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COLA'BA ASYLUM.
Superintendent.—SURGEON-MAJOR W. NOLAN.
The Asylum was under the superintendence of Surgeon Greany from the 1st of January
to the 21st March. Surgeon-Major McConaghy then assumed charge and remained until
the 9th of April and was relieved by Surgeon Thompson, who handed over the duties to
Surgeon-Major Nolan, the present incumbent, on the 23rd July 1883. There is accommodation
for 35 European males, 215 Native males, and for 50 European and Native females. There
was less overcrowding than usual during the year under report, the greatest excess of po-
pulation over accommodation at any time being 16. The accommodation is however not
proportionate to the demands on the Asylum, many patients being compelled to seek
admission elsewhere or wait until vacancies occur. The ordinary repairs to the Asylum
buildings were duly executed, besides some new works, viz., flooring and ventilating in a
better manner six solitary cells, repairing and making secure the Purveyor's store-room,
&c., the total cost being Rs. 5,999-15-0. The conservancy and drainage of the Asylum are
carefully looked after ; the water-supply both for ablution and drinking purposes is ample
and of good quality. The diets have remained unchanged ; they were sufficient and of good
quality. On the 1st January 1883 there remained in the Asylum 243 males and 58 females;
173 males and 20 females were admitted, 6 males and 6 females re-admitted, making a total
treated of 422 males and 84 females during the year under report. Of these, 34 males and
10 females were discharged " cured " 98 males and 4 females discharged having " improved; "
27 males and 4 females were handed over to the care of their friends, and 5 females trans-
ferred to the Poona Lunatic Asylum. Two European pauper patients—one a tea-planter
from the Kángra Valley and the other a seaman—were deported to Europe at the expense of
the State. There were 50 deaths, viz., 49 males and 1 female, thus leaving 222 males and 52
females on the Asylum roll at the close of the year. The percentage of recoveries to the
daily average strength was 15.6, and to admissions 21.4. The percentage of deaths to the
daily average strength was 17.7 and to admissions 24.4. Of the Europeans admitted there were
99 soldiers, 12 civilians and 3 sailors. Sixty-five criminal lunatics were confined during
the year. Of these, 8 were new admissions, 9 died and 8 were discharged, leaving 48 remain-
ing at the close of 1883. The religion of the insanes admitted during the year were 123
Christians, including 8 Native Christians, 44 Hindus, 26 Mahomedans and 11 Pársis. There
was no epidemic. The treatment is for the most part hygienic; restraint of a simple
nature, mainly that which prevents the patient injuring himself or others, is resorted
to only when necessary; attention is paid to the recreation of the inmates by various
means, and suitable employment is provided for those who can and will work.
No
suicides or accidents occurred during the year. The receipts of the workshops amounted to
Rs. 1,055-13-8; work for the Asylum was executed to the value of Rs. 1,842-10-0, the total
proceeds being Rs. 2,898-7-8, showing an increase of Rs. 88-4-6 over last year. The average
daily number of patients employed was 118.4, gardening, drawing water, weaving,
making coir-matting and cane-work being the chief occupations. The total amount realized
by civil patients was Rs. 5,109-14-6, by military insanes Rs. 2,017-9-10; total Rs. 7,127-8-4
against 7,786-5-5 in 1882. The total cost was Rs. 72,338-8-11 and the net cost per patient
Rs. 198-13-10 against Rs. 69,970-3-6 and Rs. 170-5-6 respectively in the previous year.
The Superintendent reports favourably on the conduct of the Asylum establishment.
POONA ASYLUM.
Superintendent —SURGEON-MAJOR H. COOK.
The Asylum was under the superintendence of the following Medical officers during the year
under review, viz.:—Surgeon-Major Sexton from 1st January to 7th March, Brigade Surgeon
Joynt from 8th to 27th March, Surgeon Párekh from 28th March to 8th April, Surgeon-Major
Cook from 9th April to 31st December. The only alteration in the buildings was in some im-
provements to the latrines for the Asylum establishment. There is accommodation for 61 males
and 17 females, besides two padded rooms. Water-supply is good and abundant; drinking
water is obtained from stand pipes in different parts of the Asylum, while that for gardening
purposes is obtained from the Irrigation canal. The general cleanliness of the Asylum and its
surroundings is satisfactorily maintained. On the 31st December 1882, 81 patients remained,
viz., 63 males and 18 females. During the year 27 males and 8 females were admitted and
one male re-admittted. The total number treated was therefore 81 males and 26 females.
Of these 24 were discharged, viz., 15 males discharged as cured, 7 males and 2 females under
Section X. of Act 36 of 1858, 15 males and 3 females died, and 54 males and 21 females
remained under treatment at the end of the year. The daily average strength was 80, being
an increase of 4 as compared with last year. The percentages to strength of " Cured "
and "Died" are 18.7 and 22.5 respectively. Acute mania was as usual the most frequent
cause of admission, 16 of the total admitted being from this type of insanity. No cri-
minal lunatics were admitted during the year. Of the total number of admissions 28
were Hindus, 4 Musalmáns, 3 Native Christians and 1 whose caste was not known.
Except for Rs. 25 received from the master of a lunatic for the latter's maintenance, no
paying patients were admitted during the year under review. There was a large number of
B 1265—2