18
ANNUAL REPORT ON LUNATIC ASYLUMS.
patients and examined them, but, with the exception of a slight swelling on one
man's (Ramudoo) hand, I found no injuries and no blood on the clothes of any of
the patients. The warders all said that they heard a noise, and on running to the
weaving shed found the deceased lying insensible, but that they saw no one near
him. At my evening visit, at about 5 P.M., a criminal patient told me that if I
would take him to the office he would tell me all, but that he was afraid to speak
before the other patients. He then mentioned the names of three men who, he said,
had beaten the deceased, and also the names of three men who had seen the beating.
I then had these men put in single rooms to await the Coroner's inquest. The
following morning an inquiry was held and adjourned. It was not till the Coroner
had left the asylum and 24 hours after the murder that the warders who had been
on duty in the enclosure came forward to give evidence, stating that they had been
afraid to tell the truth before, as two of the patients had threatened to kill them.
The Coroner brought in a verdict of wilful murder against two patients named
Ramudoo and Chinnapial, both men who had been previously found guilty of
murder and acquitted on the grounds of insanity. Neither of them had shown
any symptoms of insanity after admission into the asylum. They were sub-
sequently taken before the Magistrate and committed to the Sessions. At the trial
they were acquitted for want of evidence, the Judge making severe remarks on the
evidence given by the warders. The Second-class Warder Chokkalingum admitted
having given the key of the weaving shed to the accused Ramudoo, knowing that
he was breaking the rules of the asylum, but stating as an excuse that he knew
Ramudoo to be sane and to be a good man. The injuries were inflicted with
wooden blocks used in spinning, and the murder could not possibly have occurred if
the warder had not given up the key of the weaving room, as there was nothing in
the enclosure on that day which could be used as a weapon.
Occupation.—The average daily number of patients employed was 195.
It is not always easy to find work for the Europeans and East Indians (males),
as they do not take kindly to manual labor, but Natives, who are physically fit, can
generally be induced to engage in some occupation, if their attendants will only
persevere with them. During the past year I have had both criminals and women
employed outside the enclosures, the men in digging and other heavy work, the
women in watering and weeding the gardens. There is not sufficient employment
for them in the enclosures. The weaving, which was started by my predecessor, has
been continued, and all cloth required for the clothes has been made by the inmates.
A good deal of other useful work has also been done, namely : —
(a.) Filling in to a safe depth of a deep tank near the idiot enclosure and
filling in of a tank in the female enclosure.
(b.) Painting the eight single rooms in the criminal enclosure.
(c.) The laying out of a large plot of ground as a vegetable garden, and
making channels and reservoirs for watering.
(d.) The completion of the drain near the kitchen, which was commenced
some years ago by the Public Works Department.
(e.) The making a broad raised path through the grounds to the south of the
asylum, and the planting of an avenue of 250 casuarina trees.
Amusements.—As much has been done as possible for the amusement of the
patients. Cricket is played twice a week in the evening by the Europeans, and on
Saturdays by the Natives. When the circus was here 50 patients were sent with
their attendants, and on two occasions a large party was sent to the People's Park
to spend the afternoon. Some of the inmates are allowed exercise beyond the
asylum grounds under the control of their attendants. Next year I hope to have
funds to spend on amusements, as the vegetable gardening is likely to prove
remunerative. Formerly the grazing of cattle provided funds, but I found it
necessary to put a stop to this, as the hedges were destroyed, and the cattle were
not properly looked after.
Treatment.—It is now generally admitted that in the treatment of mental
disorders the use of narcotics and sedatives is more likely to do harm than good,
and that the health of the brain is best restored by improving that of the whole
body.