LUNATIC ASYLUMS IN BENGAL.
5
that the percentage of recoveries obtained in the ten years which formed the subject of the
inquiry do not show any very notable advance on those reached in the years 1845-54, twenty
years earlier; while the deaths are proportionally more numerous now than then." And
again—-"The inference is, we think, unfavourable to the class of cases sent to asylums
rather than to the repute of the system of treatment pursued. The policy of finding
accommodation for ' all the lunatics in the county ' creates a miscellaneous crowd, of which
comparatively only a small proportion can be considered susceptible of cure or radical
improvement.”
Transferred to
friends, improved,
&c.
11. Under the heading “ transferred to friends improved,” it appears that there were
(males 70, females 10) 80 so disposed of. This number was considerably in excess of that
registered in 1875, when it was (males 38, females 7) 45, and was in a great measure due to
the large transfers which were thus made from the Dullunda and Dacca Asylums.
Discharged
otherwise.
12. Those 31 males discharged “otherwise” were lunatics who escaped (7), or were
boarded out (2), or discharged by order of the visitors.
Residual
population on the
31st December.
13. The residual asylum population on the 31st December was (males 896, females 235)
1,131, or less than that shown as “remaining ” on the 1st of January 1876 by (males 10,
females 6) 16.
Comparison with
the previous five
years.
14. In Statement No. 3 the totals and averages of all the asylums in connection with
Table No. I of the Appendix (which I have just explained) are shown in a condensed form, and
in comparison with each year, as well as with the average of the preceding quinquennial
period. The statement requires no special remark from me.
STATEMENT No. 3.
Comparison of 1876 with the five previous years.
1. Remaining on 1st January ... ...
2. Admitted during the year
...
...
3. Total population
...
...
...
4. Daily average strength
...
...
5 Admissions per cent. of strength ...
6. Total discharged, transferred. &c. ...
7. Total discharged per cent. of total
population
...
...
...
...
8 Total discharged per cent. of strength
9 Discharged cured ... ...
10. Discharged per cent. of admissions ...
11. Discharged per cent. of total popu-
lation
...
...
...
...
12. Discharged per cent. of daily average
strength
...
...
...
...
13. Improved and transferred to care of
friends
...
...
...
...
14. Improved per cent. of total population
15. Improved per cent. of daily average
strength
...
...
...
...
16. Died
...
...
...
...
17. Died per cent of total population ...
18. Died per cent. of daily average
strength ... ... ... ...
19. Died from cholera
...
...
...
20. Died per cent. of total population ...
21. Died per cent. of daily average
strength
...
...
...
...
22. Died from other causes
...
...
23. Died per cent. of total population ...
24. Died per cent. of daily average
strength
...
...
...
25. Total discharges and deaths ... ...
26 Total per cent. of strength ... ...
27. Daily average sick
...
...
...
28. Daily average per cent. of daily aver-
age strength
...
...
...
1871.
783
400
1,183
813.7
48.1
255
21.5
30.6
200
50
16.9
24.07
38
3.2
4.5
101
8.5
12.1
7
.59
.84
94
7.94
11.32
356
42.8
67.3
8.1
1872.
827
525
1,352
903.2
58.1
264
19.6
29.2
178
33.9
13.2
19.7
67
5.8
7.4
116
8.6
12.8
4
.29
.44
112
8.3
12.4
380
42.7
43.2
4.8
1873.
972
514
1,486
991.4
51.8
364
24.5
36.7
278
54.1
18.7
28.1
65
4.4
6.6
119
8
12
11
.7
1.1
108
7.3
10.9
483
48.7
56.1
5.7
1874.
1,003
501
1,504
1,050.8
47.7
290*
19.28
27.6
209
41.7
13.89
19.9
51
3.4
4.8
140
9.3
13.3
11
7
1.05
129
8.57
12.3
430
40.9
77.2
7.3
1875.
1,074
418
1,492
1,126.4
37.1
218*
14.6
19.4
155
37.1
10.4
13.7
46
3.1
4.1
127
8.5
11.2
13
.87
1.1
114
7.6
10.1
445
39.5
84.4
7.5
Average
of five
years.
931.8
471.6
1,403.4
977.1
48.56
278.2
19.89
28.7
203
43.36
14.61
21.09
53.4
3.98
5.48
120.6
8.58
12.28
9.2
.63
.906
111.4
7.94
11.40
418.8
42.92
65.64
6.68
1876.
1,147
336
1,513
1,224.38
29.89
263*
17.38
21.48
130
35.51
8.59
10.61
80
5.28
6.6
119
7.8
9.8
4
.26
.32
115
7.60
9.39
382
32.01
98.31
8.8
Increase.
215.2
......
109.6
347.28
......
......
......
......
......
......
......
......
26.6
1.30
1.12
......
......
......
......
......
......
1
......
......
......
......
32.67
2.12
Decrease.
......
105.6
......
......
18.67
15.2
2.51
7.22
73
7.85
6.02
11.48
......
......
......
1.6
.78
2.48
5.2
.37
.586
......
.34
2.01
36.8
10.91
......
......
* Does not include transfers from one asylum to another.
Daily average
strength of asylum
population.
15. The daily average asylum population during 1876 was (males 976.55, females
247.83) 1,224.38, or 97.94 in excess of what it was in 1875 ; but this increase is only amongst
the male patients, as there was a decrease in the average number of females by 3. The
average strength of the asylum population has shown a steady and progressive increase
during each year of the preceding decennial period, viz. from 607 in 1866 to 1,126.44 in
1875, or to more than double the first named number in 1876. This steady growth of the
asylum population is an important consideration, and is one that, whether viewed socially
with reference to the population of these provinces, or as regards an increasing expenditure,
is deserving of, as it has already received, the careful attention of Government. I cannot