20
LUNATIC ASYLUMS IN BENGAL.
Visitors.
20. The visitors met eight times during the year, and the asylum was
visited during the summer by His Honor the Lieutenant-Governor of Bengal,
who made the following remarks in the visitors' book :—
" I visited the Dacca Lunatic Asylum with the Superintendent, Dr. Crombie,
on 19th July. I found everything in excellent order, and the unfortunate
patients appeared to be well cared for and kindly and considerately treated. "
" In conclusion," says Dr. Crombie, " I congratulate myself on writing the
most satisfactory report on this asylum that has been possible during its whole
history. During the year 1877 there were fewer admissions, a smaller daily
average strength, a smaller percentage daily sick than in any previous year; an
unprecedented low mortality; and a higher percentage derived benefit as regards
their mental state : the management of the asylum was more economical, and
the profits on the manufactures greater, than that in any previous year with
which it can be compared."
PATNA ASYLUM.
Superintendence.
Patna.—This asylum was under the superintendence of Surgeon-Major
B. Simpson, M.D., during the whole of the year.
2. A general view of the statistics of the year is given below, comparing
them with the average of the six previous years:—
YEARS.
1871-76
...
...
1877
...
...
...
Daily
average
strength.
245.6
216.17
Admitted.
99.5
81
DISCHARGED.
Cured.
47.6
29
Improved.
5.5
30
Otherwise.
3.4
4
Deaths.
20.1
21
Deaths per
cent. of
mean
strength.
8.2
9.7
Ratio per
cent. of
cures cal-
culated on
the mean
strength.
19.3
13.4
Ratio per
cent. of
cures cal-
culated
on total
admission.
47.8
35.8
Remained cases.
3. On the 1st January there were in the asylum 149 males and 60 females,
and on the 31st December 147 males and 59 females. But for the orders of
Government restricting admissions to certain classes of lunatics and the greater
number of patients transferred to friends, the total number at the end of the
year would have been much greater.
Admissions.
4. Of the 81 admissions, 65 were males and 16 females; and of these,
six males and one female were re-admissions. It is said that two lunatics who
were forwarded from Hazareebagh to the Magistrate of Patna for transfer to
their friends have been detained in the Patna Asylum pending receipt of
further orders as to their disposal. Both were formerly inmates of the Patna
Asylum, and one is said at times to be violent, and the other dangerous.
Six males were under observation for a time, but returned to their friends
as not being fit subjects for admission; while seven men were also transferred
to their friends for safe custody within three months of their admission, as they
did not appear to be dangerous.
Health on
admission.
5. Of the 81 admissions, 43 were in bad or indifferent health, of whom
one had scurvy, two enlarged spleen, five diarrhœa, two fever, and two chest
complaints, while the remaining 31 were in a debilitated state.
Recoveries.
6. There were 29 recoveries, or 25 males and 4 females. " This,"
remarks Dr. Simpson, "is a smaller number than in any year since 1867, but
it is easily explained by the increased number of those transferred as improved
to their friends, which would necessarily reduce the percentage of cures." Before
one could assent to this it would be necessary to know the length of time those
transferred had been under treatment. The number of cures and transfers last
year are, however, said to have been larger than for several years previously.
Daily sick.
7. The daily average number of sick was 15.10, against 20.19 in 1876.
Fever, diarrhœa, dysentery, and pulmonary consumption, were the prevailing
diseases. Five cases of cholera appeared in June, of which all but one
proved fatal.
Mortality.
8. There were in all 21 fatal cases, and the causes of death were as follow:—
Cholera ... ... ...
Remitent fever ... ...
Consumption ... ...
Anæmia ... ... ...
Dropsy ... ... ...
4
1
4
1
1
Apoplexy ... ...
Softening of brain ... ...
Bronchitis ... ...
Diarrhœa ... ...
Total ...
3
1
1
5
21