H.—lo,

6

walks, flower-beds, and shrubs in it. This would not in the least interfere with its being used as an exercise ground for the patients, but, on the contrary, would render it much more suitable for that purpose. Much attention is paid to the cultivation of the garden, which contains a great abundance and variety of vegetables. A book which is kept shows that the patients are very well supplied ; and surplus produce is at present being sold in town. An orchard has been planted. Other portions of ground immediately in front of the Asylum are now being prepared by the labour of the patients to be laid down in grass. The general health of the patients seems good. No one was found in seclusion or in bed. They were all quiet and well-behaved during the visit. None of them made any complaints except a male patient named E ■ J , who insisted that he never was insane, that he was illegally committed to the Asylum, and that he is now quite well, and able to earn his own livelihood. There can be no doubt that this patient was suffering from a severe attack of melancholia, and that he is still to a certain extent insane ; but he has greatly improved both in mental and bodily condition, and if he could get suitable employment, and find some friend to exercise a little kindly supervision over him, he would probably be much better and happier out of the Asylum than in it; he does not, however, seem fit to be simply discharged and thrown entirely on his own resources.* Thirteen of the men work in the garden and evidently work very well. This is a much larger number than were found employed in the grounds at last inspection; but it is still small considering the number of patients. No occupation is so good for the men as working steadily in the grounds, and every one of them capable of engaging in this, in however small a degree, should be studiously encouraged to do so. Twenty of the men take walks beyond the Asylum boundary regularly once a week, and, since an additional female attendant has been got, 10 of the women have enjoyed the same beneficial advantage. Twenty men and 8 women are registered as unemployed; several of these are idiots of a very degraded type, or so completely demented and helpless that they could not under any circumstances be got to engage in work of any kind. There is a dance regularly every week for the amusement of the patients; about 20 of the men and 10 of the women take part in it, and some 30 visitors are generally present and help to make it go off well. No religious services are performed at the Asylum. It does not appear from the Medical Journal that seclusion or restraint are much resorted to : one woman who is extremely destructive to clothing occasionally wears a strong dress, the long sleeves of which are crossed in front and fastened behind, so that she cannot use her hands; and a feeble male patient, in an advanced stage of general paralvsis, and whom it is found very difficult to keep clean, occupies a kind of night-stool as a chair, on to which he is loosely fastened by a strap round his waist. The male patients were seen at dinner, which was abundant, and, saving the potatoes, which were hardly quite ripe, of good quality and well served. They are now supplied, like the women, with ordinary knives and forks, and they are about to get tablecloths also. The Book of Admission and the Kegister of Discharges which have been got since last visit are carefully and accurately kept. The Medical Journal was fully up to date, but it does not give exactly all the particulars required by the Act. All medical prescriptions are entered in a book, but no Case-book is kept. A diary which is kept by the Superintendent is, to a certain extent, a substitute for a Case-book; but it is not what is required by the Lunatics Act. Attention is again drawn to the extremely small quantity of land attached to this Asylum for the recreation and employment of the inmates. It has only 8 acres, and there is not as much grass as would feed a goat. Napier Asylum. —On 1st January there were 11 men and u women in this Asylum. During the year 12 men and 7 women were admitted, 9 men and 2 women were discharged recovered, and 3 men and 2 women relieved ; leaving 11 men and 7 women at the end of the year. When the Asylum was visited on 10th April last there were 22 patients, and all the beds were occupied. The following is the greater part of the entry made in the Inspector's book with regard to the state of the Asylum at that time:— The whole house is scrupulously clean and in good order. It is, however, very poorly and scantily furnished. The walls have not been painted yet, and there are no pictures nor ornaments of any kind. Beyond a few numbers of the Illustrated London News, there is nothing in the wards calculated to interest or amuse the patients. The bedding is clean, but many of the blankets are now almost worn out. No sheets nor pillowcases are* in use. It is said that the patients are drawn from a class who are not accustomed to sheets, and that some of the women, to whom they were supplied, flung them aside and refused to have them. But it is not a cleanly habit to sleep without sheets, in dark-coloured blankets, which are, as a rule, washed at most twice a year. It would probably be found that by perseverance the patients in this Asylum could be induced to use sheets and pillowslips, as well as those in others. The clothing of the patients is sufficient; but it is the same as that of the prisoners, which is objectionable. No patient was found under restraint or in seclusion. Since last inspection, restraint by means of handcuffs has been used in two cases. In one of them it was only applied for a short time, and had not to be repeated. The other case is that of a man who is excessively destructive to clothing, and who is frequently handcuffed for a day at a time. It would be far better in cases of this sort to use strong leather gloves, without fingers, as in other Asylums. Seclusion, on account of the inadequacy of the staff, has to be resorted to whenever a patient becomes much excited ; but, except in the case of one patient labouring under acute mania, who was secluded for three days, it is stated that it has not been found necessary to seclude any one for more than two or three hours at a time. No patients are confined to bed or to the house. All patients, except three or four of the men * This patient [shortly afterwards obtained a situation and was discharged.