12
LUNATIC ASYLUMS IN BENGAL.
acute forms of insanity, in which recovery is expected in high proportion.
Among the acute cases there were 38 recoveries.
Transfers.
There was only one escape during the year. In the month of July 25
female lunatics were transferred to Hazareebagh. The total number of
discharges amounted to 103, and on the last day of the year there were 202
persons in the asylum.
General health.
5. The general health of the inmates during the year was extremely
good, as will be seen from Table No. VIII, or from the rough abstract
given below:—
DISEASES.
Fevers
...
...
...
...
...
...
Consumption ... ... ... ... ... ...
Dysentery
...
...
...
...
...
...
Diarrhœa
...
...
...
...
...
...
Maniacal exhaustion
...
...
...
...
Pneumonia ... ... ... ... ... ...
Anæmia
...
...
...
...
...
...
Leprosy
...
...
...
...
...
...
Chronic emphysema
...
...
...
...
All other diseases ...
...
...
...
Total ...
Remained.
......
......
......
1
1
......
1
1
......
6
10
Admitted.
2
7
3
2
4
3
3
......
1
18
43
Total.
2
7
3
3
5
3
4
1
1
24
53
Discharged
cured.
2
......
2
2
2
2
2
......
......
22
34
Discharged
otherwise.
......
......
......
1
......
......
......
......
......
1
2
Died.
......
7
1
.....
3
1
1
1
1
......
15
Remaining
on 31st
December.
......
......
......
......
......
......
1
......
......
1
2
Cholera.
6. Not a single case of cholera occurred during the year. Dr. Payne
notes that the excellent health of the inmates is the more remarkable seeing
that in the city and suburbs there was much fatal sickness, especially towards
the end of the year. The almost entire absence of diarrhœa and dysentery
is a very favourable indication of the sanitary condition of the asylum. Pul-
monary consumption is a very common cause of death among lunatics in
India as well as in England. During the past year there were seven admissions
and as many deaths.
Exhaustion of
mania.
Exhaustion of mania caused three deaths, the same number as in the
previous year. All were admitted in a state of great prostration. Two out of
four cases of inflammation of the lungs proved fatal.
Sickness.
7. I quote from Dr. Payne's report some very interesting statements regard-
ing diseases of the digestive system, which are especially worthy of note—"The
most remarkable difference is found in the next series, viz. diseases of the
digestive system. In 1876 there had been a remarkable diminution in the
dysentery which had for years defied the attempts to check it, and had continued
to cause a large number of deaths, while all else in the place bore witness to
good sanitary condition. Even with the improvement, this class of disorder led
to 42 hospital admissions and 14 deaths. In 1877 there were eight admis-
sions and one death—a single representative of the former mortality from
dysentery, whereof only three cases were admitted into hospital. In the report
of 1876 I wrote at some length of the unexpected result of measures adopted
for the prevention of intestinal worms. Not only had these parasites almost
ceased to show themselves, but, with them, dysentery and diarrhœa had nearly
disappeared. I could not avoid connecting this with the prevention of access to
foul waters, as no other change had taken place in the lives and habits of the
people; but I proposed to wait for further experience before offering a positive
conclusion on the subject. It seems that judgment need no longer be sus-
pended. Dysentery, which produced, under great reduction in the latter month,
32 admissions in 1876, caused only three in 1877; and against 12 deaths in that
year, one only occurred in this. Such complaints have shown no diminution in
the town and suburbs, nor is there anything but the impossibility of using
foul water to account for their leaving the asylum. The provision of clean
drinking-water is but a part of what is required to prevent natives from
poisoning themselves with that which is dirty. It is not of itself sufficient,
though commonly deemed to be so."