No. S.B./183 OF 1892.
FROM
THE SURGEON GENERAL WITH THE
GOVERNMENT OF BOMBAY ;
To
THE CHIEF SECRETARY TO GOVERNMENT,
General Department,
Bombay.
Bombay, 14th April 1892.
SIR,
I have the honour to submit to Government my Administration, Report on
the Lunatic Asylums for 1891.
2. The asylums have been kept in good repair during the year. At the
Colába Lunatic Asylum new latrines and bath-rooms for the European wards
have been built at a cost of Rs. 1,632-15-3. At Poona a verandah has been
added to the female portion of the asylum, which shelters the patients while
the wards are being cleaned and aired. At Dhárwár additional accommodation
is being provided for 30 more insanes. The total space will then be for 62
persons. It will now be necessary to allow the outer enclosure to be used as a
recreation yard. The compound and garden hedge must be made secure and a
proper main gate must be provided. The old latrines are to be removed and
new ones built, while bathing platforms will be provided for the male and female
patients. At Ahmedabad the drainage of the courtyards to carry off the
monsoon rain has nearly been completed. At Ratnágiri the alterations and
improvements to the cook-rooms were completed. At Hyderabad one of the
pendalls has been converted into four cells, and the floors of the dispensary,
office, and the verandah have been paved with unglazed tiles.
3. The water-supply is good at all the asylums and in most cases has been
abundant. At Colába the water-supply was scanty during the hot weather, the
auxiliary tank was not as useful as was anticipated owing to deficient pressure
in the mains. During the hot weather the supply was supplemented by muni-
cipal water-carts. At Ratnágiri the municipal water-works supplied only 1,750
gallons daily instead of 3,000. This is not sufficient, and to supplement it a
Pukháli Bhisti is employed to bring water, and lunatic labour is also utilised
to draw water from the well in the jail compound. When the asylum is full
the full quantity of 3,000 gallons from the municipal water-works will be
required.
4. Government in Resolution No. 2077, dated the 10th June 1891, sanc-
tioned new diet scales for each asylum, instead of one diet scale for all the
lunatic asylums. These new scales are very suitable, and the new arrange-
ment is working satisfactorily.
5. The annual grants for entertainments and improving the happiness of
the inmates of the asylums are carefully expended by the Superintendents. The
inmates appreciate the games, music and pictures provided for them, and these
amusements are believed to be of some benefit in the treatment of certain forms
of lunacy.
6. The statements at the end of the report give statistical information about
the lunatics, and I beg to make the following general summaries on these
tables :—
Statement No. I shows that during the year the total population was 961
against 1,006 in the previous year. Of these, 786 were males and 175 females.
On 1st January there remained 562 males and 128 females: 209 males and 43
females were admitted and 15 males and 4 females re-admitted. 156 males and
26 females were discharged. Of these, 74 males and 16 females were cured, 80
males and 10 females were transferred to friends (69 males and 8 females
improved and 11 males and 2 females not improved), and 2 males escaped. 57
males and 13 females died against 66 males and 12 females in 1890. At the end
B 1415—1