REPORT ON LUNATIC ASYLUMS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2368, 20 July 1899, Page 35

REPORT ON LUNATIC ASYLUMS.

(Fsou Oxjr Own Cobresfondent.) WELLINGTON, JULY 14.

In his annual report on the lunatic asylums di tho colony for the year ended December, 1898, the inspector states that the number of registered insane persons on the 31st December, 1898, was 2480,— males, 1472; females, 1008. The insane of the colony are distributed as follows:— Auckland: Males, 275; females, 163;— total, 438. Christchurch: Males, 282; females, 241;— total, 523. Dunedin (Seacliff): Males, '3Bs; .females, 251; — total, 636. Hokitiki : Males, 87 ; females, 38 ; —total, 125. Nelson: Males, 82; females, 54.; —total, 136.* Porirua: Males, 199; females, 142;— total, 341. Wellington: Males, 141; females, 97 ;— total, 238. Ashburn Eall (private asylum): Males, 21; females, 22; — total, 43. The proportion of the male inBane to the male population is, exclusive of Maoris, 1 in 265, and, inclusive of Maoris, 1 in 281. The proportion of the female insane to v the female population is, exclusive of "Maoris, 1 in 349, and inclusive of Maoris, 1 in 357. . The proportion of the total insane to tho total population, exclusive of Maoris, is 1 iv 300, and inclusive of Maoris, lin 316. On the Ist January, 1898, the number of insane persons in our asylums was : Males, 1436 ; females, 990;— total, 2426. The number of thoE'e admitted during the year for the first lime was: 221 male--, and 170 females; — total, 091. The re-admissions, including 101 males and 46 females transferred, were: 134- males, and 83 females;— total, 221. The percentage of deaths on the average number of residents during the year was 6.14, as compared with b.23 for the previous year, and the percentage of recoveries on the admissions' was 48.07, as compared with 36.69 for the year 1897. At Auckland there is apparently sleeping accommodation for 459 patients, but there is only floor space for 407. The number in the asylum is 435, and there are therefore 28 patients accommodated in excess of the statutory requirements. At Nelson the apparent accommodation in common dormitories is for 100 patients, but there is only floor space for 93. The actual number accommodated is 103, being 10 in excess of legal requirements. At Porirua there appears to be sleeping room for 432 patients in the common dormitories, but the lioor -space will only allow of 382 being accommodated. At Wellington Asylum the floor space is sufficient for 161 patients, the number accommodated. The following shows tho actual deficiency in sleeping accommodation : Auckland, 28 patients in excess ; Christchurch, 47 in excess ; Seacliff, 135 in excess ; Nelson, 10 in excess ;— total, 221 ; IcES room for 6 at Hokitika, and 12 at Porirua, 18;— total, 203 patients in excess. A building in course of construction in the farm auxiliary at Seacliff provides for 52 patients, single rooms at Auckland provide for 20 patients, and a wing at Porirua provides for 77 patients;— total, J. 49 patients. At the end of the year, if no fresh buildings are authorised- in addition to those already in Hand, the condition of things will be as follows : — Number in excess at present date, 203; accommodation being provided for 149 ; leaving in excess 54 ; add estimated increase of patients at 3lEt December, 1899 (tho average yearly increase is 90), 50; estimated excess at 31st December, 1899, 104. New Works Required. — The contract for the central block of Porirua Asylum was begun in 1891, and it was expected that the whole asylum would have been finished years ago, but it will be Ogtober next before the female division is completed, and then there will stillremain the terminal block of the male division. This will cost £7000, and ought to be proceeded with at once. A doctor's residence is also urgently needed at Porirua. The danger from fire at Seacliff is very great owing to the use of kerosene lamps for lighting. The electric light should be introduced without further delay, the estimated cost being £2500. The time has come when tho Wellington Asylum must be condemned, and reduced, as has been intended for years, to a receiving house. The risk of fire is so great that nothing short of re-building it will make it even tolerable safe. A new asylum must bo built somewhere in the neighbourhood of Palmerston North or Woodville, and completed within the next five years if the colony is not content to let the asylums lap^e into a worse condition than they .are in at present. A bill was passed last session, dealing with inebriate home*, but no money was provided. If only Parliament will find the money the Lunacy Act as it stands meets all the necessary requirements of receiving homes for the reception of doubtful cases under examination for admission to the ordinary asylums. A special institution for the training and treatment of idiots, imbeciles, and epileptics, as well as o, separate institution for criminal lunatics, and a home for the after care of discharged convalescents, are all desirable, and should be undertaken as found pospible.

The following gi%-es the net cost per patient for the year 1898 : —Auckland, £19 133 6id ; Christohurch, £17 8s Id; Seacliff, £20 6s Bid; Hokitika, £25 10s OJd ; Nelson, £21 12s Id ; Porirua, £25 Is ljd ;' Wellington, £26 8s 4id ; —average, £21 3s s£d. There has been a largo increase in the cost at Wellington Asylum during the last yeav. and the reason of this is explained in Dr Hassell's report. It will be noticed that at Christchurch and Auckland the net cost per patient is considerably reduced by the receipts from the farms. At Ghristehurch the revenue from this source amounted to £2 0s Id per head, and £1 9s 9d per head at Auckland. The receipts from the farms mentioned above are the actual amounts received in cash, and paid into tho public account for produce, etc., sold, but in addition to this a great quantity of milk, butter, bacon, vegetables, etc., raised on the farms, is consumed at the various asylums, thus reducing the annual cost per head.

SEACLIFF ASYLUM.

The medical superintendent's report for tho past year states that at the beginning of tlie year there were 601 patients in the asylum, and during the year 123 patients were admitted, being eight more than the previous year. The whole number of inmates during the year was 724-, and the average number resident at any one time was 604. There remained in the asylum, at the close o£ the year 636 patients — namely, 385 males and 251 females. The number discharged, relieved, and recovered was 62, being in the proportion of rather more than 50 per cent, on the admissions. During the year 25 patients died, being just under 5 per cent, on the average number resident. The mortality from respiratory affections continues unduly high,' more than half of the deaths being due to pneumonia, consumption, and pleurisy. Various works have been pushed on during the year, the most important being a cottage for the treatment of the more sensitive and curable of the patients, and one wing of tho new auxiliary building for chronic male patients at Simla. TheEO structures will afford facilities in tho direction of classifying and decentralising, and promise to be a great benefit to the patients, ffiliile effecting a considerable savins:. The

cost of *lhe Simla building will he about £20 per patient, as compared with over £200 per pationt in the main building. As the former supplies more space and light per individual, better air and more cheerful quarters, and docs not suggest the idea of confinement, we find already, as* we have previously found with the more home-like detached buildings, that it is much preferred to the main asylum. Tho Simla building is of wood, and risks from fire are slightly greater, but the danger to the patients is less than in the main asylum, because it is all on the ground floor, and none of the windows will be barred. With the exception of the erection of chimneys the building has been put up so far, and will, we hope, be completed by the end of the year, without assistance from any outside labour, thus affording a useful and interesting outlet for the energies of some of the more capable patients. vDealing with labour, for the most part unskilled, Mr Farrant, who has had charge of the work, has succeeded beyond our most sanguine expectations. At present there are 30 patients housed at Simla, the billiard room being used as a kitchen and dining room pending the erection of the latter. There is great need of increased accommodation for the female patients, particularly in the matter of single bedrooms, and I hope that a separate nurses' home will be constructed during the year, as this would set free an equivalent number of bedrooms in the main building, while affording inexpensive yet much more pleasant quarters for the nurses. The marked reduction in expenditure per patient shown by the returns is somewhat misleading, being due largely to the fact that we happened to have obtained more refunds during the year from the Public Works department for permanent constructions than hitherto. In spite of this it will bo noticed how large a. sum spent in repairs and improvements is still charged to our annual expenditure under the head of "necessaries, incidental and miscellaneous," which, in other institutions, would not bo defrayed by the Asylum department. The maintenance and repair of the main building alone is a constant heavy charge, owing, not merely to its large size and of a costly type, but even more to the initial defects of workmanship and construction. Fourteen years ago Seacliff Asylum was described by the then Inspector-general in his official report as " badly designed and out of date : the buildings defective in construction, and showing everywhere bad workmanship, which should never have been accepted." During the last 10 years every effort has been made to overcome these initial defects, and render the building properly habitable. As the whole of the plumbing had been utterly scamped, and has had to bo almost entirely replaced and remodelled, and as there were almost no provisions for the ventilation of the building or drains, no proper drains, no adequate means of heating, and in fact no modern sanitary provisions of any kind, our annual expenditure upon unseen works of this clasd has necessarily been heavy in spite of the most rigid economy. When it is added that the asylum was a mere naked unfurnished shell, which has had to be gradually painted and supplied with necessary furniture and amenities, while the estate was undeveloped and unequipped, and all these thiugs have had to be remedied and pupplied for the most pail out of the annual expenditure of the instil u tion, it will be fairly realised, I think, that the item " necessaries incidental and miscellaneous," has had peculiarly heavy burthens thrust upon it at this particular institution. Year by year the estate is becoming more profitable, but the expenses of development are still considerable. " During the year the heavioet work in this direction have been tho formation and metalling of the road to Simla, extensive boundary and sub-division fencing, the clearing and laying down in grass of some 60 acres of bush land, and tho stumping and bringing under the plough of several large area*. There is a steady increase in the value and yield of the farm &lock, and further progress has been made during the year _in the development of the poultry farm, which has been giving a steadily increasing profit year by year. As a source of interest and occupation for patients, the chickens and fowls in their various phases have proved a most valuable adjunct to the institution, and we have supplied to various settlers throughout tho South Tbland more than 300 dozen eggs, for setting, of pure-bred fowls, and a number of cockerals and pullets. An average of about 250 male patients have been employed throughout the year at the -farm, garden, and workshops. The thanks of the authorities are due to the Otago Witness Company for copies of their journal, supplied free.

Dr MacGregor, reporting oa the asylum, says: — "The fcuperintendant's rule is- able and vigorous, and the way in which he has transformed Seacliff, both inside and its surroundings, is creditable in the highest degree. It is now one of the most beautiful places I have over seen. The internal btructural arrangementfe, which were originally very defective, especially a» regards ventilation, have been improved with great skill. I saw every patient in the main building in bed last night, and though there is still considerable overcrowding the atmosphere of tho dormitories was wonderfully fresh."

Regarding Ashburn Hall Dr MacGregor says: — "I found everything working smoothly, and unmistakable evidence on every hand that the institution is managed with the utmost skill, kiudness, and care. 1 am particularly pleased with Dr Hay's success in interesting his patients in some congenial occupation. No one who uses his eyes can fail to see that a spirit of kindness and goodwill pervades the whole house."