IX— No. 29.

16

REPORTS ON LUNATIC ASYLUMS IN NEW ZEALAND.

Large baths are provided in both the male and female wards, and the lavatories are roomy and found in all requisites. The wards were all well ventilated, sweet, and thoroughly clean, most of them well lighted and cheerful, the sleeping wards especially so. In some places more light is desirable ; but as the building has been erected piecemeal, and not on any general well-conceived plan, from the first, there i might be some difficulty in providing for better light. The bedding was admirably clean and neat; the arrangements for avoiding all offensive smells were complete. In only one part of the building was any bad smell perceivable. This was in the lavatory of the female ward, and arose from the water-closets and from a drain immediately adjoining. The keeper has since informed me that the smell was soon shut off, and has not been noticed again; but for sanitary reasons an immediate alteration should be made in this part of the building, by erecting better partitions, so as to render it impossible for any offensive odour to pass into the lavatories, and thence circulate into the sleeping wards. Subject to this observation, the neatness, airiness, and scrupulous cleanliness pervading the whole of the establishment appropriated to the use of the patients was such as I have never seen surpassed in the best kept man-of-war on service. The clothing of those patients who wore the dresses belonging to the Asylum was in an equally satisfactory condition, as to neatness and cleanliness. I am unable to refer as favourably to some of the attendants' apartments, which might, I think, be kept more orderly. A room with billiard table and bagatelle board, and a large hall for general gatherings, with a stage erected at one end, a piano and harmonium, a small library, a printing press, together with the garden and grounds, all contribute to supply occupation and recreation to the patients. I should observe that the accommodation provided for the keeper and his family seems much too limited. Their private sitting-room is the only one in which visitors can wait who have business at the Asylum. I enclose a general report which the keeper of the Asylum has drawn up for me, explaining the arrangements of the wards, classification of patients, their employments and amusements, with returns appended of patients under treatment during the year ended 30th April last, value of work done by them, and scale of rations now allowed. So far as I fairly can do from one inspection, I willingly testify to the correctness of the facts set out in the keeper's report to me, and I should state that I found in the visitors' remark book numerous testimonies —written by patients at tho time of their discharge —to tho humane and kindly attention they had received while under Mr. Seager's care. I only found one patient secluded from the rest, owing to his having ill-used some of them. This patient I allowed to bo handed over to the custody of his brother-in-law and an old servant, on bond being given according to clause 66. I took the opinion first of the medical officer and the official visitor. It was considered that there was some slight hope of amendment if this patient could have complete change of scene, and visit his own farm, lie was, however, brought back after three days. Before closing my report, I feel it my duty strongly to urge upon the attention of the Government the necessity for appointing a permanent Inspector to the Asylum. The result of my own visit has been to convince me that I have not the qualifications essential for the fulfilment of the duties of such an office, and that it will be a most difficult task to find a person who does possess them. lam convinced, moreover, that the Inspector should be one who can give frequent attention to the duty of visiting the Asylum, and who can give the leisure to make himself as intimately acquainted with the case of each patient, and of the subject of lunacy generally, as tho keeper himself is. An Inspector ought, I think, to be thoroughly capable of exercising a complete control and supervision over every officer, the medical attendant included, of any such establishment. I have, &c, J. W. Hamilton, The Hon. the Colonial Secretary, Wellington. Inspector of Sunnyside Asylum.

Sub-Enclosure to Enclosure in No. 10. Mr. G. E. Seagee to the Inspectoe, Sunnyside Lunatic Asylum. Sic, — Sunnyside Lunatic Asylum, 23rd May, 1870. I have the honor to lay before you a report of this Asylum for the twelve months, namely, from the Ist day of May, 1869, to the 30th day of April, 1870, inclusive. The management will speak for itself, when I mention that no attempt at suicide has been made by any of the inmates, and but one escape (a convalescent harmless patient) has taken place since my last report (30th November, 1868). The Asylum is divided into six wards, namely, A, B, C, D, E, F. The occupants of E Ward are the convalescent males, or those who perform the principal outdoor, garden, and general farm work attendant upon an institution of this kind. In the evening they amuse themselves by billiards, reading books, the daily papers, Illustrated London News, Times, Punch, Melbourne Post, &c, &c. In this, as well as in A Ward, there are no bars to tho windows, neither are the doors kept locked, so that free access is given to the grounds. It is satisfactory to know that the trust placed in the patients is not abused. Ward A, for convalescent woman. The inmates of this ward are engaged in needle and laundry work. One new feature in the management is the introduction of flowering plants ; each of the patients has allotted to her care a plant, the object being to create an interest in their minds by giving them something to cultivate and think about. They also have music, books, and frequent walking parties, either in the grounds or out into the country. Ward B, for imbecile, dirty, and epileptic female cases. Ward C, for females who are wet and dirty, refractory, noisy, and chronic cases. Ward D, for males approaching to convalescence, the epileptic, and quiet. Ward F, for males who are noisy, refractory, dirty, and destructive.