20
LUNATIC ASYLUMS IN BENGAL.
Fevers.
Diarrhœa.
Chief causes of
bowel complaints.
From the foregoing it will be gathered that, in order of frequency, fevers, bowel
complaints, injuries, debility, &c., were the principal causes of admission of the male
insanes into hospital, while bowel complaints (caused 42 per cent., or nearly half of
the total mortality), debility, phthisis, pneumonia, &c., caused the mortality. Similarly
amongst the females it will be seen that fevers, debility, bowel complaints, &c., caused
the admissions; but that the mortality was due to debility, bowel complaints, cholera,
pneumonia, and phthisis. Compared with 1875, it appears that amongst the male
patients there was a considerable increase in the proportion which fevers, bowel complaints,
and debility, bore to the total admissions, while that from phthisis and from cholera
was nearly the same. It is found, too, that while there was an increase amongst the
females in the proportion of cases of fever and debility, there was a slight decrease in
that of diarrhœa, and a very marked decrease in the proportion of dysentery. Regarding
particular forms of disease, the superintendent reports that all the fever cases were mild
and amenable to teatment. Diarrhœa was generally associated with dysentery or enlarge-
ment of the spleen. “Amongst the chief causes of bowel complaints may be mentioned
(according to the report of the superintendent) exposure to chills and damp, it being in
many cases found impossible to keep lunatics properly clad, some refusing to wear clothing
of any sort. Filthy habits and vitiated appetites also had a share in producing this class
of affection.”
Cholera.
General health of
the insane
patients during the
year.
Overcrowding not
considered to be
excessive.
Decrease of daily
sick during the
last four months of
the year.
Possibly dependent
on an improved
dietary.
15. There were but five cases of cholera (including two of choleraic diarrhœa), against
nine in 1875; and the superintendent considers this result to be satisfactory, seeing that the
disease was more prevalent in the town and district generally than it was in 1875. He also
states that the following measures may have had some share in causing this exemption from
cholera, viz. the daily fumigation of the wards with sulphur, and the substitution of filtered,
instead of unfiltered, river water for drinking purposes. Special attention is said to
have been paid to the cook-room, and to the manner in which food was served out;
every source of contamination being avoided as much as possible. Mr. Fullerton writes as
follows regarding the health of the insane patients during 1876 :—“ On the whole, the general
health of the institution during the year under report was good, and compares favourably
with former years. In estimating the mortality and prevalence of disease, allowance must be
made for the large number transferred to the asylums at Berhampore and Tezpore, consisting
of the strongest and healthiest inmates of the asylum; the sick and weakly having been all
left behind to fill the hospital and increase the ratio of sickness.” It has been shown, in para-
graph 8 of this summary, to what extent the male patients were overcrowded during the year;
but Mr. Fullerton does not consider that their general health was affected by it. On this
point he writes as follows :—“ Hence I conclude that the overcrowding for the first four
months of the year was not excessive, and did not affect the general health. The figures for
the last four months of the year show a decided decrease in the ratio of the daily sick in the
first eight months, although the daily average strength was almost equal to what obtained in
the second period. For this I am unable to suggest any satisfactory explanation. Possibly
the improvement effected in the diet for the last six months of the year had some share
in it.”
Districts from
which the lunatics
came.
16. Of the patients admitted into the asylum during the past year, it appears that
46.15 per cent. came from the Dacca district, 7.69 per cent. came from the Chittagong and
Tipperah districts respectively, 6.15 from the Mymensingh district, 26.15 from the Assam
provinces, and the remainder (1.53 per cent. each) from the Furreedpore, Goalundo, Julpigoree,
and Noakholly districts.
Caste.
17. According to caste, 58.46 per cent. of those who were admitted were Hindoos,
38.46 per cent. were Mahomedans, and 3.07 per cent. were of other castes.
Occupation.
18. As has been noticed in former years, the largest number of those admitted belonged,
in order of frequency, to the agricultural classes, or were coolies, grihusti, priests, servants,
beggars, traders, “ unknown,” &c.
According to age.
19. According to age, 76.92 per cent. of those admitted were between the ages of 20
and 40, 18.46 were between 40 and 60, and 4.61 per cent. were under 20 years.
Types of insanity.
20. Taken according to the type of insanity, it is reported that of those admitted 41.53
per cent. suffered from melancholia, 41.53 per cent. from acute mania, 10.77 per cent. from
chronic dementia, and lastly 6.15 per cent. from chronic mania.
Causes of insanity.
Ganja
accountable for
three of the
re-admissions.
21. Of the physical causes of insanity, ganja, hereditary disposition, spirits, debau-
chery, and fever, are recorded as the chief ones in order of frequency; and amongst
the moral causes, grief and religion are the only two which are considered to have
been accountable for the attack. No cause for insanity could be assigned in 26.15
per cent. of the admissions during the year. Three out of the four re-admissions of
the year were Mahomedans, who, after release, had relapsed into old habits of indulgence
in ganja.