OFFICE OF THE SURGEON-GENERAL WITH THE
GOVERNMENT OF MADRAS,
Madras, the 14th April/22nd May 1923.
No. R. 774-G.
From
MAJOR-GENL. G. G. GIFFARD, K.C.I.E., C.S.I., K.H.S., I.M.S.,
SURGEON GENERAL WITH THE GOVERNMENT OF MADRAS,
To
THE SECRETARY TO GOVERNMENT,
LOCAL SELF-GOVERNMENT (PUBLIC HEALTH) DEPARTMENT,
MADRAS.
SIR,
I have the honour to submit for the information of Government the annual
report on the Asylums for the treatment of insanes, in the Madras Presidency, for
the year 1922. There was an increase during the year in the total population of
the Asylums in the Presidency, the number of inmates being 49 more than the
number of last year which was 1,237. As time goes on and asylum treatment in
this Presidency comes to be more in accordance with the methods of treating mental
ailments now adopted in Europe and therefore more popular, a much larger popula-
tion may be anticipated. The estimated insane population in the Presidency
according to the recent census was 8,689. The table below gives the compara-
tive figures of the prevalence of insanity in this Presidency since 1891 :—
Number of afflicted insanes ...
1921.
8,689
1911.
8,407
1901.
7,276
1891.
7,757
Name of caste or community.
Europeans and Anglo-Indians
Indian Christians ... ...
Hindus ... ... ...
Muhammadans ... ...
Other castes ... ... ...
Number of
persons in
1921.
45
44
206
46
4
345
1922.
28
39
198
66
10
341
These figures do not, however, apparently include a very large number of people
suffering from temporary mental derangements for whom scientific asylum treatment
would prove very beneficial.
2. Population.—The number of persons admitted as in-patients in the Asylums was
1,286 (997 males and 289 females) among whom voluntary boarders were 7. The
marginal table shows the classification according to religion of the patients admitted.
The number of " European and Anglo-Indian " and " Hindu " insanes admitted
during the year has fallen, while there
has been a remarkable rise in the number
of Muhammadan insanes admitted. There
has been a steady fall in the number of
female insanes admitted to the Asylums.
The number of persons remaining in the
Asylums at the beginning of the year
under report was 726 males and 216
females as against 671 males and 221
females in the previous year. Of the total number treated 157 were discharged as
"cured," 58 as " improved " an 13 as " not improved," while 20 were discharged
as " otherwise."
There were two " escapes" among lunatics in the Madras
Asylum, but both the lunatics were recaptured.
3. Age and occupation of the inmates.—Out of a total of 341 admissions nearly 217
were of an age between 20 to 40. General labourers contributed the largest number
of insanes, viz., 55 against 46 in the previous year. The " cultivating tenants " (34)
come second in the list. It is observed from an examination of the previous occupa-
tions of the inmates of the Asylums that urban occupations tend to contribute more
cases of insanity than other occupations.
4. Causes of insanity.—The causes of insanity in order of frequency are "mental
stress," "toxic and infective diseases," "heredity," "mental instability," " disorders of
nutrition " or " metabolism,"and critical periods such as " puberty," " adolescence,"
"climacteric" and "senility." In twelve cases no cause was assignable and in 194
cases, causes could not be ascertained on account of defective and insufficient history.