Proceedings of the Hon'ble the Lieutenant Governor of the Punjab, in the Home (Medical and Sanitary)
Department, No 53 S., dated Simla, the 26th of May 1897.
READ—
The Report of the Lahore and Delhi Lunatic Asylums for the year 1896 received with the
letter from the Inspector-General of Civil Hospitals, Punjab, No. 1534, dated the 15th
of April 1897.
REMARKS.—This Report which was due in the Civil Secretariat on the
15th of April was received on the 17th idem.
Paragraph 2 to 11 and paragraph 54
of the Report.
* Males
...
...
...
Females
...
...
...
l895 Males
...
...
Females
...
...
Total ...
1896
Males
...
...
Females ... ...
Total ...
Increase
...
172
49
253
62
315
262
72
334
19
‡ Secretary to Government, Public
Works Department.
Inspector-Jeneral of Civil Hospitals.
Sanitary Commissioner.
Civil Surgeon and Superintendent of Asylum, Lahore.
Civil Surgeon and Superintendent of
Asylum, Delhi.
Executive Engineer, Lahore.
Superintendent, Central Jail, Lahore,
Junior Secretary to Government.
2. The number of inmates in the Lahore Asylum at the end of the
year was 238 (185 males, 53 females), or 17 (13
males, 4 females) more than the number in the
institution at the commencement of the year, viz. 221.* The total population
was also larger by 19 in 1896 than in 1895.†
On the other hand, it is noticeable that, unlike
the year 1895 when the daily average strength
(238.09) exceeded the number of inmates (221)
at the end of the year, the daily average strength
of 234.96 in 1896 was less than the number of
inmates (238) on the 31st December in that year.
It was also less than the daily average strength of
the year 1895 and less by 14.80 than the daily
average strength of 249.76 for the past ten years.
The total percentage of discharged cured to admis-
sions was 33.63 as against 50.63 in 1895. The percentage to daily average
strength was, however, much the same in both years, viz. 16.17 in 1896, as
compared with 16.80 in 1895. The unusually large percentage recorded in 1895,
coupled with the large number of re-admissions in that year, induced the remark
in the review of the Report for that year that perhaps sufficient care was not taken
in discharging lunatics as cured, and the Inspector-General of Civil Hospitals was
asked to enquire into the matter and subject the result for information. It in
now reported that the Superintendent never discharges any patients except those
who have appeared to be sane and have shown no dangerous tendencies for
several months, and that he purposely discharges persons who have apparently
recovered, because (1) the surroundings of any asylum must be prejudicial to
permanent recovery, and (2) on account of the unhealthy character of the Lahore
Asylum itself. As shown above, the percentage of cured in 1896 closely approxi-
mated the figures for 1895, the actual number of discharges cured for the two
years being 38 and 40 respectively. It, however, appears that no re-admissions
occurred among the 38 discharged in 1896, and that out of the 10 actual re-
admissions of patients discharged in previous years no less than 7 had
enjoyed periods of sanity varying from 11 to 2 years. In these circumstances
His Honor is disposed to agree with the Inspector-General that sufficient
care has been taken in discharging patients as cured. With reference to the
allusion to the unhealthiness of the Asylum, it may be here noted that
the question of the construction of a Central Asylum for the Punjab is
still engaging the attention of Government.
Under the orders of the Lieutenant-Governor a
special Conference, composed of the officers noted
on the margin,‡ has reported on the matter, and it
is probable that, funds permitting, the construc-
tion of a new Asylum to contain the patients of
both the Lahore and Delhi Asylums will be
commenced at no distant date.