MEDICAL. & MUNICIPAL DEPT.
MEDIACL.
DARJEELING, THE 26TH MAY 1882.
RESOLUTION.
READ—
The Report on the Lunatic Asylums in Bengal for the year 1881.
Read also—
The Reports for previous years and the Resolutions of Government thereon.
DURING the past year the orders of the Government of India regarding
the admission of patients, issued in 1876, appear to have been carried out.
Under these orders admissions into lunatic asylums are restricted to criminal
lunatics, and to such others as are absolutely dangerous, or are without
friends or resources and yet require medical treatment for their recovery.
From 1876 there has been a steady decline in the number of patients
in confinement. The Surgeon-General is, however, of opinion that no further
reduction of numbers is to be expected from these restrictive orders, and the
number of first admissions for the last three years seems to point to this
conclusion. Though the number fell from 196 in 1878 to 173 in 1879, it
increased to 183 in 1880, and during the past year it rose to 188. The
number of readmissions, however, fell from 33 in 1880 to 25 in 1881. The total
number of admissions and readmissions was therefore 213 in 1881, as compared
with 216 in the previous year.
2. The asylums afford accommodation for 1,015 patients. The average
number in confinement in the different asylums is shown in the following table:—
ASYLUMS.
Dullunda ... ... ... ...
Dacca
...
...
...
...
Patna
...
...
...
...
Cuttack
...
...
...
...
Berhampore
...
...
...
...
Total ...
CAPACITY OF 50 SUPERFICIAL FEET.
Males.
246
167
190
32
147
782
Females.
47
50
70
11
55
233
Total.
293
217
260
43
202
1,015
AVERAGE DAILY NUMBER CONFINED.
Males.
164.9
169
163.93
45.6
130.16
673.59
Females.
41.86
40.63
56.03
5.9
52.23
196.65
Total.
206.76
209.63
219.96
51.5
182.39
870.24
The number of inmates in the Dacca Asylum for a short time exceeded by
10 the nominal capacity of the wards. In Cuttack also the average number of
males was somewhat in excess of the scale. As has been explained in previous
reports, however, there is no real overcrowding in this Asylum, as harm-
less lunatics are allowed to sleep in the verandahs which are not included in
the estimate of available space.
3. The number of recoveries in 1881 was 93 as compared with 73 in
1880, the percentage reckoned on the mean daily population being 10.68 against
8.27 in 1880, and an average of 16.27 in the 10 years 1871 to 1880. This result
is satisfactory, especially when the strict orders regarding admissions are borne
in mind. The increase in the number of recoveries is attributed to the large
number of persons admitted who were suffering from acute or curable mania.
Dr. Payne observes, with reference to the average number of recoveries being less
than the average from 1871 to 1880,—
"The decrease from the average is explained by the greatly reduced admissions of the
later years. Calculated on absolute numbers admitted, the proportion of recoveries was
larger not only than that of 1880, but also than the decennial average."
4. In his report for 1880, the Surgeon-General stated that the conse-
quence of the restrictions on admissions would probably be an increase in
petty crime, and a corresponding increase in the number of lunatics committed