2
5. Statement IV—Occupations.—Out
of a total of 90 admissions and
readmissions agriculturists furnished 21, labourers 9, beggars 5, constables 2,
students 2, and in 19 cases the previous occupation was not known. The
rest belonged to various other avocations.
6. Statement V—Ages.—Out of 90 admissions and readmissions 3 were
under the age of 20, 75 between the ages of 20 to 40 and 11 between 40 and
60, and one above 60.
7. Statement VI—Types of insanity.—As usual mania under its various
sub-heads was the common type of insanity, of which 49 patients were
admitted, or 54.44 of total admissions ; 11 of these cases recovered. Melan-
cholia with 17 admissions, or 18.88 per cent. of total, comes next in numerical
strength. The number of recoveries under this type was only 4. Insanity
of Haschisch or Indian hemp was responsible for 9 admissions. No recovery
under this head. Out of 9 admissions under head " Declared to have recovered
or not yet diagnosed", 4 recovered. Delusional insanity accounts for 5
admissions or 5.55 of the total admissions. Last comes Idiocy with 1 admis-
sion.
8. Statement VII—Aetiological factors.—The Aetiological factor in 21
cases is alleged to have been toxic (chiefly Ganja), in 8 cases mental stress,
in 2 heredity, in 2 mental instability, in 2 critical period (all senility), in one
physiological defects and errors (over exertion) and in 2 diseases of the
nervous system (all Epilepsy). No causes are assigned in 52 cases.
The form prescribed is defective inasmuch as predisposing and exciting
causes are stated irrespective of the case or the type of insanity. The defect
can be remedied by adding a column for the names of patients and another
for the type of insanity so that one may be able to refer to the particular
case and also to correlate the type of insanity with the predisposing and
exciting causes.
9. Statement VIII—Finance—Expenditure.—The
total receipts from all
sources aggregated Rs. 39,366 against Rs. 27,791 in 1912 and Rs. 24,926 in
1911. This increase over 1912 was due to increased daily average strength,
higher prices of some articles of diet, and cost of new buildings. There was
an increase of Rs. 215 in the receipts from paying patients.
The charges for establishment, contingencies, medicines, clothing and
bedding, diet and work done by Public Works Department, amounted during
the year to Rs. 9,923, Rs. 3,312, Rs. 465, Rs. 712, Rs. 15,457, Rs. 9,047
as against Rs. 9,099, Rs. 2,982, Rs. 276, Rs, 866, Rs. 11,707, and Rs. 2,623,
respectively, in 1912. The average cost per head was Rs. 141-7-8 as compared
with Rs. 111-13-10, an increase mainly due to Public Works and to increased
diet cost.
10. Statement IX.—The conduct of the staff has been fairly good, as good
as can be expected from men who have more duties than they should be
given.
11. Statement X—Manufactures.—The lunatics were employed in garden¬
ing, ata and dal making, rope-making, etc. The net profit in 1913 was
Rs. 1,557, against Rs. 1,452 in 1912.
12. General remarks.—(1) Amusements were provided at a cost of Rs. 75.
(2) Hard-working and well-behaved lunatics were rewarded by small monthly
stipends. (3) Accommodation for 44 more lunatics were provided by the
construction of a sleeping ward and cells.
Quarters for warders and extension of their existing quarters will shortly
be built.
Projects for a female hospital and additional wards for both males and
females and a phthisical ward are under contemplation.
C. E. SUNDER, M.D., LT.-COL., I.M.S.,
Superintendent, Lunatic Asylum, Patna.
The 11th March 1914.