LUNATIC ASYLUMS IN BENGAL.
15
Rs. 4,003-11-11 against Rs. 7,989-5-0 in 1877. Sales have not been so active in 1878, as
will be seen by the greater value of manufactured goods and raw materials at the end of the
year. Prices of material have been very high, and that of manufactured produce less so
in proportion. We have credited no profit on account of dietary articles prepared for the
asylum.
I have to report as usual of the devotion of Mr. Bancroft to his duties in the asylum.
His health has unfortunately suffered and he is compelled to take leave to Europe.
Mrs. Montiers, the matron, has managed the female ward exceedingly well, failing in
nothing that is required of her.
The darogah, Ilahi Buksh, has continued his careful activity in the interests of the
people, and the head jemadar, Shaikh Boodhoo, has earned favorable introduction to your
notice for his successful management of the criminal ward.
The head clerk, Oparva Narain Bhattacharjee, has been indefatigable throughout the
year, giving in time of need much more time and labor to the asylum than can be legiti-
mately demanded of him, and never complaining, however heavy the additional calls have
been, or however irregular his hours of rest.
Dacca Lunatic
Asylum.
Dacca.—Surgeon A. Crombie, M.D., was in charge during the whole year. The follow-
ing extracts from a very long report are submitted :—
The number of inmates remaining on the 1st of January 1878 was 206 (males 172,
females 34). During the year there were 32 admissions (males 28, females 4), or 12.9 per
cent. of the total population. There were 10 re-admissions (9 males and one female), or 4.03
of the total population, making a total of 42 (37 males and 5 females).
Of the re-admissions and transfer, four were criminal lunatics who had been discharged
to stand their trial, and two were men who had been boarded out on the gheel system which
was abolished during the year.
The admissions were fewer than in any previous year.
The decrease in the number of admissions, as compared with former years, was chiefly
due to the smaller number of non-criminal lunatics admitted.
The decrease is due to the rigid application of the orders of Government on the subject
of the classes of non-criminal lunatics who ought to be admitted to an asylum.
Population.—The total population was 248 (209 males and 39 females), as compared with
259 in 1877, and was less than in any previous year of the decade.
Daily average strength.—This was 196.58 (162.9 males and 33.68 females), as against
204.96 in 1877, and was less than in any of the previous ten years. The largest number
confined in any one night was 174 males and 34 females (total 208).
Discharges. A. Cured.—The number returned as discharged cured was 35 (33 males and
2 females), as compared with 16 in 1877, 6 in 1876, 14 in 1875, 38 in 1874, &c.
B. Transferred to friends.—-The total number disposed of in this way was 15 (12 males
and 3 females), as compared with 23 in 1877, 24 in 1876, 5 in 1875, 10 in 1874. A good
many more of the present inmates of the asylum are capable of being made over to the care
of their friends with perfect safety, and I have endeavoured during the course of the year to
get rid of them ; but in a good many cases no trace whatever of their relatives can be found,
and in others no one can be found willing to take charge of them. The authorities are of
opinion that the relatives of a lunatic, even a perfectly harmless one, cannot be compelled to
take charge of him from an asylum. In more than one instance I had fair grounds for the
suspicion that the police took inducements to report that the relatives of unrecovered luna-
tics could not be found.
C. Discharged otherwise.—The number reported as discharged otherwise was two;
both were escapes, in both instances non-criminals ; one of these was recaptured and after-
wards made over to the care of his friends.
Mortality.—There were only eight deaths during the year (7 males and 1 female), as
compared with 8 males and 1 female in 1877. The percentage of deaths to population was
3.35 per cent. amongst the males and 2.56 amongst the females, and 3.22 of the total
population, 4.06 of the daily average strength, and 19.5 of the total admissions.
The rate of mortality to the total sick was 3.94 per cent., as compared with 3.35 per
cent. in 1877.
Criminal Lunatics.—On the 1st of January 1878 there were 85 criminal lunatics in this
asylum (74 males and 11 females) as compared with 75 (64 males and 11 females) on the
1st of January 1877. There were 16 new admissions (15 males and one female) and five
re-admissions, all males, making a total of 21. In 1877 the number of criminal lunatics
admitted was 22, and re-admitted 2, making a total of 24. Of the five re-admissions, four were
inmates who had been discharged to stand their trial, and one was a non-criminal who was
transferred to the criminal list of lunatics. The total criminal population of the asylum
was 106, i.e., 94 males and 12 females. The steady increase of the number of criminal
lunatics confined in this asylum was maintained during 1878. The number has been
almost exactly doubled in ten years, but the number remaining under treatment at the