LUNATIC ASYLUMS IN BENGAL.
29
Criminal lunatics.
Average strength.
Mortality.
11. There remained in the asylum on the 1st January (males 13, females 2) 15 criminal
lunatics, and none of this class were admitted during the year. Of this number (male 1,
female 1) two were released at the recommendation of the visitors and by order of Government,
and two males died, leaving at the end of the year a residual population of (males 10, female 1)
11. The daily average strength during the year was (males 11.06, females 1.5) 12.56, so that
criminal lunatics formed (males 27.35, females 11.40) 23.44 per cent of the average total asylum
population during the year. The mortality (2 males) was at the rate of 18.08 per cent.
Types of insanity.
Causes of insanity.
12. Of the total number of insane patients, it appears that (males 25, females 26.66)
25.42 per cent. were suffering from acute maina; (males 40.90, females 66.66) 47.45 per cent.
from chronic mania ; (males 22.72, females 0.00) 16.94 per cent. from chronic dementia; and
(males 11.36, females 6.66) 10.16 per cent. were not insane. As upwards of 60 per cent. of
the lunatics (male and female) were suffering from the more chronic forms of mania and
dementia, the small proportion of those discharged cured is hardly to be wondered at.
Among the physical causes of madness, as observed in this asylum, ganja, as in every other
similar institution, stands pre-eminent. Next in order of frequency came hereditary influence,
fever, spirits, and opium. Of the moral causes, grief is almost the sole and principal one.
Expenditure and
cost per patient.
13. The expenditure during the year was Rs. 4,200-3-3, and this sum was composed
of the following items: -
Establishment ... ... ... ... ... ...
Diet ... ... ... ... ... ...
Clothing ... ... ... ... ...
Bazar medicines ... ... ... ...
Contingencies ... ... ... ... ...
Total ...
Rs.
2,151
1,795
202
2
48
4,200
A.
14
8
5
1
6
3
P.
1
1
9
0
4
3
Per Patient.
Rs.
40
33
3
0
0
78
A.
2
7
12
0
14
5
P.
4
7
3
7
5
2
Annual cost per
patient.
14. The annual cost of each patient was Rs. 78-5-2, against Rs. 69 2-7 in 1875,
thus showing an excess of Rs. 9-2-7. In explanation of this the Superintendent writes as
follows:—“ The items which show higher average rates of cost are those under the heads of
establishment and clothing. In the former alone there is a difference of Rs. 6-12-11, but
this apparent increase is not due to any actual extra expenditure incurred, but merely to the
decrease in the average strength of the inmates. During the year under report not only had
new clothing to be made for all the inmates, but a large number of blankets had to be
purchased, which necessarily enhanced the cost of clothing.”
Number employed
and profits on
manufactures.
15. Out of a mean population of (males 40.43, females 13.15) 53.58, an average of (males
37.92, females 11.86) 49.78 were employed on some work or other, and the sum of Rs. 503-11-2
was realized during the year from the sale of manufactured goods, giving a net profit of
Rs. 158-7-8. The superintendent states that “ it was found impossible to effect any improve-
ment in the manufacture department, as there has not been a single admission for more
than than two years.” Besides being employed in the manufacture of various articles that
are sold at a profit, the inmates do a great deal of work in connection with the asylum, such
as helping in cooking, &c.
Subordinate
establishment.
16. The superintendent reports that the darogah of the asylum has discharged his
duties satisfactorily, and that “ he is a steady and trustworthy officer, and is very good to the
insanes.” On the 9th of May Native Doctor Sirish Chunder Roy was relieved of his duties
by V. L. C. Native Doctor Girish Chunder Mookerjee, who is reported on as being “ a very
willing and steady young officer, and very, attentive to his duties.” The conduct of the
other subordinates is said to have been, with one or two exceptions, very satisfactory. With
the exception of a decrease of one among the male keepers owing to the reduced number of
inmates, there was no change among the subordinate establishment during the year.
BERHAMPORE
ASYLUM.
1. Berhampore.—This asylum has been under the superintendence of Surgeon-Major
S. M. Shircore during the past year, from whose annual report the following information has
been extracted.
Statistics.
YEARS.
1875
...
1876
...
Daily
average
strength.
188 ...
182 ...
Admitted.
*142
75.53
†76
41.7
DISCHARGED.
Cured.
9
4.7
12
6.6
Improved.
1
.5
8
4.4
Otherwise.
1
.5
‡101
55.5
Died.
15
7.9
10
5.5
Total
discharges
and deaths.
26
13.8
131
72.0
Note.—The smaller figures are percentages of mean strength.
* Includes 50 males transferred from Dacca and 50 from Patna.
† Includes 12 males received from Dullunda Asylum, 11 males received back from Hazareebagh
Asylum, and 15 males from Dacca.
‡ Includes 95 male patients transferred to Hazareebagh.
2. The annexed table exhibits the principal statistical events of the year, but as the
asylum was only opened
in the latter part of 1874,
they will only admit of
comparison with those
of 1875. It will be ob-
served that the propor-
tion of those cured dur-
ing 1876 (calculated on
the
mean
strength)
exceeds that of 1875 by
1.9 per cent., while the
mortality of 1876 falls
below that of 1875 by 2.4 per cent. Both of these results are satisfactory.
Population on 1st
January 1876.
3. On the 1st of January 1876 there remained an asylum population of (males 173,
females 54) 227 persons, which was in excess of that on the same date in 1875 by 116