[Maximum limit, 4 pages.]
No. 142D.
FROM COL. S. H. BROWNE, M.D., C.I.E., I.M.S.,
Inspector-General of Civil Hospitals, Bengal,
To THE SECRETARY TO THE GOVERNMENT OF BENGAL,
MUNICIPAL DEPARTMENT.
Dated Darjeeling, the 15th April 1904.
SIR,
I HAVE the honour to submit the annual statistical returns of the
Lunatic Asylums in Bengal for the year 1903 together with brief notes
concerning them. The returns have been prepared in accordance with the
instructions contained in Government of India (Home Department) Resolution
No. 21—31 of 12th January 1904.
Statement I.
Deals with the number of lunatics in the six asylums of the Province
during the year, their disposal, and the results of
their treatment. The number remaining under
treatment at the close of 1902 was 1,033. During the year 315 were admitted
(including 41 re-admissions), 197 were discharged and 106 died, the total popu-
lation at the end of the year being, 1,045. The total number of lunatics who
came under treatment during the year was 1,348, the highest on record. It
seems evident that there is a tendency to increase in the asylum population,
seeing that not only was the total number treated larger than in any previous
year, but the number of new admissions and the daily average population
were also the highest on record. Taking the daily average number as the best
criterion it will be seen that the figures for the year under review were closely
approximated on four occasions only during the past 20 years as shown
below—
Daily average number ...
1889.
1,003.92
1890.
1,041.8
1891.
1,034.80
1902.
1,026.67
1903.
1,053.79
It is not justifiable, however, to infer from these statistics that insanity is
increasing amongst the general population of Bengal; in fact the census returns
show that, on the contrary, there has been a considerable decline in the
number of insanes; the total number shown in the returns for 1901 being 21,924
as compared with 24,588 in 1891. Still even these figures are open to another
explanation, viz., that the classification of cases was more correct in 1901 than
in the previous census, when cases of cretinism and delirium in fever may have
been erroneously included. It seems probable that the increase in the asylum
population during the past two years may be a consequence of lunatics being
brought to the asylums more frequently and freely than in former years. The
increase in the number of admissions was confined to the Dacca, Dullunda, and
Patna Asylums, being most marked at Dacca, where an unusually large number
of patients were received from Assam and Mymensingh. At Bhowanipur and
Berhampur there was a slight decrease in the number of admissions.
Of the total number treated, 130 or 9.6 per cent. left the asylums cured,
whilst 56 were made over to the care of friends " improved."
The results of treatment in individual asylums during the year were as
follows, taking the total number of lunatics dealt with in each case:—
Total number treated ...
Total number reported cured
Berham-
pore.
276
27
Dullunda.
370
43
Patna.
259
14
Dacca.
334
35
Cuttack.
49
1
Bhow-
anipore.
60
10
The information given in column 11 C of the statement is not of much
practical value as the percentages are calculated on the number of admissions.
It may be interesting to know that the number of cures amounted to 41.26 per