No. S.B./726 OF 1906.
From
SURGEON-GENERAL J. P. GREANY, M.D., I. M. S.,
Surgeon-General with the Government of Bombay;
To
H. O. QUIN, ESQUIRE, I. C. S.,
Secretary to Government,
General Department, Bombay.
Office of the Surgeon-General with
the Government of Bombay :
Bombay, 19th March 1906.
Sir,
With reference to Government Resolution No. 4421, dated 22nd August
1904, General Department, I have the honour to forward the Triennial Report
on the Lunatic Asylums of the Bombay Presidency for the years 1903-05.
2. On the statistical tables appended at the end of the report, I beg to
make the following remarks :—
The total population of the Asylums during the year 1905 was 1,203 as
compared with 1,183 in 1904 and 1,114 in 1903. The mean population for the
triennium under review was 1,167, or 81 more than for the preceding triennium
(1900-02). The number admitted and re-admitted during the year 1905 was
298 males and 69 females—total 367 against 401 (males 330 and females 71) in
1904 and 317 (males 271 and females 46) in 1903, the average admissions and
re-admissions during the three years 1903-05 being 299 males and 62 females
as compared with 253 males and 54 females in the previous three years (1900-02).
Of the total treated, 105 males and 20 females were discharged cured as com-
pared with 112 males and 15 females in 1904 and 72 males and 21 females
in 1903, the mean of the triennia 1900-02 and 1903-05 being 63 males and 13
females and 96 males and 19 females respectively. Those transferred to friends
as "improved" and "not improved " numbered 107 males and 17 females—total
124 against 151 (males 137 and females 14) in 1904 and 167 (males 151 and
females 16) in 1903, the average number for the years 1903-05 being 132 males
and 16 females as compared with 111 males and 21 females in the previous
triennium (1900-02). There were 52 deaths in 1905 against 58 and 66 in 1904
and 1903 respectively, the mean mortality during the triennium 1903-05 being
59, or a decrease of 37 over that of the preceding three years (1900-02). The
daily average strength was 676.4 males and 191.5 females—total 867.9 as com-
pared with 823.8 (males 649.7 and females 174.1) in 1904 and 797.0 (males
627.8 and females 169.2) in 1903. The mean strength for the two triennial
periods 1900-02 and 1903.05 was 786.5 (males 609.6 and females 176.9) and
829.6 (males 651.3 and females 178.3) respectively. The percentages of cures
to the daily average strength were 15.5 males and 10.4 females in 1905 against
17.2 males and 8.6 females in 1904 and 11.5 males and 12.4 females in 1903, the
mean ratio for the three years (1903-05) being 14.7 males and 10.7 females
compared with 10.3 males and 7.3 females for the previous triennium (1900-02).
The ratio per cent. of mortality to the daily average strength was 6.2 males
and 5.2 females in 1905 as against 6.2 males and 10.3 females in 1904 and 8.0
males and 9.5 females in 1903. The mean death-rate during the three years
1903-05 was low as compared with that of the three years 1900-02, viz. 7.1 per
cent. (males 6.8 and females 8.4) against 12.2 per cent. (males 12.5 and females
11.3), and would have been less, had it not been for an unfortunate outbreak of
cholera in the Dhárwár Asylum in June 1905.
The health of the inmates was, on the whole, satisfactory, the daily average
sick being 21.9 as compared with 23.6 in 1904 and 34.2 in 1903, the mean of the
triennia 1900-02 and 1903-05 being 40.5 and 26.5, and the average ratio of
sick to the daily average strength 5.1 and 3.2, respectively. As stated above,
cholera broke out in the Dhárwár Lunatic Asylum on 4th June 1905, and 6
inmates were attacked, of whom 4 died. The Superintendent of the Asylum
attributed the outbreak to the following circumstance :—" Owing to drought
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