6
LUNATIC ASYLUMS IN BENGAL.
TABLE NO. 7.
Types of Insanity.—The number remained, admitted, &c., under each type during the year 1880.
1
Remained
Admitted.
Dullanda ...
Dacca
Patna
Cuttack
Berhampore ...
Total admitted ...
Total treated ...
Recovered
Improved
Died
2
MANIA,
ACUTE.
Males.
94
32
10
2
8
5
57
161
25
10
20
Females.
21
9
1
2
4
...
16
37
4
4
1
Total.
115
41
11
4
12
5
73
188
29
14
21
3
MANIA,
CHRONIC.
Males.
270
16
7
29
1
...
53
323
10
9
35
Females.
106
11
3
4
1
2
21
127
5
3
11
Total.
376
27
10
33
2
2
74
450
15
12
46
4
MELAN-
------.
Males.
52 2
7
1
...
...
10
62
1
1
6
Females.
14
1
...
4
...
...
5
19
1
...
1
Total.
66
3
7
6
...
...
15
81
2
1
1
5
DEMENTIA,
ACUTE.
Males.
33
1
3
15
...
...
19
52
3
1
1
Females.
7
1
1
2
...
...
4
11
1
...
1
Total.
40
2
4
17
...
...
23
63
4
1
2
6
DEMENTIA,
CHRONIC.
Males.
199
1
13
5
...
...
19
218
5
5
26
Females.
41
1
1
...
...
...
2
43
3
1
5
Total.
240
2
14
5
...
...
21
261
8
6
31
7
IDIOCY.
Males.
7
...
...
...
...
...
...
7
...
...
1
Females.
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
Total.
7
...
...
...
...
...
...
7
...
...
1
8
IMBECILITY.
Males.
5
...
...
...
...
...
...
5
...
...
...
Females.
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
Total.
5
...
...
...
...
...
...
5
...
...
...
9
NOT
INSANE.
Males.
36
7
1
...
...
1
9
45
14
...
1
Females.
3
...
...
1
...
...
1
4
1
...
...
Total.
39
7
1
1
...
1
10
49
15
...
1
10
TOTAL.
Males.
696
59
41
52
9
6
167
863
58
26
90
Females.
192
23
6
13
5
2
49
241
15
8
19
Total.
888
82
47
65
14
8
216
1,104
73
34
109
15. Forms of insanity.—This is a summary statement, compiled from the
detailed tables in the appendix. The quantity of acute mania treated fell
from 239 cases in 1879 to 188 in 1880. The admissions of the year under
this head fell from 84 to 73. Police officers and others interested in getting
rid of troublesome persons find it easy to introduce the word “ dangerous ” into
the short history of a case which they present to the Magistrate, as they are
not forced to describe the particular act or tendency which has convinced them
of danger. It is natural to expect that this facility will be used more and
more freely unless the use of it be restricted, or at least criticized, by Magis-
trates. Of the admissions of 1880, however, though I think they have been
made more numerous in this manner than they need have been, it cannot be
said that they have consisted mainly, or even very largely, of cases of passing
intoxication, for the recoveries from acute mania during the year have been
unusually few. Admissions for this condition increased at the Presidency by
11 cases, and at Dacca by 1 case. The other asylums show marked reduction.
From chronic mania 53 persons were admitted in 1879 and 74 in 1880, increase
being confined to the Presidency and Patna Asylums. Acute dementia showed
also a rise from 9 to 23 admissions, the Dacca and Patna Asylums receiving
the increase. Under other heads the variations were trifling.
16. Recoveries from the several forms of insanity during the last two
years are shown as rates per cent. on total numbers in the following figures:—
TABLE NO. 8.
Acute mania
... ... ...
Chronic ditto ... ... ...
Melancholia ... ... ...
Acute dementia ... ... ...
Chronic
ditto ... ... ...
1879.
18.82
5.22
3.96
1.75
1.43
1880.
15.42
3.33
2.46
6.34
3.06
This reckoning for purposes of comparison would be better made on the
basis of admissions and for each asylum separately. Even such a reckoning
would not lead to safe conclusions, because it is not possible to secure in
official work the uniformity of practice and record which is necessary for the
examination of scientific and technical questions. Differences of nomenclature
interfere with all specific returns; but when admissions for a particular affec-
tion and previous cases of it are combined in one total to make a basis for a
ratio, there is probably not even an approximation to accuracy. Thus, in some
asylums cases of acute mania which continue for months are transferred to the
heading of chronic mania. In another, a year or more may elapse before this
is done. In a third, the original name may remain untouched through the
whole period of asylum residence. In this manner the record of “acute” will
include a variable quantity of “chronic” disease of the same order. Change
of name also will be made in one year, under sudden attention to the subject,