No. 1825, dated Lahore, 30th May 1881.
From—S. C. TOWNSEND, Esquire, Surgeon-General, Punjab,
To—The Secretary to Government, Punjab.
IN forwarding the annual reports of the Lahore and Delhi Lunatic
Asylums for the year 1880,I have the honor to offer the following remarks :—
2. The number of admissions into the two asylums was considerably
fewer than in the previous year, amounting to 87 against 119; and the total
number under treatment during the year was 405, of whom 310 were in the
asylum at Lahore and 95 at Delhi; 80 of the whole number were females
and 325 males. Of the above numbers 45 males and 13 females, 58 in all,
were discharged cured; and 25 died. The percentage of cured to average
strength was at Lahore 21.5, and at Delhi 19.5.
3. The health of the lunatics in both asylums was very much better
than in the previous year, and the rate of mortality much lower, the death-rate
of the Lahore asylum for 1880 being only 6.5 against 21.6, the rate for 1879;
and that of the Delhi asylum 11.2 against 19.2.
4. Of the 87 lunatics admitted during the year 11 were criminal luna-
tics ; and at the close of the year there were 45 of this class in confinement, 36
being in the Lahore and 9 in the Delhi asylum.
5. The average cost of each lunatic in the Lahore asylum was Rs.
104-13-7, while in the Delhi asylum it was Rs. 112-10-5. The higher average
at Delhi was due to the smaller number of lunatics in proportion to the
establishment. The average cost, exclusive of establishment, was lower at
Delhi than at Lahore, being Rs. 51-10-4 against Rs. 57-2-11.
6. At the Lahore asylum, out of a daily average strength of 246, 67
or 27 per cent. were employed in various ways; and the profit realized amounted
to Rs. 976, or Rs. 14.9 per person employed. At Delhi, out of an average
strength of 71, 52 or 73 per cent. were employed; and the profit realized
amounted to Rs. 401, or Rs. 7-11-0 per person employed. The average earnings
of each person employed was less at Delhi, but a larger number in proportion
to the strength were employed; and calculating the profit realized on the total
number of inmates, it amounted to Rs. 5-10-0 per head at Delhi against Rs.
3-14-0 per head at Lahore. At both asylums the principal employments were
gardening, grinding corn and manufactures,—as spinning thread, weaving and
basket-making.
7. In statement 9, of both asylums, considerable sums are credited under
the head of " receipts from paying patients." In the Lahore asylum the sum
credited under this head was made up entirely of sums received from Govern-
ment for the maintenance of insane sepoys, and at Delhi the sum so credited
was received for lunatics sent from Ajmere.
8. Dr. Scriven on giving up the charge of Lahore asylum records his
obligations to the several members of the establishment for their service
during the long period that he had held the office of Superintendent; and the
Commissioner of Lahore, in forwarding the report, expresses his opinion
that Dr. Scriven himself merits the acknowledgment of Government for his
long and successful management of the asylum, and in this opinion I concur.
Dr. Ross reports well on the whole of the establishment of the Delhi asylum.
He had found it necessary to suspend the Deputy Superintendent, Mr. Cousins,
for laxity in discipline and accounts. Mr. Cousins was subsequently reinstated,
and since then has worked well.
9. I inspected both asylums in the course of the cold weather, and found
both in excellent order, and the patients in all respects well cared for.