14
LUNATIC ASYLUMS IN BENGAL.
Dr. Stewart at Cuttack was fully satisfied with the conduct of his darogah
as was Dr. Shircore at Berhampore with that of Baboo Mohendro Nath Roy, the
overseer, and of the clerk and hospital assistant.
46. Under recent orders the reports of the several asylums will be printed in
extenso, and copies forwarded to all the Superintendents, who alone are interested
in many of the details which a complete report presents. For this reason I
have not thought it necessary to present with this report the long extracts
hitherto furnished, which have consisted largely of comments on the figured
statements already analysed in the general report. Under the several headings
full extracts have been given to illustrate each subject as it came under
consideration, and in this manner I have incorporated all the matter of the
reports which bears on the condition, management, and progress of the asylums
during the year.
47. European Asylum, Bhowanipore.—In this asylum there remained on the
1st January twenty persons—ten males and ten females. In 1878 there were
27 remaining on the same date. The admissions of 1879 were also twenty in
number, including one re-admission, against 23 in 1878. Of these sixteen were
Europeans and four East Indians. Two only were from the army, the others
being from the civil and seafaring population. The total number treated in
1879 was 40 against 50 in 1878, and the daily average number was
21 against 28.
48. The several forms of insanity are given in the following table :—
105. Mania (A)
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
105.
Do. (B)
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
106. Melancholia
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
107. Dementia (A)
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
107.
Ditto (B)
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
110. Imbecility
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
Not insane
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
Total ...
ADMITTED.
Male.
1
4
4
......
2
......
3
14
Female.
3
3
......
......
......
......
......
6
Total.
4
7
4
......
2
......
3
20
TOTAL TREATED.
Male.
1
7
4
......
9
......
3
24
Female.
3
8
1
......
3
1
......
16
Total.
4
15
5
......
12
1
3
40
49. The disposal of the inmates is given below :—
Discharged cured ... ... ... ...
Made over to Military authorities ... ...
Despatched to Europe under Merchant Shipping Act ...
Transferred to care of friends ... ... ...
Died ... ... ... ... ...
Males.
3
1
4
4
4
16
Females.
1
0
0
3
0
4
Total.
4
1
4
7
4
20
The ratio per cent. of cures and transfers on the total treated was 40, on
the daily average number 76. These figures have no significance.
50. Of the four deaths that occurred, two were due to the gradual decay
of old age, one of the persons having been 47 years in the asylum. Of the others,
one was dangerously ill on admission, and was with difficulty kept alive for
a few weeks. The fourth succumbed to the exhaustion of long-continued mania-
cal seizures. Throughout the year no case of illness originated in the asylum.
On the 31st December there remained in the asylum twenty persons—eight
males and twelve females.
51. The usual expenditure statement is furnished with the report. Its
average figures are, as has been pointed out before, quite fallacious. A detailed
statement is also given showing the actual outlay under each item of charge.
The totaly sum expended was Rs. 22,095 to compare with Rs. 25,106 in 1878.
52. The decrease in the number of patients was most marked in the higher
classes of paying-patients. In 1878 there were six first class patients,
resident for an average period of 74 days, and eight second class. In 1879
the numbers were one first class for 13 days, and five second class. Consequently