Copy of INSPECTION REMARKS made by the Principal Medical Officer and Sanitary
Commissioner, Assam, on the Tezpur Lunatic Asylum, dated the \§th October 1804.
VISITBD the Asylum this morning accompanied by the Superintendent, Dr. Macna-
mara. There are at present 118 lunatics in the Asylum, of whom 95 are males and
23 are females. Of the 95 males, 20 are criminal lunatics ; with the exception of one,
the females are non-criminal.
There were 5 patients in hospital on the date of my visit, 2 of whom were
suffering from ancemia, 2 from rheumatism and 1 from dysentery.
Sixteen of the inmates have died this year up to date,—5 from diseases of
the lungs, 3 from phthisis pulmonalis, 1 from asthma, 2 from anaemia, 1 from
apoplexy, 1 from cirrhosis of the liver, 1 from dysentery, 1 from diarrhoea and
there was a case of suicide. The average population of the Asylum this year has been 101,
so that the rate of mortality up to date has been at the annual rate of 192 per thousand.
Including the 10 persons who died last year after their removal to the dispensary, there
were 25 deaths among lunatics in 1893—a death-rate of 245 per thousand, so that the
death-rate this year up to date is considerably less than it was last year.
The lunatics were well clothed, and they had the appearance of being well looked
after. The food supplied for their morning meal was of good quality, and it was well
cooked.
The Asylum enclosure was in good order, and the wards, recreation shed and
hospital were very clean. The earth in use in the latrines was very damp, and that on
the mud floor of the wards was also damp. The earth on the asphalt floor of the
criminal ward was somewhat drier.
It is very difficult to keep a stock of dry earth in a damp climate like that of Tezpur ;
but, were the earth spread out on the ground on days when the sun shines for a few
hours, and afterwards carefully stored, it would be drier than what I saw in use. The
earth spread on the floor of latrines and of wards should be well sifted ; that in use in a
portion of the criminal ward was in comparatively large lumps. The Superintendent
states that the plan suggested by Dr. Warburton last December of covering the wards
with 3 inches of dry earth proved to be very useful during the dry-weather months.
He is, however, not so certain of its utility during the rainy months, as he finds it
difficult to keep the earth dry. If proper precautions are taken to keep the earth as
dry as possible, 1 think Dr. Warburton's recommendation should be acted on even during
the rainy months.
The inmates are employed in keeping the wards and compound clean and tidy and in
the garden. A few of the women have lately been employed in weaving.
As in former years, the lunatics are classified as criminals and non-criminals.
The establishment consists of an overseer, one jemadar, one compounder, ten male and
two female warders. There is no resident hospital assistant, so that medical assistance
is not available in cases of emergency. As funds will not permit of the appointment
of a special hospital assistant for the Asylum, I think that lie proposal to appoint a
hospital assistant who would at the same time perform the duties of overseer, should
be carried out.
The supply of hot-weather vegetables in the garden was nearly exhausted ; cold-
weather seeds had been sown in beds sometime previous to my visit, and arrangements
were being made for planting them out.
The trenching ground was in good order, and was almost free from smell ; this
method of disposing of latrine matters seemed to be efficiently carried out.
The drinking water got from a deep masonry well outside the Asylum is of good
quality, and the quantity is stated to be sufficient. All the books and registers are
properly and carefully kept and are up to date.
The good condition in which 1 found the institution as a whole reflects much
credit on the management of the Superintendent, Surgeon-Major Macnamara.