No. S.B./865 OF 1905.
From
THE SURGEON-GENERAL WITH THE
GOVERNMENT OF BOMBAY,
Bombay;
To
THE SECRETARY TO GOVERNMENT,
General Department, Bombay.
Office of the Surgeon-General
with the Government of Bombay :
Bombay, 10th April 1905.
Sir,
I have the honour to forward, for the information of Government, the
Annual Administration Report on the Lunatic Asylums of the Bombay Presi-
dency for the year 1904.
2. On the statistical tables appended at the end of the report, I beg to
make the following remarks :—
The total number admitted into the Asylums was 401, of whom 330 were
males and 71 females, showing an increase of 59 males and 25 females over the
previous year. The percentage of males admitted to total admissions was 82.3,
and of females 17.7, as compared with 85.5 and 14.5 respectively in 1903. The
total population amounted to 1,183—males 950 and females 233, against 897
males and 217 females—total 1,114 in the previous year. The daily average
strength of insanes rose from 797.0 to 823.8. The total number discharged was
289, of whom 257 were males and 32 females, and there were 58 deaths, leaving
836 (males 653 and females 183) at the end of the year. Of the number
discharged, 112 males and 15 females were returned as cured, against 72 males
and 21 females in 1903; 137 males and 14 females were transferred to the care
of friends (120 males and 13 females improved and 17 males and 1 female not
improved), as compared with 151 males and 16 females in the previous year.
Three Civilian criminal insanes were sent to England, 6 were transferred to
other Asylums and hospitals, and 2 escaped. Of the total admissions, the
percentage cured was 31.7, and of the daily average strength 15.4, as compared
with 29.3 and 11.7, respectively, in 1903.
The total number of criminal insanes was 152, consisting of 133 males and
19 females, or an increase over the year 1903 of 16 males and 2 females. The
admissions during the year were 40 males and 4 females—total 44, as compared
with 25 (males 22 and females 3) in 1903. The daily average strength was
112.2 against 109.1 in 1903.
Of the 401 admissions, 165 were Hindus, 105 Europeans, 5 Eurasians, 15
Native Christians, 85 Mahomedans and 26 of other castes. The admissions by
age were as follows:—20 under 20 years, 318 between 20 and 40 years, 60 be-
tween 40 and 60 years, and 3 above 60 years of age. Soldiers furnished the
largest number of admissions, viz., 99. Merchants and traders numbered 38,
mendicants 29, cultivators and labourers 43, domestic servants 21 and clerks 15.
In 52 cases the occupation was not ascertained, and 45 had no occupation.
The numbers admitted during the year under various types of insanity were
mania 206, melancholia 118, delusional insanity 43, dementia 21, idiocy 8, mental
stupor 3 and general paralysis of the insane 2. The admissions from mania and
melancholia showed an increase of 29 and 34 cases respectively over the preced-
ing year, whereas those from dementia gave a decrease of 8.
As regards the alleged causes of insanity among the admissions, a cause is
given in 207 and is unknown in 194 cases. Of the known causes, 163 cases are
attributed to physical and 44 to moral causes. Of the former, the abuse of
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