(
14
)
I now proceed to review the tabular statements from No. 2 to No. 10.
No. 1, or the Register, is omitted under instructions from His Honor the Lieutenant-
Governor of the Punjab: it was a work of most superfluous labor; for the whole of the infor-
mation to be gathered from it was to be gathered from the other statements.
No. 2 is the Summary of the Register and Records. 58 patients were under treatment
during the whole year, made up of 32 remaining on the 1st January, 25 newly-admitted
lunatics, and 1 re-admitted.
There have been fewer admissions in 1870 than in the three previous years.
1867
1868
1869
Remaining.
... 14
... 20
... 33
Admissions.
28
34
31
Total.
42
54
64
I explain this diminution in the number of admissions by the uncertainty under which
we labored as regarded Budget provision.
You will remember how in 1869 we were thrown into the greatest confusion owing to
inadequate provision. Patients had slightly increased ; food was dear; and, after admonition
and an additional grant, we tided through the difficulty.
Owing to this and the delay in receiving information as to the Budget provision for the
current financial year, none but absolutely bad and distressing cases could be admitted, lest
our expenditure should exceed income,—the consequence being that cases have had to be
refused admittance, and either transferred to the poor-house, if paupers, or left to the tender
mercy of friends.
Each year's admissions leave some few chronic, incurable cases which must remain upon
our books, and at last we shall find, unless increase of Budget provision be permitted, that
there will be no money at all for new admissions.
I endeavoured to explain this in the Budget provision I suggested for the coming
financial year, a slight increase being absolutely necessary.
To continue with the 58 insane persons who have been under treatment during 1870, there
were 22 cured two were transferred to friends, four died, and on the 31st December 30 remained
in the asylum.
The daily average throughout the year was 34.32. The ratio per cent. of cured and
relieved on actual strength was 41.38, and of mortality on actual strength was 689, while the
percentage of deaths reckoned on average strength was 1.10.
No. 3 Statement is a detail of the several forms of insanity, classified according to the
new system of nomenclature.
Of the 26 admissions during the year, 13 were characterized by raving or violence or
visible excitement, and required on first admission unremitting watching; six were cases
of chronic mania, mostly faqueers; two were of melancholia or of mental depression, with
suspicion of suicidal propensity.
Four were of the worst kind, or dementia, the result of protracted mania, and one was a
small boy with no friends laboring under idiotcy.
No. 4 shows the attributed causes, physical to moral, were as 33 to 23. Amongst physical
causes are 11 under the headings dissipation and smoking of churrus.
No one will deny that a man or a woman intoxicated and confused in mind from spirit-
drinking or debauchery is a moral delinquent; but most unquestionably when intoxicating
liquors are long used they are a frequent cause of mental derangement of a permanent
character.
Dr. Payne, at Calcutta, of large experience amongst the insane, doubts the fact of
intemperance being a frequent cause of insanity; his theory being that the fons et origo of
chronic drunkenness is some form of aberration of the mind.
The new observation ward comes in very usefully with a view to watching all cases of this
kind ; and while some few cases have been found to be suffering from something like delirium
tremens, many have been admitted into the asylum for unmistakeable disorder of the
mind.
Four cases have had a family history, two arose from injury, and five were epileptic in
origin.
Of moral causes, grief, loss of property, and fright were the most frequent. Religion
originated the disorder of the mind in four cases.
No. 5 is a Register of Caste, Sex, and the zillahs whence the patients came. Of the new
admissions, there were 18 Hindoos to eight Mussulmans—about the same proportion that
has existed in Dehli the last three years.
Twenty-one males to five females was the proportion of sexes.
Of zillahs, Dehli naturally stands first, scoring 17, exactly the same as last year; then
comes Goorgaon, four; next Rohtuck, two ; Boolundshuhur, Mahwar, and Hissar, one each.
No. 6.—Trades. As in previous reports, shopkeepers represent the city of Dehli; agricul-
turists, laborers and faqueers their respective occupations in the whole of the Dehli District
and adjoining districts; other occupations are represented only by units.