Part I.]
GENERAL REPORT.
7
Death rate of indivi¬
dual asylums.
proached the former excessive death-rates of Lucknow. The first place is held
by Lahore with a ratio of mortality to strength of 22.27 against 45.8 of
Lucknow for 1872. Lahore held the second place (with 36.3 per cent) in 1872,
so that although its position in the list this year is unfortunate, a considerable
reduction has been effected in the rate of its mortality. Delhi has preserved
its place in the order, but the rate has fallen from 28.6 to 17.5. Of the
total 14 asylums, 11 show a diminished death-rate, and of the three which
exhibit less favourable results, Dacca has increased but very slightly, whilst
the figures for Rangoon and Patna, though increased, do not indicate
what can be termed unfavourable rates. The most noticeable features
of the year as drawn from a comparison of the statement with that of the
previous year, are the generally lower death-rates almost everywhere, and
the very marked reductions which are recorded in the cases of Lucknow and
Cuttack. The reason assigned for this result at Lucknow is that the river
Goomtee never once overflowed its banks during the year; and so far as
Cuttack is concerned, the Superintendent in the previous year's report correctly
explained that statistics of such very small numbers for limited periods are
liable to present occasional accidental and startling results, and are of no
real value. The Cuttack asylum affords a good example of this, the death-
rate to strength in 1871 having been 8.9, in 1872, it was 25.6, and in 1873 only
2.03. The Dacca asylum suffered severely from cholera, but in. none of the
other institutions of the presidency did a single death from this scourge occur.
Mortality rate of
each province and of
Madras, compared.
The mortality of the year in each province separately and in Madras is
thus compared:—
Bengal ... ... ...
North-Western Provinces ...
Central Provinces ... ...
Oudh ... ... ...
Punjab ... ... ...
British Burmah ... ...
Madras ... ... ...
Daily average
strength.
901.4
499.9
232.4
136.3
283.5
129
807.47
Deaths.
119
55
26
22
61
11
42
Percentage
of deaths to
strength.
12
11
11.2
16.1
21.5
8.5
23.6
Mortality according
to season.
The mortality according to season is recorded in statement No. XI:—
STATEMENT No. XI.
ASYLUMS.
Dullundah ... ...
Dacca
...
...
...
Patna ...
.
.
.
.
.
.
Cuttack ... ...
Moydapore
... ...
Benares
...
...
Bareilly ... ...
Agra ... ... ...
Nagpore ... ...
Jubbulpore
... ...
Lucknow ... ...
Delhi ... ... ...
Lahore
...
...
...
Rangoon ... ...
TOTAL ...
January.
...
6
1
...
2
2
2
2
1
1
4
2
2
1
26
February.
2
...
...
...
1
...
...
1
1
2
2
1
1
...
11
March.
6
2
...
...
...
1
1
...
...
...
1
1
3
1
16
April.
2
3
2
1
...
2
...
...
1
...
...
...
...
...
11
May.
5
2
5
...
...
3
3
...
...
2
5
...
2
1
28
June.
2
2
2
...
...
...
2
1
1
..
...
...
...
1
11
July.
5
3
3
...
...
...
...
1
...
...
...
...
4
3
19
August.
5
7
7
...
...
1
5
2
1
...
1
1
2
1
33
September
2
2
3
...
...
2
5
1
3
1
2
1
10
...
32
October.
6
5
2
...
...
3
4
...
1
5
2
...
16
1
45
November.
3
10
...
...
...
...
5
...
...
5
5
2
9
2
41
December.
2
5
2
...
1
2
3
1
...
1
...
...
4
...
21
TOTAL.
40
47
27
1
4
16
30
9
9
17
22
8
53
11
294
Montality according
to sex.
It is thus shown that the hot months are those of the least fatality (22.5
per cent. of total deaths then occurring); and the wet season very consider-
ably the most fatal in its effects, no less than 44 per cent. of the total deaths
having taken place during the months of July, August, September and Octo-
ber. The four colder months, November, December, January and February,
occupy an intermediate position with a ratio per cent. of 337 to total mortality.
The death-rate according to sex is seen by statement No. VI. to be greater
amongst females than amongst males (32.05 to 38.05 on admissions for the