Notes on the annual statistics relating to the Lunatic Asylums
in the United Provinces for the year 1909.
THE total admissions, including re-admissions fell from 294 in 1908 to
263 in 1909. The admissions fell from 71 and 181 to 59 and 148 in the Benares
and Agra asylums respectively, but rose from 42 to 56 in the Bareilly asylum.
The total population fell from 1,481 to 1,410 and the daily average strength from
1,196.07 to 1,147.85.
2. The number discharged during the year was 148 against 183 in the
previous year. Although there was a decrease of 71 in the total population it is
satisfactory to note that the number discharged as cured was no less than 122, which
compares very favourably with 129 the number similarly discharged in 1908
with a larger asylum population. The daily average sick increased from 113.53
to 132.94, but the percentage of cures to the daily average strength and admissions
decreased from 10.79 and 21.43, to 10.63 and 18.63 respectively. There was a
decrease of 43 deaths, and the percentage of deaths to the daily average strength
and admissions was 9.41 and 6.08 against 12.62 and 9.18 in 1908. There was no
overcrowding at Bareilly and Agra, but there was a slight increase over capacity
at Benares from April to July when the asylum was closed to fresh admissions. The
construction of a new barrack of 30 cells is under consideration,
3. As regards deaths Bareilly reports 31 against 35, Benares 20 against
29 and Agra 57 against 87. Of the 31 deaths at Bareilly nine were from pneu-
monia against five in the previous year, three from dysentery and three from
epilepsy. The deaths from phthisis decreased from 10 to 6. Funds for the
construction of an isolation ward for tuberculous cases were allotted during the
year, and it is anticipated that future years will show a reduced mortality from
this disease. A small outbreak of cholera occurred during the year—there were
three cases in all with two deaths. The spread of the disease was soon checked.
Of the 20 deaths at Benares seven were from dysentery, tubercular diseases two,
syphilis one, diseases of the respiratory system three, diarrhœa two, old age and
debility one. There was one death from opium poisoning ; the case was one of
suicide and formed the subject of a magisterial enquiry. Of the 57 deaths at
Agra pneumonia accounted for 26, of which 15 died in the first quarter and eight
during the last quarter of the year. Of the 384 admissions to hospital 58 were
cases of pneumonia, of which 23 were in the first quarter and 29 in the last quarter.
Diarrhoea accounted for two, phthisis and anæmia for five each, epilepsy four,
dysentery and stupor three each. Two patients were admitted in a dying condition
and succumbed within ten days. A lunatic was transferred from Gorakhpur to
Agra who died a few days after arrival. He was too weak to travel and was
covered with bedsores, and should not have undertaken the journey. The case
has been reported to Government. One death was due to accident; an excited
patient climbed a tree from which he fell and ruptured his liver and intes-
tines. Although unusual malarial conditions prevailed in 1908 undermining the
health of the patients in all three asylums, and malaria was more or less prevalent
in an epidemic form in 1909, it is satisfactory to find that the death rate in 1909
was lower than in the previous year, and that there was only one death from
malarial fever at Agra and Bareilly and two at Benares.
4. During the year the proposed amendment of Chapter XXXIV of the
Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898 (Act V of 1898), relating to lunatics was
considered at the request of the Government of India. The advisability of laying
down rules prescribing certain educational and residential qualifications for Assis-
tant Superintendents, overseers and warders was also dealt with. As accommo-
dation is now available at Agra for the female criminal lunatics of the province
Government has been asked to sanction the transfer of the criminal female lunatics
from the Benares and Bareilly asylums, and to instruct Magistrates that in future
such lunatics should be sent to the Agra Central Asylum. The cost of dieting
a European lunatic has, under the orders of Government, been recently fixed at