2
and for the non-criminal patients, and until this requirement is met I am
convinced it will not be possible to classify patients of either class to the
extent necessary for the welfare of both.
Statement III.—Religion, sex and residence.
4. Hindus contributed 76 males and 18 females to the total admissions,
Muhammadans 76 males and 10
females, Europeans and Eurasians 6
males and 5 females, Native Christians 1 female and other castes 4 males and 3
females.
Statement IV.—Occupation.
5. Agriculturists, as usual, furnished the largest number of admissions,
viz., 27, while 19 are shown under the
head " housewife." In 48 cases the
previous occupation was not known.
Statement V.—Age.
6. As regards age, 22 of the total number admitted were under 20 years,
144 between 20 and 40, 29 between
40 and 60 and 4 above 60.
Statement VI.—Types of insanity.
7. Mania contributed 97 towards the total admissions, melancholia and
dementia 44 each, idiocy 6, delusional
insanity 3 and mental stupor 1.
Statement VII.—Causes.
8. In regard to causation, in 83 of the total admissions the insanity was
attributed to physical and in 8 to
moral causes, and in 108 cases no
cause could be assigned. Of the physical causes the abuse of intoxicating drugs
and spirits was responsible for 44, epilepsy 19, fever 7, congenital disease 5,
hereditary predisposition and child birth 3 each and over-study and syphilis 1
each.
Statement VIII.—Cash Account.
9. From this statement it will be seen that the receipts under all the
heads, except "book receipts," increas-
ed. The increase in the case of receipts
from paying patients and value of stores was Rs. 162-12-11 and Rs. 630-5-6
respectively. The charges on account of establishment were Rs. 34,610-5-9
against Rs. 33,591-0-4 in 1908. The increase of Rs. 2,641-2-10 under diet,
was attributable to the enhanced cost of provisions, while the increase of
Rs. 1,612-12-5 under contingencies is due to the purchase of looks for the new
hospital, wheelbarrows, a filth cart, a sterilizer, furniture for the European wards
and iron cots. The increase under rates and taxes is due to arrears of canal
charges paid during the year.
Statement X.—Manufactures.
10. It is satisfactory to note that the manufactures of the asylum
have continued to progress favour-
ably, the profits having risen from
Rs. 4,236-13-11 in 1908 to Rs. 7,068-10-8. Agricultural operations afford
congenial employment to a large proportion of the patients. It may be also
mentioned that amusements have been provided in the shape of performances by
conjurers and others, while the gramophone and magic lantern, supplied some
y ears ago, give pleasure to many. Altogether a great deal is done to make the
lives of the unfortunate inmates of the institution as pleasant as possible.
General.
11. During the year a systematic effort has been made to instruct the
warders in their duties which, it is
hoped, will be attended with good
results. And in order to recruit men of a superior stamp Captain Peebles has
latterly been trying to obtain the services of pensioned soldiers of the Indian
Army, but I doubt whether the latter will be found willing to discharge the
extremely distasteful duties which not infrequently fall to the lot of an asylum
attendant; nor am I convinced that they possess the requisite qualities for dealing
with the insane. It has occurred to me that if a few of the brethren of the
Franciscan Order could be induced to undertake the supervision of the attendants
their presence in the male asylum would be calculated to exercise the same
wholesome influence which the Franciscan nuns have produced in the female
annexe.