LUNATIC ASYLUMS IN BENGAL.
7
In a case returned as " cut throat, " which ended fatally, the man had been
transferred from the Mitford Hospital with the injury.
In the Patna Asylum two cases of injury occurred, both caused by patients ;
a rib was fractured in one case, and a bone of the hand in the other. At
Dullunda there were two cases of injury, both by patients. A man received a
blow on the head in the night while asleep from a neighbour ; in the other case
a bone of the hand was broken by a sudden blow from a close neighbour.
From Cuttack and Berhampore no case of injury is reported.
17. Mortality.—The death-rate in all the large asylums in 1879 was very
high, and was most marked in those which had previously shown the lowest rates
in years of high surrounding mortality. I am not yet able to compare this
asylum mortality throughout the province with mortality in jails, but at the
Presidency and Patna, where the latter is known, it corresponds closely. In all
the asylums there were 122 deaths;—in 1878 the number was 100, and in 1877
it was 73. Here again the Hazaribagh Asylum is taken into the calculation. From
zymotic or preventable disease there has been no increase of death. Fever and
its results have caused fewer deaths, dysentery and diarrhœa about the same,
and cholera fewer. The general mortality therefore does not connect itself
with those causes against which sanitary effort is directed. The chief increase
is in pulmonary diseases, which have been fatal in 32 cases against 20 in
1878, and the increase is confined to the Dullunda Asylum.
STATEMENT No. 10.
CAUSE OF DEATH.
Anæmia
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
Asthma
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
Bronchitis
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
Chirrhosis of liver
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
Cholera
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
Cut-throat
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
Debility
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
Diarrhœa
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
Dislocation of neck
...
...
...
...
...
...
Dropsy
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
Dysentery
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
Emphysema ... ... ... ... ... ... ...
Enteritis
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
Epilepsy
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
Exhaustion of mania ... ... ... ... ... ... ...
Fever
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
Hepatitis
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
Leprosy
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
Meningitis
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
Old age
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
Paralysis ... ... ... ... ... ... ...
Pleurisy
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
Pneumonia
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
Phthisis
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
Pulmonary apoplexy
...
...
...
...
...
...
Total ...
Dullunda.
3
1
......
3
......
......
1
1
......
......
5
1
1
1
3
......
1
1
1
1
......
1
......
16
1
42
Dacca.
......
......
......
......
......
1
......
7
1
1
2
......
......
......
1
......
......
......
......
......
1
3
3
......
20
Patna.
......
......
1
1
6
......
5
4
......
1
5
......
......
1
......
7
......
......
......
......
1
......
......
2
1
35
Cuttack.
......
......
......
......
1
......
2
......
......
......
......
......
......
......
......
......
......
......
......
......
......
......
......
......
......
3
Berhampore.
......
......
......
......
......
......
2
......
3
10
......
......
2
......
1
......
2
1
......
1
......
......
22
TOTAL.
3
1
1
4
7
1
8
14
1
5
22
1
1
4
3
3
1
2
1
3
2
2 4
21
2
122
It will be observed that the number of deaths in the Dullunda Asylum
was larger than it has been for many years. Pulmonary affections alone
accounted for 20 out of 42 deaths. This class of diseases has for a long
time shown marked prevalence in this asylum, but has not before attained
the development of this year. Three deaths occurred from a disease which
is far from common among natives—viz. contraction of the liver with
dropsy. The following observations are taken from the report on the
institution:—
" I have reported fully on the singular effect on the health of the lunatics,
of preventing access to foul water. This effect was seen in the disappearance
of fatal dysentery and diarrhoea, and of the round worms which had infested
the place before. In 1879 there was some return of these affections. 1 think
the influence of bad water may have been present to account for the return of
worms, for the supply of the small tank failed from obstruction of the pipe
from Tolly's Nullah, and the large tank became so foul that it was necessary to
discharge its water and thoroughly clean the bed. The diarrhoea and
dysentery, however, no asylum influence would explain for, of the six sufferers,
four brought their illness with them on admission, and to one of the other two
old age was added. Pulmonary diseases have before contributed largely to
mortality at Dullunda, but never so largely as in 1879. From phthisis there
were sixteen deaths. Old asthma, pulmonary apoplexy, and double pleurisy