3
mean of the triennia 1903—1905 and 1906—1908 being 26.5 and 26.4 respect-
ively. The precentage of sickness to the daily average strength was 3.0 against
2.5 in 1907 and 2.8 in 1906, the average ratio for these three years being
2.8 as compared with 3.2 for the previous triennium 1903—1905.
The mean death-rate at the Narotamdas Madhavdas Lunatic Asylum,
Naupáda (Thána), and at the Poona Lunatic Asylum, during the three years
1906—1908, was very low, as compared with the previous three years 1903—
1905. At the Sir Cowasji Jehangir Lunatic Asylum at Hyderabad the ratio
of deaths per cent. to the daily average strength has been greater during the
year 1908 than during any preceding years since 1902, when it reached 20 per
cent. In that year as in this, cholera prevailed in the asylum in common
with the surrounding district. The manner in which the infection was actually
introduced could not be ascertained, but it is possible that it was blown in the
dust from the neighbouring roads and fields in or beside which cholera excreta
had been evacuated. There were 15 cases of cholera with nine deaths. In this
asylum malarial fevers, which have also been prevalent all over the district,
assisted in increasing the death-rate. These fevers in insanes are commonly
complicated by bowel lesions causing diarrhœa which is frequently fatal in
persons already weakened by chronic nervous disease of various types. Though
the death-rate at Ratnágiri for the year 1908 was lower than the two previous
years, the average ratio for the triennium 1906—1908 was greater than that for
the previous triennium (1903—1905), viz., 5.1 against 2.1, and the Superintendent
of the Asylum reports that, with the exception of five deaths from dysentery
which prevailed in 1907 as already brought to notice, these figures have no
particular significance. At Dhárwár four deaths occurred among new admissions
during the year 1908 which accounts for an increase in the death-rate over
those of the previous years. The total percentage of deaths at Ahmedabad was
very nearly the same during the three years under review, whilst the mean ratio
thereof was higher than that of the previous three years (1903—1905), due to
patients whose health at the time of admission into the asylum was in a more or
less broken down condition.
5. The total number of criminal lunatics confined was 180 males and 20
females—total 200, as compared with 179 (males 155 and females 23) in 1907
and 189 (males 167 and females 22) in 1906. The mean population of this
class of insanes was 168 males and 22 females during the triennial period under
report, showing on an average an increase of 37 males and 3 females over the
previous triennium 1903—1905. Their daily average strength was 151.9
against 138.6 in 1907 and 132.5 in 1906, the mean strength for these three
years being 141.0, as compared with 113.7 for the previous three years
1903—1905.
6. Of the total admissions and re-admissions there were:—
Hindus
...
...
...
Mahomedans
...
...
...
Europeans and Eurasians
...
...
Native
Christians
...
...
Other castes
...
...
...
1908.
181
90
38
20
38
1907.
168
80
56
11
36
1906.
173
105
68
22
24
Average.
1906—1908.
174
92
54
18
32
1903—1905.
145
78
92
20
27
and the admissions and re-admissions according to age :—
Under 20 ... ...
Between 20 and 40
...
...
„
40 and 60
...
...
Upwards of 60 ... ...
1908.
24
284
57
2
1907.
25
260
65
1
1906.
35
288
66
3
Average.
1906—1908.
28
277
63
2
1903—1905.
16
283
58
5