2
Asylum gets its supply of drinking water from four stand-pipes in different
parts of the institution, and that for gardening purposes from the irrigation
canal. At Dhárwár the well in the asylum garden compound supplies water
for domestic purposes, whereas that for the garden has to be brought from a
distance by means of a water cart. The Sir Cowasji Jehangir Lunatic Asylum
at Hyderabad obtains its water from three of the wells in the compound. The
fourth well is out of repair and without a Persian wheel, but this defect will be
remedied as soon as funds are available.
10. The undermentioned works were executed at the lunatic asylums and
paid for out of the Surgeon-General's discretionary grant during the year
1897:—
Constructing two latrines of Government type for servants at the
Lunatic Asylum at Dhárwár ... ... ...
Completing the presses for clothing in the store-room at the Lunatic
Asylum, Ahmedabad ... ... ... ...
Improving the ventilation, &c., of the latrine, chiefly used by the lunatics,
inside the Lunatic Asylum, Ahmedabad ...
Blocking up the openings in the northern wall of the male day-barrack
at the Lunatic Asylum, Dhárwár ... ... ...
Total ...
Rs.
244
100
130
58
532
11. On the statistical statements appended at the end of the Report, I
beg to make the following remarks:—
Statement No. I shows that the total population of the asylums during the
year under review was 1,029, showing an increase of 23 over the preceding year.
Of these, 836 were males and 193 females, against 817 males and 189 females
in 1896. On 1st January 1897 there remained 592 males and 144 females; 232
males and 48 females were admitted, and 12 males and 1 female re-admitted ;
69 males and 12 females were discharged cured, 87 males and 10 females
transferred to the care of friends (63 males and 4 females improved and 24
males and 6 females not improved), and 9 males discharged otherwise (3 escaped,
5 made over to friends by order of the Magistrate and 1 transferred from the
criminal to the civil list on expiry of sentence). 61 males and 20 females died
as compared with 59 males and 19 females in the previous year. At the close
of the year 1897 there remained 610 males and 151 females—total 761 against
736 (males 592 and females 144) in 1896. The daily average strength was
616.4 males and 148.3 females—total 764.7, as compared with 723.4 (males
583.2 and females 140.2) in the preceding year.
The percentages of deaths and cures to the daily average strength were :—
Cured
...
Died
...
Males
...
...
...
Females ... ...
Males ... ... ...
Females ... ...
11.2
8.1
9.9
13.5
Total ...
Total ...
The percentages to admissions were :—
Cured
...
Died
...
Males ... ... ...
Females ... ...
Males ... ... ...
Females
...
...
28.3
24.5
25.0
40.8
Total ...
Total ...
10.6
10.6
27.6
27.6
Statement No. II gives details of criminal lunatics. At the beginning of
the year there remained 96 males and 9 females, 35 males were admitted and 2
males re-admitted, making a total of 133 males and 9 females—a grand total of
142 in all confined, as compared with 130 (males 120 and females 10) in 1896.
Of these, 12 males were discharged, transferred, &c., and 9 males died, leaving
112 males and 9 females on 31st December 1897. The daily average of these
insanes was 113.7 (males 104.7 and females 9.0) against 101.2 (males 92.0 and
females 9.2) in the previous year.