The Evening Star MONDAY, OCTOBER 28, 1872.

Evening Star, Issue 3023, 28 October 1872, Page 2

The Evening Star MONDAY, OCTOBER 28, 1872.

Amongst the papers laid before Parliament is one containing reports on “The Lunatic Asylums in the Colony.” The subject is a melancholy one, bat it cannot be ignored, for the fact is before us that in New Zealand there are about 600 lunatics. The reports in general are not so full as to enable us to investigate the probable causes of lunacy. They are confined chiefly to a description of the conduct of the Asylums, which, on the whole, appears to be humane and careful. r dhe smaller X^rovinces have, however, defective accommodation : thus in Hawke’s Pay there is but one Asylum, which forms a wing of the gaol, and is under charge of the gaoler. The consequence of this arrangement is that the male lunatics associate in the yard with the prisoners. This the Inspector considers very objectionable, but apparently it is a necessity arising out of the limited area of the gaol premises. Another somewhat objectionable feature was that one of the patients was allowed, at Ids own request, to “ work with the hard labor prisoners,” and it was found advisable to allow it, because when at work he was “quiet and but if conlined and idle he became violent. Perhaps the least satis,actory report is that of the Provincial Inspector of Auckland. The fault complained of apparently was not in the management but in the discipline; and the report gives a significant insight into the style in which the (Superintendent of Auckland controls the civil service of the Province. The Inspector remarks : 2. When I hear of the surgeon and keeper being grossly insulted iu the presence of the patients, and of an improper spirit being shown to each other by the attendants, both in the male and female wards, with no further penalty than the empty throat of being “reported to the Inspector,” I cannot wonder at the impertinent effrontery and insubordination of the patients themselves. I call the threat an empty one, because, in fact, the Inspector has no more power than simply to hear and remonstrate and advise, as the case may be ; whereas tnc real cure for an offence of this kind would he iu the disruisal of one or two of the offenders at a month’s notice. Of course, in some sense, these subordinate officers arc of more value the longer they remain, owing to

their better knowledge of the inmates and the peculiar nature of their treatment, according to their several forms of disease. But, in my opinion, as the result of our last year’s experience, no extra knowledge or efficiency will compensate for the loss of discipline, or the injury indicted by internal discord. And all this rises from the want of a proper understanding as to where the power of dismissal lies. I think, myself, it should rest (where it is assumed to rest) with the medical officer of the Asylum ; or, if that be considered too invidious a position for him to occupy, then let it be in conjunction uith the keeper, with a final reference to the Inspector in case of difference. This would soon put a stop to internal disorder and irregularity, and tend materially to promote the comfort and efficiency of all concerned. I refer to this subject so largely because of its extreme importance. When the power is ciearly defined by his Honor the Superintendent, and officially published at the Asylum, in all probability it will not require to be exercised at all.

This is very sensible reasoning on the part of the Inspector, and should not have been required because of the sellevident necessity of vesting power somewhere -so as to bring it into prompt action. In other respects, the management seems to be unexceptionable, il a correct judgment can be formed from the following somewhat quaint extract : 4. Here they have good and nourishing food, three times a day, well cooked, and served with regularity and cleanliness ; their dormitories are large and clean and airy, and their beds comfortable and soft. They have easy work to do, when they are willing, and they are not forced to do it when they are not; there is music aud singing aud dancing for those that like it, and free leave of absence for those that don’t; there arc walks and picnics and salt-water baths for those who can be trusted, and as much out-door liberty as possible for those who can’t; there are the services of religion, in their communions, tor those who can profit by them, with the visits of friends and clergymen of all denominations. All those provisions are made for them in health ; and in sickness and dying they have every medical comfort and care which the resident surgeon and iris dispensary aud kitchen can afford them. This whilst they are alive ; and after death, an inquest is held by the coroner, for the satisfaction of their absent friends and relatives, who are at once advised of their decease. .Surely there can be but little cause of complaint against an institution like this. We do not .suppose that the various hints that might be gathered from close perusal of these reports would bo ot any service to an institution so well managed as our Provincial Lunatic Asylum: but even private families, where health is sound, even where the same causes were absent, may gather something from such scraps as the following, respecting the Wellington Asylum, if it is desired to guard against infection :

Kot withstanding the perfect cleanliness of the rooms, the atmosphere of sonic of the cells might be improved by the use of disinfecting fluids, of which 1 was informed none had ever been supplied ; without this it is impossible to keep the colls of some patients properly clean and wholesome. The Inspector of Canterbury also suggests that— . It is very desirable that the ration bread supplied should bo subjected to periodical analysis by a competent person, because in bread supplied to my own household I have more than once found alum—not in powder simply, but in good-sized crystals. Although there would appear to be no great inducement to make the ration bread supplied to a Lunatic Asylum look especially white and inviting, and although the bread 1 have examined always looks sound and tastes excellent, still i think that the authorities ought to feel absolutely certain that it should be entirely free from so commonly used and so unwholesome an adulterating ingredient as alum is known to be. We would extend the examination not only to bread supplied to public institutions, but to bread generally ; for it is of quite as much consequence that the healthy should he sustained in health as that the sick should be cured of disease, and notwithstanding the stiingent provisions of the Millers and Bakers Act, there is reason to believe it is systematically evaded in certain cases. Much attention has been given latterly in all civilised countries to cases of temporary insanity arising from drunkenness; and in the Sunny.side Asylum, Canterbury, some habitual drunkards have been received, but the experiment .does not appear to have been very successful. The Inspector says:— So long as there is not sufficient space for keeping this class of patients entirely separate, their presence at the Asylum is likely to, and in fact does, produce mischeivous effect on the ordinary lunatic patients. And be strongly recommends that, until entirely separate accommodation is provided, no more may be received : so that it may not be possible for them to have any communication whatever with the lunatics.” He explains bis views on the subject more fully in a subsequent report as follows, and they are worth consideration : Generally a very short time is required to relieve an habitual drunkard from the effects of his vicious habits. The complete removal of tho means of indulgence makes him, in a few days, a sober man. He is then, and so long as he can be keofc from drink, perfectly sane. He is fully aware of tho position in which his in temperance lias placed him ; angry with the friends at whose instance his committal has been effected ; angry with the Manager of the Asylum in which he is placed, and just in the frame of mind to make him a very objectionable associate for lunatics of the ordinary kind. It lias been found at Wunnysidc that drunkards in this

state have fomented disorder in the house, causing common lunatics to rebel against necessary discipline, and depriving them of all benefit from the quiet good order which usually prevails. The evil is further aggravated when the habitual drunkard happens to be of better education and higher social position than other patients. In this case ho not nnfreqnmtly takes advantage of his position to make some unfortunate, halfwitted lunatic the butt of others, involving him in senseless scrapes, and taking care to keep himself out or the mischief he has caused. This statement would not bo complete were I to abstain from mentioning the lea s which have been felt that graver moral delinquencies are likely to ensue from the presence in the Asylum of a class of persons who seldom derive much benefit from their confinement, while their influence and example are injurious to others. If the present provisions of the law are to he regarded as an experiment, piv tty close observation of the result compels me to look on it as a failure. JNo adequate good seems to lie gained. The temper and discipline of the pooix-r objects of the Asylum are impaired, and the Manager and his staff of subordinates are kept in a state of fretting anxiety incompatible with the proper fulfilment of their duty.