( 2 )
other designations. The proportion of males to females was about 4 to 1. Of
the 26 bonâ-fide re-admissions 13 were cases of recurrent insanity, chiefly due to
intoxication, received in the Dullunda Asylum. It may be questioned if a
sufficiently strict adherence to the instructions of Government would not have
led the Magistrates who passed the orders of admission in some of these cases
to dispose otherwise of the insane persons in question.
3. The following table exhibits the capacity of each of the native
lunatic asylums, allowing 50 superficial feet to each patient, and the number of
lunatics confined in each on the last day of the year:—
Dullunda
...
Dacca
...
...
Patna
...
...
Cuttack
...
...
Moydapore
...
...
Berhampore ... ...
Hazareebagh ...
Grand Total ...
Males.
Capacity.
246
127
190
32
58
175
352
1,180
Number on 31st
December.
164
168
149
41
38
113
223
896
Females.
Capacity.
47
50
70
11
10
55
40
283
Number on 31st
December.
65
34
60
5
12
59
...
235
Total.
Capacity.
293
177
260
43
68
230
392
1,463
Number on 31st
December.
229
202
209
46
50
172
223
1,131
With the completion of the new ward under construction in Dacca the capacity
of that asylum will be raised from 177 to 217. It will be observed that the actual
capacity of the asylums is now much in excess of the requirements, and that
it is likely to exceed them still further. There was, however, some overcrowd-
-ng of females in Dullunda, Moydapore, and Berhampore, and of males in
Dacca and Patna. This need not have occurred, and it can easily be obviated
in future. The Lieutenant-Governor has recently directed the closing of
Moydapore, a small and unhealthy asylum, which is quite close to Berhampore.
lt should, Mr. Eden thinks, be the policy of Government to have a few large
and conveniently situated asylums rather than several small ones which have
been opened from time to time as accommodation was found available. The
opening of the Northern Bengal Railway and the establishment of a regular
passenger steamer service between the Orissa ports and Calcutta may perhaps
render it possible to reduce the number of asylums further and to concentrate
the lunatics in four or five institutions, thus diminishing the expenditure on
establishment.
4. The number of criminal lunatics in asylums was 232 at the beginning
and 269 at the close of the year. The admissions and re-admissions numbered
85 and 6 respectively, wh1le 31 were discharged and 23 died. The Lieu-
tenant-Governor understands that 29 of the total number have recovered their
reason, but are detained under the orders of Government. Mr. Eden has at
present under consideration the question of the place in which these persons
should be confined. It is obvious that the presence in asylums of criminals
who have regained their faculties must be a source of much danger and difficulty
in the management of these institutions. Dr. Beatson's observations on the
advantages of complete seclusion of criminal lunatics appear to be judicious.
This subject also is already receiving separate consideration.
5. Among the causes of insanity, excess in ganja accounted for 30.66
per cent., and excess in spirituous liquors for 4.16 per cent., of the cases treated
during the year. It may be presumed that of the latter at least many cases
were such as would be refused admission under the recent orders on the subject.
Grief was assigned as the predisposing cause in 5.55 per cent. of the cases.
Altogether 45.73 per cent. were attributed to the operation of physical, and 7.93
per cent. to that of moral causes, while in 46.33 per cent. the cause was unknown.
The various types of insanity prevailed in the following proportions:—Chronic
mania 38.86, chronic dementia 24.25, acute mania 20.42, melancholia 9.05,
acute dementia 4.36, idiocy .79, and imbecility and amentia .39 per cent.
The recoveries were 21.03 per cent. of the cases in acute mania, 15.15 in
acute dementia, 7.31 in chronic mania, 1.45 in melancholia, and 1.08 in chronic