11
5 females for culpable homicide amounting to murder, 8 males and 1 female
for culpable homicide not amounting to murder, 3 males with attempt to
commit suicide, 12 males and 1 female with causing grievous hurt, 9 males with
housebreaking, 7 males with mischief and assault, and 20 males and 1 female
with miscellaneous offences, such as dacoity, forgery, mischief by fire, &c. &c.
12. The official visitors were regular in their attendance at all the
asylums, except at Colába, in the month of December, when my Personal
Assistant was unavoidably absent. He was prevented at the last moment by
urgent public business from leaving the office, and there was no time to arrange
for a substitute as required by Government Resolution No. 104, dated 12th
January 1874, General Department.
13. The Principal Medical Officer, Sind District, Karáchi, inspected the
Sir Cowasji Jehangir Lunatic Asylum at Hyderabad in September 1898 and
found everything in good order.
14. On August 19th, 1898, I inspected the Lunatic Asylum at Poona, the
state of which indicated good management. But the buildings have not a few de-
fects, and should be replaced by more modern and spacious premises with better
recreation grounds. The accommodation for the inferior establishment is very
inadequate. On August 26th I visited the asylum at Dhárwár which was in
excellent order; but the arrangements do not permit of the separation of
criminal insanes from the other inmates. On September 8th I inspected the
Colába Lunatic Asylum, which I found clean and in good order. The buildings
are faulty in structure and arrangement, and I remarked that, as in our other
asylums, it is impossible to separate, to the extent desirable, the different forms
or phases of mental disease. Old and young patients, maniacs and imbeciles,
dirty and cleanly, chronic and recent cases are unavoidably associated together to
the obvious discomfort and disadvantage of many.
I found a European imbecile child among women with mania and melan-
cholia. The children who enter our asylums are few; but it seems desirable
that they should be specially provided for at a Central Station with a good
climate.
The attendants at this asylum are, in my opinion, insufficient for proper
care and supervision.
On 24th January 1899, I inspected the Lunatic Asylum at Ahmedabad, the
management of which is excellent; but I noted the following defects in the
buildings. The mud floors should be replaced by cement or tiles ; the kitchen
greatly needs enlargement and ventilation, and the latrine near to it should be
placed further away. A mortuary should be built as soon as possible; and
new quarters are required for the Hospital Assistant, whose present house would
serve for some of the inferior staff, several of whom are unprovided with accom-
modation. Arrangements for the complete separation of criminals from other
patients are also necessary.
On 11th March 1899, I inspected the Ratnágiri Lunatic Asylum with the
state of which I was well satisfied. The situation is good and the area spacious,
the buildings are substantial and well arranged, and, on the whole, very free
from serious defects. The most notable exceptions are the urinals in the wards,
and a block of four solitary cells, arranged on a cruciform plan, which is bad.
The Medical Subordinate's quarters also are so unsuitable, that the present
Hospital Assistant occupies his own house close by.
The separation of criminal lunatics from others by day is incomplete, owing
mainly to insufficiency of establishment.
15. The management of the asylums by the Superintendents was satisfac-
tory ; and excepting one man who was removed for concealing plague cases, the
Hospital Assistants' conduct was good. It appears to me that the clinical and
pathological observations might be recorded with greater fullness and precision;
and I trust that in future this will be done.
I have the honour to be,
Sir,
Your most obedient servant,
G. BAINBRIDGE, M.D.,
Surgeon-General with the Government of Bombay.