the great objection of having a plank flooring, the most unsuitable, next to pucka, of
any for this country.
5. The water-supply is the same as last year, the wells are not sufficiently deep, and when the
river reaches its lowest level they do not contain more than two or three feet of water: this is tho fault
of all the wells in this station.
6. Conservancy has, as formerly, been carried out on the dry-earth system: Small huts, having
their floors covered with a foot of dry earth, are used as latrines, upon the dry earth iron vessels for
receiving excreta are placed; the patients do not, as a rule, make use of these vessels, so that the dry'
earth floors have to be frequently renewed.
7. Admissions, discharges, eye, (Statement No. 1): —
187G.
1877.
1878.
1879.
1880.
M.
F.
Total.
M.
F.
Total.
H.
F.
Total.
M.
F.
Total.
M.
F.
Total.
Remaining
Admitted
40
15
04
37
18
4
10
o
47
20
4
27
13
7
9
1
34
22
1
32
9
14
46
11
30
14
2
14
6
44
20
2
40
15
64
59
12
71
40
17
57
41
1C
57
46
20
66
Averago population
Discharges .
Died ..
25-34
7
6
37
9-49
1
4
10
34-83
8
9
47
27-83
21
11
27
7-03
3
2
7
35-40
21
13
34
28-79
7
1
32
11-G3
2
1
14
40-42
9
2
46
31-37
9
2
30
1432
1
1
11
45-69
10
3
44
30-44
8
5
32
15-41
4
Q
14
45-S5
13
7
46
^wnaiuuig ....
The number, 44, remaining at tho end of the year was 2 less than in 1879.
liiere were 22 admissions, against 11 in tho preceding year, being one loss than in 1878, and 2
es 9 than in 1877; of these, 2 were re-admissions, one had been chronically insane for more than 12
years, and was in tho Asylum here during the greater part of 187G, when he was released (unimproved),
a s he was considered harmless and had friends to take care of him; he is supposed to have committed