( 4 )
Statements III, IV and V.
12. The statistics furnished in Statements III, IV and V do not present
any unusual variations calling for special comment.
Statement VI.
13. Mania, as usual, heads the list with 150 admissions in 1903, 153 in
1904 and 142 in 1905, or 61.47, 59.07 and 64.84
per cent. respectively. In the English asylums
during the period 1899 to 1903, of the total admissions 41.4 per cent. suffered
from Mania. The largest number of recoveries took place under this type of
insanity, viz., 69 in 1903, 66 in 1904 and 60 in 1905. Melancholia comes next,
with 63 admissions in 1903, 55 in 1904 and 35 in 1905, the number of re-
coveries being 20, 15 and 19 respectively. Sixteen admissions are shown at
Berhampore in 1905 under the head of " Declared to have recovered or not yet
diagnosed," all were found sane on admission. General paralysis of the insane
which is common in European asylums is almost unknown in India. Recent
discoveries attribute a microbial origin to this form of insanity-
Statement VII.
14. The determination of the causes of mental disease is often based on
the most slender evidence. Underlying such causes
as are in immediate relation to it are some inherited
or acquired feebleness of brain tissue. Physical causes are answerable for most
of the admissions to the asylums, viz., 67 in 1903, 97 in 1904 and 79 in 1905.
Intoxicants are credited with a large proportion of cases, the percentage being
15.98 in 1903, 23.93 in 1904 and 23.28 in 1905. Ganja-smoking is alleged
as the cause of insanity in 37 cases in 1903, 54 in 1904 and 40 in 1905.
In all these cases due enquiries were made before this cause was accepted as
reliable. Moral causes accounted for 11.07 per cent. of the cases in 1903,
12.35 in 1904 and 8.67 in 1905. In 61.47 per cent. of the cases admitted the
causes were not known in 1903, 50.19 in 1904 and 55.25 in 1905, average of
55.63 against 59.28 in the last triennium. Much depends on the care with
which the medical history sheets which are to accompany the lunatics are
prepared. There was some improvement in the filling in of these documents
in 1904, but the Superintendents still complain that the matter does not
receive sufficient attention. In some districts a serious attempt is made to
comply with the directions noted on the back of the forms, while in others
the enquiries made are of a very perfunctory character and the information
supplied is unreliable. While inspecting the Patna Asylum last year my
predecessor, Colonel Browne, examined a number of medical history sheets sent
with the patients and found that in a considerable proportion very little
information was supplied regarding their previous history. The Government
order No. 18Medl., dated 25th March 1903, is so clear in the matter that it is
hoped that due attention by all concerned will be paid in future to the instruc-
tions therein given.. The correct procedure in filling in a medical history
sheet is for the observing Medical Officer to enter such facts as come within his
knowledge, and for the committing Magistrate who should also sign the docu-
ment to be responsible for the remainder of the entries necessary.
15. Injuries and accidents numbered 7 in 1903, 16 in 1904 and 23 in 1905.
Most of the injuries were unimportant and need no detailed account. There
were 4 serious cases in 1905. At Berhampore a lunatic committed suicide by
hanging himself against the bar of the window. The matter was enquired into
by the local Magistrate who held that the lunatic could not have committed
suicide if the warder on duty had not been negligent. The man was dimissed.
At Patna a violent lunatic got his ribs broken from which he died. A judicial
enquiry was held, but no clue could be traced as to how the lunatic received the
injuries. An epileptic subject to fits of violence died from the kick of a fellow
lunatic, who was excitable and confined in the same room with the other.
This matter also formed the subject of enquiry by the Magistrate. The
Superintendent was directed to take steps to put a stop to such arrangements in
future. A female lunatic had a fall from the window ledge of the cell and
broke her thigh bone. The ledges have been removed.
16. Escapes.—There was 1 escape from the asylums in 1903, 2 in 1904
and 4 in 1905. The escapes in 1905 occurred at Dullunda. The Deputy
Superintendent, Mr. Lawton, who is now dead, was suffering from bad health.
The persons through whose direct negligence the escapes occurred were
severely dealt with.