LUNATIC ASYLUMS IN BENGAL
5
appear that this expectation was not unfounded, inasmuch as the later years,
which have brought progressive diminution in general numbers admitted and
the total of residents, have shown larger numbers, with a tendency to increase
in the criminals. Moreover, there have been during these later years many
criminal lunatics removed to jail who in former years remained in the
asylums. On the other hand, it was formerly usual for the Government to
set at liberty criminals who had passed long periods without sign of insanity.
This practice has ceased for some years. Also, on the other hand, it has become
a recent practice with Magistrates to commit summarily to the asylums, or
at least to the Presidency Asylum, as unfit to make their defence persons who
had committed offences under the passing delirium of intoxication or other
transient cause, and who, on their admission, were at once returned as fit
to take their trial. This growing habit was specially reported to Government
in 1880, but not before it had contributed to the number of the so-called
criminal lunatics. Regarding the year 1880, it must further be said that the
number of criminals ordered from asylums into jail custody was smaller than
before, and, concerning the two last years, that the numbers have been swollen
by increase of re-admissions after trial. Thus, while the number of criminal
lunatics has been unquestionably high from 1876 onwards, the excess over
former years has not been so great as it would appear on the figures to have
been, nor has the essential point of progressive increase been yet established so
clearly as it would appear to have been.
13. If it had been possible for me to do so, I should have been glad to
have departed here from the scope of an asylum report, so far as to present
a comparative statement of the crimes or offences charged against the lunatics
committed to asylums in the earlier and later years; for though the infor-
mation does not relate to any matter of asylum management, it would have an
important bearing on the question of crime as increased by recent policy.
My impression is strong that lately the minor offences have been more largely
represented among criminal lunatics than formerly they were, and it is pro-
bable enough that acts of mischief, trespass, petty theft, and so forth, may be
common among imbecile persons and others now excluded from asylums, who
formerly were by custody prevented from committing them. It is my intention
to collect the information which asylum records afford on this subject, and if it
should be sufficiently complete, to prepare a comparative statement of offences
charged against lunatics for ten years for submission with my next report.
TABLE No. 6.
Showing the Religion and Sex of Patients admitted.
ASYLUMS.
Dullunda ...
Dacca ...
Patna ...
Cuttack ...
Berhampore ...
Total ...
HINDOOS.
Mal es .
37
19
44
9
4
113
Females.
15
3
10
5
2
35
Total.
52
22
54
14
6
148
MUSSULMANS.
Males.
19
21
4
...
2
46
Females.
5
3
1
...
...
9
Total.
24
24
5
...
2
55
CHRISTIANS.
Mal es .
3
...
....
...
...
3
Females.
3
...
...
...
...
3
Total.
6
...
..
...
...
6
OTHER CLASSES.
Males.
...
1
4
...
...
5
Females.
...
...
2
...
...
2
Total.
...
1
6
...
...
7
TOTAL.
Males.
59
41
52
9
6
167
Females.
23
6
13
5
2
49
Total.
82
47
65
14
8
216
RATIO PER CENT. OF
EACH SEX TO THE
TOTAL ADMISSIONS
AND RE-ADMISSIONS.
Mal es .
71.95
87.5
80
64.29
75
77.42
Fe ma l
e s .
28.05
12.5
20
35.71
25
22.58
Tot al .
100
100
100
100
100
100
14. To the 6th statement I attach little value, for reasons previously
stated. It purports to give statistics of insanity among communities. The
size of the communities is not and cannot be known, and if this were ascertain-
able with precision, it would lead to no conclusion, from the large admixture
of intoxication with insanity.