30
LUNATIC ASYLUMS IN BENGAL.
Admissions, &c.
males. There were (males 27, females 8) 35 admissions, 3 (males) re-admissions, and 38 (males)
received by transfer; so that the total asylum population was (males 241, females 62) 303.
Received by
transfer.
4. Of the 38 male patients received by transfer, 12 were received from the Dullunda
Asylum, 11 were sent back from the Hazareebagh Asylum, and 15 were received from the
Dacca Asylum.
Discharged cured.
Improved, not
improved.
Transferred, and
died.
Residual
population.
5. From the total population enumerated in paragraph 3, (males 10, females 2)
12 were discharged cured, or at the rate of (males 8.04, females 3.46) 6.59 per cent of
mean strength; 8 males were made over to their friends in an improved condition; one
female was made over to her friends not improved; 95 males were transferred to
Hazareebagh ; 5 males were discharged otherwise; and 10 males died. Deducting the
preceding numbers from the total population, it will be found that the residual asylum
population was (males 113, females 59) 172, or less than that shown as remaining on the 1st
of January by 60 males, with an increase of the female patients by 5.
Explanation of the
small proportion of
those “cured.”
6. Mr. Shircore makes the following remarks regarding the patients discharged
“ cured :”—“ The cause of this low percentage is probably to be found in the large number
of bad cases transferred to the asylum in 1875, which for some years will necessarily have a
bad effect on the percentage of cures effected here. And it has also to be borne in mind that
when orders were received for the transfer of lunatics to Hazareebagh, Government, in the same
letter, gave strict injunctions that none were to be transferred whose cases were bad. Removal,
therefore, of so large a number, selected under such instructions, could not fail to lower the
percentage of cures, as some of the most hopeful cases were thus removed from the asylum.”
Daily average
strength.
Capacity of the
asylum.
No overcrowding.
7. The daily average strength of the asylum population was (males 124.35, females
57.65) 182.00, and, when compared with that of 1875, shows a decrease in the number of
male patients by 9, and an increase of the females by 3. The capacity of the asylum,
calculated at 50 superficial feet per patient, will accommodate 175 males and 55 females.
The greatest number confined on any one night was 174 males and 60 females. The male
patients were not at all overcrowded, but the females were so to a very trifling degree.
Criminal lunatics.
Total criminal
population.
Discharged, &c.
Died.
8. On the 1st of January 1876 there remained (males 32, female 1) 33 criminal
lunatics, against (males 14, female 1) 15 on the same date of 1875. There were admitted
(males 7, female 1) 8, 3 males were re-admitted, and 29 males received by transfer from
other asylums; of whom 6 were from the Dacca and 12 from the Dullunda Asylums, as
well as 11 (who had been previously sent through misconception of orders) received back
from the Hazareebagh Asylum. The total population of criminal lunatics was therefore
(males 71, females 2) 73, against (males 35, female 1) 36 in 1875. Of this total population
(males 17, female 1) 18 were discharged, &c. (including four males sent to undergo trial),
one sent back to jail, one transferred to the non-criminal list, and one female (at the recom-
mendation of the visitors) released and sent to the Magistrate of Patna to be made over to her
friends, in accordance with the orders conveyed from the Government of Bengal in letter
No. 3081T, of 28th October 1876. Three males died, or at the rate of 8.5 per cent. of the
mean strength of the male criminal population.
Population on the
31st of December.
Average strength
of criminal
lunatics during the
year.
9. On the 31st December there remained (males 51, female 1) 52 criminal lunatics in
the asylum, against (males 32, female 1) 33 on the 1st of January, so that there was during
the year an increase of 19 males. The average strength of this class was (males 35.29,
females 1.24) 36.53, and formed (males 28.37, females 2.15) 20.07 per cent. of the mean
population of the asylum for 1876.
Sickness and
mortality.
Admissions into
hospital.
Daily average
number of sick.
Death-rate.
10. As regards the sickness and mortality of the insane patients during the past year,
it appears that (males 69, females 38) 107 patients were admitted into hospital, or at the
rate of (males 55.48, females 65.91) 58.79 per cent. of mean strength. The daily average
number of sick was (males 3.08, female 1.11) 4.19, or at the rate of (males 2.47, female
1.92) 2.30 per cent. of mean strength, and the mortality (males 10, female none), 10, was at
the rate of (males 8.04, female 0.00) 5.49 per cent. of the same strength.
Statistics of
mortality and
sickness.
11. In the following table, those diseases are shown which caused the greatest amount
of sickness and mortality amongst the male and female patients, as well as the proportion
the deaths bore to the number treated and to the total mortality:—
MALES.
DISEASES.
Ague ...
Dysentery ...
Diarrhœa ...
Dropsy ...
Cholera ...
Debility ...
Anæmia ...
Apoplexy ...
Total ...
Total
admissions
24
16
7
6
3
2
1
1
60
Died.
......
2
1
3
2
......
1
1
10
DEATHS PER CENT.
Of
treated.
......
12.50
14.28
50
66.66
......
100
100
16.66
Of total
mortality.
......
20
10
30
20
......
10
10
100
FEMALES.
DISEASES.
Ague ...
Dysentery ...
Cholera ...
Debility ...
Pneumonia ...
Total
Total
admissions.
24
3
1
1
1
30
Died.
......
......
......
......
......
......
DEATHS PER CENT.
Of
treated.
......
......
......
......
......
......
Of total
mortality.
......
......
......
......
......
......