( 2 )
The local admissions were, it will be seen, extremely few; the re-admis-
sions merely represent escapes and recaptures; the death-rate was in 1876
8.82 per cent. of mean strength, in 1877 4.95 per cent., in 1878 20.7 per cent.
(a remarkably heavy rate, not accounted for by any epidemic); the sick list was
throughout heavier than in any other asylum in Bengal. On the whole, the
results of the experimental opening of an asylum in Chota Nagpore were not
satisfactory, and it was on every ground advisable to close this asylum.
5. Turning to the statistics of the year, the chief facts affecting the
population of each asylum are embodied in the following table:—
ASYLUMS.
Dullunda
...
...
...
Dacca
Patna ... ... ...
Cuttack ... ... ...
Berhampore ... ... ...
Hazaribagh ... ... ...
Total ...
Admitted during
year.
64
35
40
19
15
.....
173
Re-admitted.
10
7
3
1
2
.......
23
Received
by
transfer.
60
17
54
......
32
......
163
Total population.
275
230
242
68
107
175
1,187
Cured.
53
10
19
10
9
...
101
Made over to
friends.
21
19
14
5
3
1
63
Otherwise dis-
charged.
2
.....
......
......
.........
2
4
Transferred to
other asylums.
......
......
......
......
......
163
163
Died.
42
20
35
3
22
9
131
Remaining at
end of year.
217
198
228
50
195
......
888
Daily average
strength.
217.16
196.10
228.32
51.30
197.08
......
889.96
Daily average
sick.
6.63
8.70
14.7
1.20
7.38
......
38.66
It appears that of the total number of admissions 64 were to Dullunda,
being only one less than the number admitted in 1878 ; 35 to Dacca as against
32 in 1878; 40 to Patna as against 56 in 1878 ; 19 to Cuttack as against 16;
and 15 to Berhampore as against 18. The total number of re-admissions was
23 as against 31 in the previous year and 38 in 1877. The rule regarding
admissions has of course a corresponding effect upon the number of re-admis-
sions.
6. There were discharged cured 101 persons against 148 in 1878;
improved, 57 against 46. The percentage of persons discharged, either cured
or improved, was 17.75 calculated on the average strength, 13.31 calculated on
total treated, and 80.61 calculated on admissions. The average figure under
each of these categories for the ten years 1869 to 1878 was 24.35, 17.62, and
58.67 respectively. The variation in the figures is explained by the falling
off in the average population, and in trifling and temporary cases, the increase
in chronic cases, and the decrease in admissions. The large number of cures
in Dullunda seems to be explained by the number of admissions of cases of
acute mania shown in Table VI of this and previous reports.
7. The number of criminal lunatics in the asylums on the 1st January
1879 was 288. There were 72 fresh admissions during the year and 13 re-admis-
sions. There is a slight tendency to increase in the figures of admissions, which
were 70 in 1878, 68 in 1877, and 63 on the average of the previous ten years.
Of the total number under treatment (373), 69 were discharged improved,
against 57 in 1878; 28 died against 11, and 276 remained at the end of the
year. As explained in last year's resolution, criminal lunatics who recover, but
cannot safely be discharged, are now transferred to jails for employment there.
The result has been an improvement in the discipline and easy management of the
asylums where inmates of this class were a constant source of trouble and danger.
8. The forms of insanity and the percentage of cure under each were as
follow:—
Forms of insanity.
Acute mania .. ..
Chronic mania .. ..
Melancholia .. ..
Acute dementia .. ..
Chronic dementia .. ..
Idiocy .. ..
Lmbecility .. ..
Amentia .. ..
Number
treated.
239
459
101
57
278
8
5
1
Number
cured.
45
24
4
1
4
....
....
....
Percentage of
cures.
18.82
5.22
3.96
1.75
1.43
....
....
....
The effect of the rule prohibiting the admission of persons whose insanity
is the result only of intoxication, so long as they are not dangerous, has
reduced the number of admissions for acute mania caused by ganja—a class of
cases which furnished the largest number of curse. Thus in 1878, 89 cases of
ganja-mania were admitted with 61 recoveries; in 1879 there were only 58
admissions with 41 recoveries. This proportion is slightly in favour of 1879;