( 3 )
Statement VI.
10. Amongst the number admitted (190) mania was, as usual, the chief form
of lunacy, there having been 111 cases, or 58.42 per
cent., against 118 and 60.20 per cent in 1909. The
number of recoveries from this type of insanity was 49 against 45 in the
previous year. Melancholia furnished 36 cases, or 18.95 per cent., against 46 and
23.47in 1909, the number of recoveries being 16 and 19 respectively. Under
the head of delusional insanity, now called Paranoia, there were 10 admissions
against 8 in 1909. Dementia accounted for 9 admissions without a recovery in
1910 against 1 cured in 1909. There was only one case of general paralysis of
the insane at Patna. The Superintendent says that the patient was addicted
to ganja, but this addition to ganja may have been a result of the general
paralysis not necessarily its cause. It is lamentably frequently met with in
Europe and, I believe, also in America, but fortunately is a rare type of nervous
disease in India. I have had a considerable experience of insanity in India,
and in over 30 years have only seen 3 genuine cases—a Hindu, a Cabuli and
an Armenian. The statement on which these statistics are presented was
prescribed by the Government of India. It seems to require revision in view
of the adoption of the new Nomenclature of Diseases, 4th edition, 1906.
Statement VII.
11. Of the 190 admissions, 94 or 49.47 per cent. were attributed to physical
causes and 14 or 7.37 per cent. to moral causes, while
in 43.16 per cent. of the cases the cause of lunacy was
unknown. In 10 cases the mental derangement was attributed to heredity, in 35
to abuse of ganja, in 1 to opium smoking, in 2 to indulgence in bhang, in 4 to in-
temperance in drink and in 1 to other intoxicants. Ganja cases were diagnosed
by their clinical characters, the admission of the patients themselves, and by
reference to their relatives. The form of medical history sheets in which these
particulars were hither to supplied has now been replaced by a new form
designated descriptive roll of lunatics. Government has also directed that
Magisterial Officers should supply the Superintendent of an Asylum with
copies of the Court order or judgment and the police reports bearing on criminal
lunatics committed to asylums.
12. Injuries and accidents.—As might be expected from the large number
of lunatics confined in the Berhampore Asylum, there were many cases of
assaults and accidents; most of them, however, were of a trivial nature. One
lunatic died suddenly in this asylum. He was found one morning lying on his
right side in the corner of the ward where the urinal was. He complained of
severe pain in his stomach and was taken to hospital where he died shortly
after admission. A judicial enquiry was held, which showed that it was an
accidental death. There was one serious casualty in this asylum, though not
among the lunatics. A keeper through his own imprudent behaviour was
struck on the head by a criminal lunatic with a heavy blunt piece of wood,
which killed him instantly. The Superintendent reported that the keeper had
an altercation with the lunatic over a bamboo whistle of which the latter was
dispossessed. The lunatic abused the keeper who lost his self-control and
struck him with his belt which gave the lunatic provocation. The matter was
duly reported to Government.
13. Escapes.—One criminal lunatic, who was on the expiry of his sen-
tence, transferred to the non-criminal list, escaped from the Patna Asylum.
There was no clear evidence of negligence on the part of the asylum staff in
the matter, but the Superintendent issued definite instructions for their guid-
ance which will prevent any laxity in management or discipline in this respect.
There were no other escapes.
Statement VIII.
14. Finance.— The total amount spent for the up-keep of the lunatic
asylums
was
Rs.
1,67,769-12-11
against
Rs. 1,58,710-15-1 in 1909. The cost of superin-
tendence rose from Rs. 23,028-12-3 in 1909 to Rs. 27,451-15-4 in 1910. The
increase occurred at Berhampore only and is accounted for by the fact that the
permanent Superintendent, who was in charge of the institution throughout the
year, drew pay at a higher rate according to his rank than the officer who acted
for him in 1909, while he was on leave. The cost per head was Rs. 29-10-1
against Rs. 25-15-7 in 1909. There was a total saving of Rs. 3,659-10-3 in the
establishment charges in 1910 chiefly owing to the withdrawal of grain compen-
sation allowance to the subordinate staff. The total cost was Rs. 26,367-15-8
B 2