36
LUNATIC ASYLUMS IN BENGAL.
" Not insane."
Regarding those returned " not insane" Dr. Payne has the following remarks:—
" Doubtless the number of persons entered in the latter statement as
' not insane ' will attract notice. Five of the eight were soldiers whose
transmission to the asylum seemed to me to have been unnecessary. Similar
cases having occurred before, I addressed the General Officer Commanding on
the subject in the month of July. General Ross forwarded the communica-
tion to head-quarters, and in August a reply was received from the Adjutant-
General to the effect that under the new law (Act XI of 1877) the system had
undergone entire change, and that in future soldiers would be sent to the
asylum only under the orders of the head of the Medical Department. From
that time to the present one soldier only has been admitted, of whose insanity
there was no doubt.
Act XI.
" The passing of Act XI was of great importance. Previously, and since
admissions to asylums had been governed by Act XXXVI of 1858, the recep-
tion of soldiers in the manner prescribed in the military regulations and asylum
rules was illegal, as being directly opposed to the prohibitory section of Act
XXXVI. The attention of Government was drawn to the matter in 1875
by the Committee then appointed for the revision of the asylum rules, and
the result was the Act in question, under which the exsiting law for the
Native Army was rescinded, and the whole course of asylum procedure with
regard to insane soldiers made clear and easy."
Causes of
insanity
As to the alleged causes in the 37 cases admitted, hereditary predisposition
is said to account for the disease appearing in nine males and nine females.
Dr. Payne's table of causes is as follows:—
Causes.
Unknown ... ... ... ... ... ...
Sunstroke ... ... ... ... ... ...
Fever ... ... ... ... ... ...
Injury to head ... ... ... ... ...
Intemperance ... ... ... ... ... ...
Study ... ... ... ... ... ...
Hereditary ... ... ... ... ... ...
Ill usage ... ... ... ... ... ...
Climate ... ... ... ... ... ...
Total ...
Males.
2
2
2
1
6
1
9
1
1
25
Females.
2
......
......
......
1
......
9
......
......
12
Total.
4
2
2
1
7
1
18
1
1
37
Health.
The health of the inmates has been very good, and not a single death occurred.
Paying patients.
Regarding paying patients, Dr. Payne says that no less than 29 such have
been treated during the year, the average daily number of this class being 16, from
whom Government has already received Rs. 15,592, and there is still outstanding
Rs. 1,104. Dr. Payne continues—" In stating the receipts of the year it should
be mentioned that Rs. 211 is entered on account of soldiers. These dues in
former years were adjusted in the office of account, but the sums were included
in the asylum statement. Under Act XI payment is directly recoverable from
the Presidency Paymaster, and bills have been presented accordingly. A sum
of Rs. 12 per mensem only has been receivable for a soldier in the asylum, and
as this has not covered his cost to the local Government, I made lately a
representation to this effect, with a suggestion that the actual outlay should be
reimbursed. This has been disallowed as inadmissible under the rules of
provincial finance, and we shall still continue to receive insane soldiers at a loss."
"It has also been ruled that when paupers are sent to Bombay for shipment
this Government shall pay for their maintenance there Rs. 45 per mensem so
long as they shall be retained in the asylum before embarkation. This, with
the cost of transport across India, will greatly reduce the advantage to this
Government of removement to Bombay; it will indeed altogether turn the
scale if the passage-money is as high as we have supposed it to be. The
claims of the Bombay asylum are not sent to my office. I am therefore
unable to include the amount in the financial table."
Dr. Payne has based upon the above ruling a proposal that other
Governments sending lunatics to Bhowanipore shall in future pay to the
Government of Bengal some sum monthly, and that the rule be extended to
municipalities.