LUNACY IN NEW ZEALAND.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 8947, 3 August 1892, Page 6

LUNACY IN NEW ZEALAND.

Mb. F. G. Ewixgton, official visitor of the Auckland Lunatic Asylum, writes :--

Dr. McGregor's last report, which was laid before Parliament a few days ago, furnishes information which cannot fail to interest tho public generally. Judging from the hearty and liberal response which is always accorded to an appeal for pictorial papers or anything likely to comfort the insane, great interest is taken in our asylums. So thero should be great interest taken in tho insane ; for, like the poor, we have them always with us ; and tho increasing demands of a erowing civilization impose great mental worries on mankind, and coincidfcntly quicken the public conscience about the claims of suffering humanity. Tho ruins of a once magnificent cathedral or tho wreckage of a noble vessel sometimes induce philosophical reflections ; but, unless people wilfully shut their eyes or harden their hearts, how much more will they be stirred by the mental wrecks, " majestic in ruin," in our asylums ! Of the 1849 lunatics in this colony, some of them once took a prominent and praiseworthy part in founding New Zealand and starting her on a career of progreee. Some of the pioneers, who bore the heat and burden of the days of early colonisation, who helped to bridge our rivers, to cut roads through our trackless foreste, and make the desert blossom like the rose, are now silvery-haired old pilgrims in mad houses, which, I am thankful to say, are Asylums indeed and in truth. To allay the misgivings of those who have friends bereft of r«s.son, 1 often emphasise the fact that the doctor and staff in our Asylum are some of the most humane and kindly considerate men and women I over knew. Whether it be, ass it sometimes ie, a helpless little newborn babe, or a rosy-cheeked, frolicsome child of five or six years, or a bed-riddeu patient of over threescore years and ten, they are all tenderly and constantly cared for." There need be no fear as to the proper treatment of our insane patients. Madness is now divested of its former horrors. Old things, such aa barba: - ous instruments of mechanical restraint, have passed away, and all things have become new. Time was when Man had pent his fellow-men Like brutes within an iron den, —a time when the unfortunate insane were forced into surprise baths, lashod with whips, inadequately clothed and fed, and very little was done to restore reason to her throne. Now we have a lunacy law, which ie a model of forethought and beneficence, and those whose duty it is to give effect to the law seem to vie with each other in ministering to minds diseased. In New Zealand thoro are 1115 male and 734 female lunatics confined in asylums. In private homes there are raauy, their relatives having a groundless dread of committing them to public institutions. < For a young country like thia that j number of lunatics seems very great, but j the comparison with Australia and England is not unfavourable to us. Including natives 2'74 per 1000, or 1 to 365 of the population, is the proportion in Now Zealand ; but in Victoria it is 1 in 304, and in England and Wales the proportion is 1 in 341. It is thought that the high rate of insanity in the colonies is satisfactorily accounted for by the facilitiss offered by our lunacy system for cheaply and safely disposing of the weak minded ; by the fact that many who are in our asylums would merely be put into workhouses in England ; by tho low rate of mortality amongst the insane owing to the grent care now taken of them; by the number of persons who follow nomadic pursuiu-s or live lonely lives, and are thereby exposed to potent causes of mental disease. Dr. McGregor wants separate provisions for insane criminals, idiots, and inebriates, but sees no immediate prospect of getting it. The proprietor of Ashburn Hall Private Asylum, Dunedin, are, however, erecting a new block of buildings with modern require ment? tor the treatment of inebriates ; and the Inspector-General always speaks very highly of that Asylum. The necessity for separate provision for the treatment of inebriates is evidenced by the fact that one judge has released a patient because there were no means of keeping him apart from lunatics, and the other judges are chary of committals, because no proper provision has been made. Dr. McGregor reports favourably on tho Auckland Asylum, and that should bo a satisfaction to those persons in our midst who have relatives and friends confined there. During last year 349 patients were admitted for the first time, 86 were readmitted, 162 patients recovered, 57 were relieved, and 120 died. The Auckland Asylum was at the head of the list of the " discharged recovered," and was lowest in percentage of deaths. Some children were admitted to the Asylum during the year, but the ages between 30 and 40 years were immensely the most prolific of insanity. Up to that age and then beyond it the figures rise and fall like a pyramid. The recoveries between those ages were numerous, and the mortality was not high. The highest mortality was between tho -iges of 40 and 50 years. Of those admitted 22:5 were single, 175 married, and 37 wero widowed. Tho nationalities of the insane are ae follow : — England, 618 ; Scotland, 295 ; Ireland, 540"; Now Zealand, 198 ; Australian colonies, 30 ; France, 7 ; Germany, 41 ; Norway, 12 ; Sweden, 8 ; Denmark, 13 ; Italy, 7 ; China, 17 ; Maoris, 17 ; and unknown, 47. The ages of patients run from sto 90 years, and 4fi different causes of death were assigned for those who died. The principal causes of insanity were congenital and hereditary 57, drink 45, self - abuse 20, child-bearing 18, domestic trouble, 16; epilepsy, 13; solitude, 11 ; religion, 10; and mental anxiety, 10; but 119 are put down as "unknown." Four persons committed were found not to be insane. The former occupations of pations wero as follows males ;—Labourers, 66 ; farmers, and runholdere, 25; miners, 16 ; farmhands and shepherds, 15; clerks, 12; but 15 are " unknown." Amongst females : 123 are put down " domestic duties;" there were 23 domestic servants; while 15 had no occupation ; and 22 were " unknown." The net expense of maintenance last year was £36,464, but that did nob take into account interest on money sunk in buildings and furniture. The average cost per patient is £24 8s lO.fd. In all the asylums, except in Auckland, there was an increase in the cost per patient ranging from 9s 5.f.i, in Wellington to £1 93 10, in Chrjstchurch ; but there was a decrease of £3 6s 2fd in Auokland. The saving in our asylum was probably due to the completion of building and drainage. The total expenditure out of immigration and public works loan for repairs and buildings at each asylum to 31st March last was £318,655.