5
into a male ward and to build a separate female barrack. At present, there is no screen
wall between the female and male wards, and the women, some of whom remain naked,
are exposed to the eyes of the men.
The construction of a tubercle ward, a
separate segregation ward for small-pox, cholera and dysentery cases, a post mortem
house and other improvements are at present under consideration, but it is perhaps unwise
to proceed with any but the most urgent improvements at present when the subject of
building a central asylum is engaging our attention. Money has already been allotted
for constructing two gate-keepers' rooms at the front gate, for providing iron gates at
the front and back entrances and for replacing the wooden bars of the solitary cells by
iron bars.
Sanitary and Hospital
arrangements.
The sanitary arrangements at both asylums are carefully supervised. The water
supply is good. Night-soil is trenched in the garden and
infectious stools are destroyed at Dacca in an incinerator.
Disinfectants are freely used. Great care is taken regard-
ing cleanliness, bodily and general. Clothing and bedding are adapted to the season
of the year. The food at both asylums is of excellent quality and varied, and there is
no lack of vegetables. At both asylums lunatics losing weight, or in feeble health, or
infirm, are treated in the infirm gang and receive special attention ; milk, fine rice, mung
dal and good vegetables, etc., are provided for them. Prophylactic quinine is issued
regularly with beneficial results. At Dacca the stools of all the lunatics are systematic-
ally examined as to the presence of parasites . At Dacca the hospital floor was made
pucca, and the female lunatics were supplied with wooden beds. At the Tezpur Asylum
there is a good hospital building for the accommodation of 14 male patients ; the floor is
unfortunately of asphalt, and difficult to clean or disinfect. As a preventive against
malaria all kutcha drains in the Tezpur Asylum are regularly treated with kerosine oil.
At Tezpur the wells have now been protected with padlocks on the lids and a pucca
bathing platform has recently been constructed with a reservoir for male lunatics.
Latrines are very badly wanted at Tezpur. At present, there are for males only five seats
of obsolete pattern, difficult to keep clean and quite inadequate for the 200 inmates.
The surroundings of the Dacca Asylum are insanitary, but this is a fault of its position
and the want of proper drainage in the Municipality of Dacca.
Inspections.
8. The Asylum at Dacca was inspected four times by the Inspector-General of Civil
Hospitals and once by His Honour the Lieutenant-
Governor. The Tezpur Asylum was inspected twice by His
Honour the Lieutenant-Governor, thrice by the Commissioner of the Assam Valley
Districts, thrice by the Inspector-General of Prisons, and four times by the Inspector-
General of Civil Hospitals.
Eighteen meetings of the committee of visitors of the Tezpur Asylum were held
during the three years, while at Dacca the visitors met monthly.
General remarks.
9. The above review of the working of the asylums during the past three years shows
that both institutions have continued to be managed
carefully and efficiently. The lunatics have been well
looked after in all respects, sympathetically treated, and properly clothed and fed.
Work has been distributed with discrimination. The profits on manufactures show that
some lunatics have been usefully employed As in previous years, amusements, such as
theatricals, gramophone recitals, nautches, juggling and magic lantern entertainments
were provided. Sweets and fruits were distributed from time to time and pân and
tobacco were also given as rewards for hard work and good conduct. Newspapers and
books were supplied, and appreciated by those who were able to read. The expenditure
( Rs. 280-7-0 ) incurred on amusements in 1908 at Dacca was met from the Nawab of
Dacca's Entertainment Fund—thanks to his liberality. The use of mechanical restraint
in the treatment of lunatics has since September 1906 been placed under restrictions
similar to those in force in England. Both asylums maintain registers of solitary con-
finement and mechanical restraint. These registers are produced at each meeting of the
visitors of the asylums, who certify that they have scrutinized each entry, or series of
entries, made since the date of the last preceding meeting, and so far no cases of
unnecessary or undue subjection to solitary confinement or mechanical restraint have
been reported. In both asylums physical restraint is limited to really violent or dangerous
lunatics, and is only resorted to when it is absolutely necessary.
The small but steady increase from year to year in the number of lunatics treated
in the asylums, and the constant reports of over crowding and limited accommodation,
are evidence in support of the proposal, now under discussion, to build a central asylum
for this province. The possibility of converting the asylum at Dacca into a Central asylum
for the Province has been considered, and the results of a conference of local officers, held
at Dacca on the 24th February 1909, show that this is undesirable. Their report
indicates that the present buildings are insanitary, ill-placed and unsuited to the modern