2
6. Of the total admissions, viz., 392, Hindus numbered 173, Mahomedans
105, Europeans and Eurasians 68 and Native Christians 22, the remaining 24
being grouped under the head of "Other Castes.''
7. Amongst the admissions, 55 were soldiers, 42 were returned as
labourers, 37 as mendicants, 34 as domestic servants, 28 as merchants and traders
and 24 as cultivators. In 40 cases the occupation could not be ascertained, and
49 were said to have had no occupation.
8. According to age, the admissions were as follows:—Under 20 years,
35; from 20 to 40 years, 288 ; from 40 to 60 years, 66; and above 60 years, 3.
9. The various types of insanity treated were mania 678, melancholia 311,
dementia 165, idiocy 65, and delusional insanity 62. Among the alleged
causes of insanity, a cause is furnished in 706 cases and is unknown in 581.
Of the known causes, 576 cases are attributed to physical, and 130 to moral
causes. The use of intoxicating drugs and over-indulgence in spirituous liquors,
fevers, epilepsy, previous attacks, hereditary predisposition, congenital diseases,
masturbation and privation contributed largely to admissions.
10. The number of deaths rose from 52 (or 6.0 per cent.) in 1905 to 61
(or 6.6 per cent.) in 1906. The increase was most marked in Hyderabad and
Ahmedabad Asylums. In the former there were 14 deaths as against 7 in the
previous year, and the death-rate per cent. to the daily average strength was
9.7 as compared with 5.7 in 1905. The Superintendent attributes this high
mortality to the excessive prevalence of malarial fevers of a malignant type
consequent on the flooding of the country during the inundation season, pro-
viding countless breeding grounds for mosquitoes. At Ahmedabad 7 deaths
occurred against 1 in 1905, giving a ratio of 6.5 per cent. as compared with
0.9 in the previous year. The average annual mortality of this asylum for the
five years ending 1904 was 8, however the 7 deaths that occurred in the year
1906 were among those affected with chronic diseases—one having been admitted
in a moribund state, and the others were in the Asylum for period ranging
from 7 to 22 years.
11. The total expenditure was Rs. 1,97,345-2-2, as compared with
Rs. 1,81,259-8-10 in 1905. If the sums received from paying patients and
from the sale of goods to the public and those made over to the Asylum for
asylum purposes, &c, be deducted, the net cost would be Rs. 1,42,165-3-10
against Rs. 1,35,085-13-2 in the previous year. The increased expenditure in
1906 was mainly due to a larger number of insanes treated as will be evidenced
by the fact that the annual net cost per head of daily average strength was
Rs. 153-4-2, or Rs. 2-6-2 less than in the year 1905.
Rs. 1,779-9-11 were expended out of the discretionary grant for the amuse-
ment of insanes, as compared with Rs. 1,841-14-11 in 1905. At Naupáda a
further sum of Rs. 634-9-6 was spent for this purpose out of the Bai Putlibai
Trust Fund.
12. The total receipts from the Manufacturing Departments amounted to
Rs. 4,436-4-7, and debits to Rs. 1,193-14-4, giving a profit of Rs. 3,242-6-3 as
compared with Rs. 2,659-5-3 in 1905.
13. The official visitors were regular in their attendance at all the Asylums.
14. During the year, the Superintendents of the Asylums performed their
duties to my entire satisfaction, and the conduct of the subordinate staff has
been satisfactory.
I have the honour to be,
Sir,
Your most obedient Servant,
J. P. GREANY, M.D.,
Surgeon-General, I.M.S.,
Surgeon-General with the Government of Bombay.