6
STATISTICAL RETURNS OF THE LUNATIC ASYLUMS.
18. The male admissions included 22 of the landed gentry, 43 employed
in public force and administration, 47 practising the professions and
liberal arts, 60 engaged in trade, and 82 connected with various industries ;
97 were agricultural labourers, and 117 were labourers " unspecified "; 22
were domestic servants, and 117 were of the " unproductive " class.
19. The types of insanity noted among males were : mania, 328 cases ;
melancholia, and other disorders of function, 153 ; dementia, 89 ; insanity
caused by Cannabis indica or its preparations or derivatives, 34, and of
other toxins, 9 ; idiocy, 26. General paralysis of the insane—the exist-
ence of which among Asiatics was only recently admitted by the
European Schools—was detected in 12 cases, all of them males. The
disposal of the cases under each heading is shown in a special addendum
to statement VI of the returns.
20. The commonest " predisposing causes " were : insane heredity,
noted in 114 cases ; and mental instability, as evidenced by previous attack,
in 85 cases. Of " exciting causes " the most prominent were : prolonged
mental stress, 78 ; ganja, charas or bhang, 67 ; privation and starvation,
55 ; alcohol, 53 ; and other toxins, 48 ; epilepsy, 37 ; and the critical
periods of development .35.
21. Female insanes.—At the beginning of 1912 the asylums held 195
female insanes, of whom 12 were criminals. During the triennium 6
criminal, 4 voluntary and 147 other civil insanes were admitted in contrast
with 5 criminal and 163 civil admissions in the previous triennium. The
daily average strength rose from 196.96 in 1912 to 210.89 in 1914, the mean
average of the criminal section being 11. Fifty were discharged cured,
and 32 relieved ; 4 left without improvement and 4 were discharged
" otherwise "; 51 died and 211 remained at the end of last year.
22. Of the European and Eurasian boarders who came to the
Madras Asylum from Madras city (2), North Arcot (1) and Coimbatore (1)
districts, two were described as teachers, and one as a Mission agent. Of
the compulsory admissions, 16 came from outside the Presidency ; the
City contributed 51, and the Malabar district 35 ; the districts of Chingle-
put, Coimbatore, Nilgiris and South Canara, 6 each. From the west
division the females formed 29 per cent. of the total admissions, a propor-
tion exceeded, but slightly, by Madras only.
23. The admissions from within the Presidency included 36 Europeans
and Eurasians, 21 Indian Christians, 55 Hindus, 24 Muhammadans and
5 of other castes. Nineteen had been in domestic service at the time of
admission, 25 were described as " general labourers," and 91 were certified
as " of no occupation." Over 64 per cent. were between 20 and 40 years of
age, and 26 per cent. between 40 and 60 years.
24. Eight were afflicted with idiocy, and 15 were demented; three
were ailing from toxic conditions. Mania and melancholia, following
delivery, affected 11 and 8 respectively ; and the same types, consequent
on other conditions, were found in 71 and 20 cases respectively. Delusional
insanity accounted for 13, and confusional insanity for 2. Among causes
predisposing to insanity the factors of heredity, mental instability and the
critical periods of development almost exhaust the list ; among exciting
causes the most nóteworthy were the puerperal state, prolonged mental
stress and privation ; the crises of puberty and the climacteric accounted
for 9 per cent.
25. Criminal lunatics.—Criminal lunatics are housed at the Madras
Asylum only. One hundred and sixty-eight remained at the end of 1911,
and 146 were admitted during the triennium. The admissions were
legally classified as—tried and acquitted, 18 ; incapable of making defence,
82 ; and those who became insane during imprisonment, 46. The daily
average strength of males was 154.35 in 1911, but steadily rose to 177.24 in
1914 ; that of females varied slightly from 11, and is apparently on the
decline. One important reason for the apparent increase of lunacy