8
LUNATIC ASYLUMS FOR NATIVES.
[Part I.
Mortality according
to type and origin of
insanity
whole series of years). The year 1873 was no exception to the above general
result, the ratio per cent. of males who died to admissions of males was 23.8,
and of females to admissions of females 29.8. Tables No. II and III exhibit
the mortality according to the types of insanity, and according to the cause
and origin of the insanity. Paralysis caused no less than 20 per cent. of
deaths of treated. Excluding paralysis, melancholia and idiotcy were the
most fatal forms of mental disease, each giving about 15 per cent. of deaths
on cases treated. Acute mania and imbecility rank next with a percentage of a
little over 9, whilst chronic mania, acute dementia and chronic dementia occa-
sioned over 7 per cent. of deaths on treated. Insanity due to moral causes was
more fatal than that due to physical causes. Of the moral causes, grief was
the most fatal. Of the physical causes, excluding those of which but few
cases were treated, opium and epilepsy were the most fatal in proportion to the
number treated. The preparations of Indian hemp caused 7 per cent. of
deaths of those treated for insanity thus produced. Insanity due to fever was
fatal in the ratio of 7.5. Alcoholic spirits was accountable for 5.4 per cent. of
deaths of those treated.
Mortality according
to duration of resi-
dence,
The mortality according to duration of residence in the asylums is ex-
hibited in statement No. XII.
STATEMENT No. XII.
ASYLUMS.
Dullundah ...
Dacca
...
...
Patna ... ...
Cuttack ... ...
Moydapore ...
Benares ... ...
Bareilly ... ...
Agra ... ...
Nagpore ... ...
Jubbulpore ...
Lucltnow ... ...
Delhi ... ...
Lahore ... ...
Rangoon ... ...
TOTAL
Under 1 month.
6
5
2
...
...
...
3
1
1
1
1
...
1 to 2 months.
2
4
3
...
...
1
2
1
...
2
1
1
2 to 3 months.
4
3
3
...
1
1
1
2
...
1
5
2
Under 3 months.
12
12
8
...
1
2
6
4
1
4
7
3
3 to 4 months.
2
6
1
...
....
1
...
...
...
...
...
...
1 to 5 months.
...
2
3
...
...
...
2
...
...
...
...
1
5 to 6 months.
2
...
...
...
...
1
2
1
...
...
2
...
3 to 6 months.
4
8
4
...
...
2
4
1
...
1
2
1
6 to 9 months.
4 8
2
...
1
2
6
1
...
3
5
...
9 to 12 months.
4
3
2
...
1
4
1
2
...
...
...
2
Under 1 year.
24
31
16
...
3
10
17
8
1
7
14
6
1 to 2 years.
4
5
1
1
1
1
3
1
2
1
2
...
2 to 3 years.
3
2
...
...
...
1
4
...
3
2
2
...
3 to 4 years.
1
...
4
...
...
...
3
...
1
2
1
...
4 to 5 years.
1
2
2
...
...
1
2
...
1
3
2
...
Under 5 years.
33
40
23
1
4
13
29
9
8
15
21
6
6 to 10 years.
5
6
3
...
...
...
...
...
1
2
1
2
10 to 15 years.
2
1
1
...
...
2
1
...
...
...
...
...
15 to 20 years.
...
...
...
...
...
1
....
...
...
...
...
...
Under 20 years.
40
47
27
1
4
16
30
9
9
17
22
8
Average duration
of residence.
797
621.1
840.4
954
265.5
...
...
...
...
853
...
752
No information.
2
22
1
18
...
23
3
63
1
11
...
8
...
8
1
27
2
34
1
20
7
144
3
25
1
18
...
12
...
14
11
213
...
20
...
7
...
1
11
241
...
...
Causes of mortality.
Unfortunately, the returns from which this statement was compiled were
imperfectly rendered in some cases, so that the general results must be re-
ceived with some amount of reservation. Of the total deaths noted in the state-
ment, 26 per cent. occurred within three months of residence, 59 per cent. with¬
in one year, and 88 per cent. within five years. Table No. IV gives information
as to the causes of mortality. Dysentery ranks first in the list of fatal causes,
and accounts for 70 deaths, debility caused 43 deaths, diarrhœa 42, malarial
fevers 20, pneumonia 17, phthisis 12, cholera 11, and. epilepsy 11.
Some items of interest as bearing on the possibility of reducing the mor-
tality are noticed by some of the reporters, and will be found in the epitomized
reports which follow. The prevalence of various fatal chest affections in the
Dacca and Dullundah asylums is attributed to an atmosphere vitiated from
over-crowding. Dr. Simpson of Patna draws attention to the necessity for
vigilance on the part of the asylum subordinates to check the habit of eating
clay, to which a large proportion of those who are suffering from diarrhoea
and debility are addicted, and which greatly aggravates their complaints.
Condition of health
on admission as affect-
ing the mortality.
The wretched condition of health in which a large proportion of the lu-
natics are admitted into the asylums is pretty generally commented upon,
and this circumstance has, no doubt, much to do with the death-rate, as the
returns amply testify. Of 290 deaths, the state of health on admission into
the asylums was good in 105 instances, indifferent in 70, and bad in 115
cases. Again, of these 290 the state of whose health on admission is recorded,
215 were males and 75 females; of the males 37 per cent. were in bad health
when admitted, and of the females 46 per cent. were then in bad health, or