Part I.]
DULLUNDA LUNATIC ASYLUM.
15
Statistics.
The resident population continued its progressive increase. The admissions
were somewhat fewer than in 1872, 184 against 191, but higher by 30 than the
average of 10 years, and higher than in any single year of the ten except 1872 ;
still they bear a smaller ratio to an increasing strength. The recoveries have
been unprecedentedly high—138, exceeding by 63 the average of ten years, and
by 25 the highest number in the ten, the rates of cured per cent. of strength
being 37.4 against 19.8 for 1872, and 28.3 the average of the previous five
years. The death-rate was low—10.8 per cent. of strength.
STATEMENT No. XIII.
YEARS.
1868
...
...
1869
... ...
1870 ... ...
1871 ... ...
1872 ... ...
Average
... ...
1873
...
...
Daily average
strength.
268
279
309
335
354
309
369
PER CENT. OF AVERAGE STRENGTH.
Admitted.
73.1
63.8
59.5
52.5
61.9
62.2
55.3
DISCHARGED.
Cured.
38.1
27.2
28.8
27.4
19.8
28.3
37.4
Improved.
10.1
11.4
9.7
6.2
11.6
9.8
9.7
Otherwise.
......
......
......
3.5
3.4
1.4
.81
Deaths.
17.9
16.4
12.6
12.8
12.4
14.4
10.8
Total dis-
charges and
deaths.
66.1
55.
51.1
49.9
47.2
53.9
58.8
Causes of death.
Of the total number of 40 fatal cases, dysentery caused 14 deaths,
phthisis 5, and acute pulmonary complaints 6, being a somewhat less mortality
from dysentery, and a high proportion of fatal pulmonary cases. There was
also a fatal case of typhoid fever and 3 deaths from diarrhœa.
Overcrowding.
Pulmonary diseases
due to—
The report draws attention to the persistent overcrowding which existed.
Dr. Payne, noticing the low rate of general mortality, notwithstanding the
increase of pulmonary diseases, considers this
a fact which indicates the connection between these diseases and the persistent and
increasing defect of the asylum—overcrowding—which works to intensify yearly more and more
the peculiar susceptibility of the insane. The deaths among the women were particularly
numerous, 15 in a mean population of 87. The overcrowding is greater in the female ward.
It is to be observed, however, that lung disease was not so prevalent among the women
as among the men.
Deputy Surgeon-
General's opinion.
The Deputy-Surgeon General in his report says :—
The overcrowding in this asylum has existed to a dangerous extent throughout the year.
Allowing 50 superficial feet for each inmate, the male wards can accommodate 246, and the
female wards 47 individuals, whilst the average number resident throughout the year was
282.52 males and 86.76 females.
Surgeon-General's
opinion.
And the Surgeon-General in summing up the facts declares that there
was a " dangerous want of room for the lodgment of patients."
The Government resolution, in commenting upon this portion of the report, remarks that
" steps were taken by Government to remedy the evil as soon as the completion of the Berham-
pore asylum rendered this possible."
Question of enlarg-
ing the asylum.
The question of providing increased accommodation by the addition of
new buildings was under discussion, but it was concluded that the asylum had
already reached the limits which cannot be exceeded without impairing effi-
cient management. The Surgeon-General writes :—
There is a limit to the growth of asylums which Dullunda has fully reached, and if
it should be desired to add to asylum accommodation at the presidency, it will be necessary
to provide another asylum with a similar and complete staff of officers and servants, the
latter in proportion to the number of lunatics.
Mechanical restraint.
Dr. Payne holds very pronounced views upon the question of mechanical
restraint, concerning which he submitted a special report during the year. As
a matter of fact, restraint was employed to a considerably smaller extent than
in 1872,—39 persons were restrained against 70. In the case of this asylum
there is no doubt that the greatest caution is observed, under the immediate