22
LUNATIC ASYLUMS IN BENGAL.
Mr. Brock, who was appointed overseer of the asylum, vice Camelleri, was found guilt of criminal
breach of trust, for which he was sentenced to three months' imprisonment and a fine of
Rs. 100. This sentence was, however, not upheld by the Sessions Court, and Mr. Brock was
acquitted. On the 22nd December a special meeting of the visitors was convened in order
to decide whether Mr. Brock should be restored to his appointment or dismissed. It was
decided by four votes against two, the Superintendent states, that Mr. Brock should be
discharged, and this decision was duly carried out. Mr. Brock appealed against this decision,
and up to the end of the year no one had been appointed to succeed him.
Remarks by the
Deputy Surgeon-
General.
31. The asylum was visited by Mr. Adley, Officiating Deputy Surgeon-General of the
Dacca Circle, on the 28th November 1876. The following is a copy of his remarks entered
in the visitors' book:—“ Visited the asylum 28th November, with Dr. Fullerton; found
everything neat, clean, and in good order. Patients amused by employments on various
trades, and apparently contented. Two of the wards require repair, and are in a dangerous
condition; an additional building for further accommodation is in course of erection, but at
present the accommodation is sufficient for the number of patients now in the institution.
There is no accommodation within the asylum for the native doctor, and he is unprovided with
any assistance, such as a compounder, in the preparation of medicines. The native doctor is
compelled to reside at night outside the institution—a great disadvantage. Only one case of
cholera has occurred. The wards were daily fumigated with sulphur fumes as a prevention.
Mr. Brock, the overseer, is well spoken of.”
PATNA ASYLUM.
1. Patna.—This asylum was under the superintendence of Surgeon-Major B. Simpson,
M.D., during the year under review.
Statistics.
YEARS.
1871
...
...
1872
...
...
1873
...
...
1874
...
...
1875
...
...
Average ...
1876
...
...
Daily average
strength.
211
234
269
281
252
249.4
226.63
Admitted.
86
40.8
124
52.9
126
46.9
88
31.3
94
37.3
103.6
41.53
* 80
35.3
DISCHARGED.
Cured.
58
27.5
54
23.1
65
24.2
38
13.5
34
13.5
49.8
19.96
37
16.3
Improved.
3
1.4
5
2.1
6
2.1
6
2.1
5
1.9
5
2
8
3.5
Otherwise.
1
.5
4
1.7
7
2.6
†22
7.8
‡51
20.2
17
6.81
§ 64
28.2
Deaths.
12
5.7
16
6.8
27
10.05
34
12.1
16
6.3
21
8.42
16
7.1
Total dis-
charges
and
deaths.
74
35.1
79
33.7
105
39.06
100
35.5
106
42.1
92.8
37.19
125
55.1
Note.—The smaller figures are percentages of mean strength.
* Includes one man transferred from Dacca.
† Transferred to Berhampore.
‡ 50 ditto
ditto.
§ 60
ditto
Hazareebagh.
2. In the annexed table are shown some of the more interesting statistics of the
asylum for the year 1876,
and, as has hitherto been
the practice, those of the
preceding quinquennial
period are also given for
the sake of easy refer-
ence and comparison.
From this table it will
be gathered that the
statistics of 1876 com-
pare favourably with
those of the five preced-
ing years, inasmuch as
(calculated on the mean
strength) the proportion
of admissions is smaller
by 6.2 per cent. The pro-
portion of cases “ cured ”
was higher than in 1875
or 1874, and the death-rate has fallen from 8.42 (the average of the preceding quinquennial
period) to 7.1 per cent. The highest death-rate of any year in the table was 12.1 per cent.
in 1874, and the lowest was 5.7 in 1871.
Population on 1st
January.
3. On the 1st of January 1876 the asylum population consisted of (males 196, females
58) 254 persons. This number was in excess of the average “ remaining” population of
the preceding decennial period by (males 46, females 13) 59, but was below that shown on the
corresponding date of 1875 by 12. On further analysis it has been ascertained that the
decrease, as compared with 1875, was due to the number of male patients being lessened by
28, while the number of females was increased by 16.
Admissions.
4. During the year (males 61, females 14) 75 insane patients were admitted and
(males 4, female 1) 5 re-admitted. Included in these admissions were two men who were not
insane when received in the asylum—one a havildar of the 44th Regiment Native Infantry,
transferred from the Dacca Asylum by order of the Surgeon-General, the other forwarded
to the asylum by the Magistrate of Gya. Both of these men arrived, it is stated, in Septem-
ber last, and as they showed no symptom of insanity were discharged by the visitors. It
is probable, the Superintendent remarks, that their symptoms were caused by some intoxi-
cating drug, such as ganja or bhang, the effects of which had disappeared during their
journey to Patna.
State of health of
those admitted.
5. Dr. Simpson states that “ 59 out of the 80 admissions, in other words 73.75 per cent.,
were in bad or indifferent health on arrival. Of these, 5 were actually suffering from chest
complaints, 2 from dysentery, 2 from enlarged spleen and anæmia, and one from leprosy.”
Total population.
6. The total asylum population of the year was (males 261, females 73) 334, and was
less than that of 1875 by 26. It is found, however, that this was due to a decrease in the number
of male patients by 36, but that the females had increased by 10. This decrease in the total
asylum population is, the Superintendent reports, accounted for by the transfer of 60 male
patients to the newly formed asylum at Hazareebagh in May last. This transfer was