( 2 )
4. The year 1905 saw the first step towards the transfer of the
lunatics from Lucknow to the Agra asylum. Agra has for sometime
been considered the most unsuitable place for the accommodation of
European lunatics on account of the intense heat there for some months
of the year. The construction of a central asylum for European lunatics
has been under discussion for some years. The most recent proposal is
that the European lunatics of Upper India should be confined at an
asylum to be erected at Chindwara in the Central Provinces or at Ranchi
in Bengal. In the meanwhile it was recognised that something must be
done for the European lunatics at Agra, and after careful consideration it
was decided that they should be moved from Agra to Lucknow, the native
lunatics being transferred to Agra. The reasons which led to this decision
were (1) that the Lucknow asylum could be adapted to accommodate the
European insanes at a small cost, whereas the adaptation of the Bareilly
asylum would cost over Rs. 25,000, and (2) that the climate of Benares was
not congenial, while the erection of suitable buildings there would be
costly. His Honour the Lieutenant-Governor, accompanied by Colonel
Joubert, visited the Lucknow asylum in March 1905 in order to ascertain
and discuss the possibility of its adaptation for the retention of the
European lunatics until the construction of the central European asylum,
and it was decided to have at once a certain portion of the institution
converted into suitable quarters for European insanes. The work was
taken in hand immediately, and seven barracks of the non-criminal male
ward and three barracks of the female ward were altered for European
male and female patients. In all fourteen rooms have been prepared for
males and six for females. As the rooms are very large each would
accommodate two patients except in the case of those who are violent or
of dirty habits. The accommodation may therefore be put down for
twenty-four males and ten females.
Up to the close of the year 205 native lunatics were transferred
from Lucknow to Agra, viz.—
Criminal male
...
Non-criminal male ...
Ditto ...
Total ...
Criminal female ...
Non-criminal female ...
Total ...
76
60
20
156
25
24
*49
205
in March 1905.
„
August
„
„
September „
„
December 1905.
„ „ „
There are at present in the Lucknow asylum 52 male lunatics. Of these
4 are under observation. There is only one criminal lunatic. These
it is proposed to detain until the European lunatics are transferred from
Agra in order to keep the compounds and barracks clean and tidy.
The question was referred to Government in October 1905 and the
orders of the Government of India are still awaited.
In June 1905 Government directed that in future native lunatics
from Fyzabad, Gonda, Bahraich, Sultanpur, Partábgarh, Bara Banki
and Rae Bareli shall go to Benares and those from Lucknow, Unao,
Sitapur, Hardoi and Kheri to Bareilly.
The question of the increased establishment at Lucknow for the
European lunatics is also before Government. Until orders are received
on these two points the reception of the Europeans from Agra cannot
take place.
5. On the 31st December 1905 there were 10 male and 8 female
European and Eurasian lunatics at Agra. These with the 7 male and
1 female at Bareilly and the 2 male and 4 females at Benares make a
* Of the 52 female lunatics whose transfer was sanctioned in G. O. No. 3523/VI— 778D, dated the
22nd November 1905, two were discharged in October and November 1905, and one died on the 24th
October, leaving 49 transferred to Agra.