6
The daily average sick for the past two years is compared with the average of the
past ten years in this statement :
Male.
Female.
Total.
1896
1895
Average of previous ten years
6 04
2"8l
3-69
1 95
0-63
2*60
7'99
3 - 44
6*29
The admissions to hospital have increased, but the increase is owing to the fact
that in former years, when we had no Hospital Assistant here, only serious cases of
sickness were admitted into the hospital. Now, with a Hospital Assistant in charge as
overseer, more notice is taken of slight cases. I think this is as it should be, and I
direct attention to the matter, merely to give myself an opportunity of stating here that
there was no increase in the number of cases of serious illness during the year under
report.
Prophylactic treatment, with a view to ward off malarial fever, will be tried for the
first time during the coming unhealthy season. By an oversight, probably, details of
the method were not communicated to the Asylum, as they were in the case of the
jail.
There were 7 deaths during the year under report; of which 2 were from phthisis,
1 from diarrhoea, 2 from fever, 1 from apoplexy, 1 from acute cerebritis.
Of the 2 phthisis cases; one was received from Dibrugarh in a moribund state and
died within 13 days of his admission into the Asylum.
Only one criminal lunatic died during the year.
Details of the 7 deaths which took place during the year are given below :
(1) Remittent fever.—Hura Rava, non-criminal, aged 25, received in good health
on the nth February 1894 and died on the 1st April 1896, after being
2 years 1 month 17 days in the Asylum. He was admitted for melancholia.
(2) Phthisis.—Bhato Koch, non-criminal, age 25 years, received in good health
on the 16th September 1893. He made no progress towards mental re-
covery, was very dirty in his habits, and destructive to his clothes.
His
health declined from July 1895, he was admitted into hospital on the 29th
. March last, and died on the 181I1 April. A cavity was found in the upper
lobe of the left lung post-mortem.
(3) Diarrhcua.—Peperu Koch, criminal, age 30 years, received in an indifferent
state of health on the 9th July 1889, and died on 12th May 1896, after
being in hospital for three days.
(4) Phthisis.—Samby, non-criminal, age 45 years. This patient was sent from
Dibn:garh, and on arrival was found to be in a moribund state and to be suffer-
ing from pulmonary consumption in an advanced stage. He was described as
dangerous, but no sufficient evidence of insanity was given. This patient,
as was anticipated, did no good, ar.d died on the 19th September 1896.
His condition was brought to the notice of the Commissioner when he visited
the Asylum on 16th September 189^. We saw no signs of insanity about
him while here, and I cannot help thinking he should have been put into
hospital at Dibrugarh. Post-mortem revealed cavities in both lungs. He
died before he could be formally admitted by the committee of visitors.
(5) Apoplexy.—Mithila, non-criminal, age 25 years, admitted into the Asylum
on 17th June 1895, and died on the 1st November 1896. He showed signs
of improvement at first, but got violent in August last. He subsequently
became so bad that he had to be restrained to prevent him from injuring
himself as he tried to knock his head against the wall or the ground. He
continued in ihis state till 28th October, when he became quiet. On the
night of the 30th October he took his evening meal as usual, and subse-
quently was noticed quiei. He died of an apopletic seizure.