LUNATIC ASYLUMS IN BENGAL.
7
be said to afford only a general classification. In 1883 changes in the superin-
tendence of asylums were unusually frequent, and I conclude, from the entire
course of events in that year, that the changes affected the nomenclature of
disease. Thus there were 92 new cases of acute mania, and a total number of
232 cases treated with 48 cases of recovery and improvement with discharge.
In 1882 there were 69 admissions and a total of 200 cases with 47 cases dis-
charged. Going back to 1881, we find again 99 admissions and 213 cases in
total, with 55 of recovery and improvement. Recovery from acute mania
within a year is frequent, and it is probable that if practice, as to nomenclature,
had been the same in the two later years, the figures would have been some-
what differently arranged. The same must be said of chronic mania. There is
fluctuation in the proportion of recoveries which points to uncertainty of names.
The matter cannot be fully examined without more detailed enquiry than is
permissible in a report of this kind, which is concerned with administrative
rather than technical points. I mention it as a probable explanation of figures
which may appear anomalous in this and other tables. The death numbers
also are at variance with the relative liabilities of the several groups. To ex-
haustion of mania, which belongs mainly to the acute affection, one death only
was ascribed in 1883 in all the asylums.
TABLE 8.
Percentage of recoveries on total treated.
Acute mania ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...
Chronic mania
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
Melancholia ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...
Acute dementia
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
Chronic dementia
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
1880.
15.42
3.33
2.46
6.34
3.06
1881.
17.37
8.66
1.28
5.12
1.18
1882.
17.5
4.08
5.06
8.33
5.35
1883.
16.81
6.22
4.
5.71
1.43
16. The figures of this table cannot, for reasons stated before, be suffi-
ciently accurate for statistical use. So far as they go, they strengthen the
conclusions offered in the last paragraph. An increased number of recent
cases of acute mania did not increase the rate of recovery in that class, reckoned
on the entire number, as it might be expected to have done.
17. Causes of insanity.—In the Presidency Asylum (vide statement VII) the
causes were stated on admission in 41 cases, and in 35 were unknown. Of the
former 22 were ascribed to ganja and 5 to spirit drinking. At Dacca 5 persons
admitted were said to have been ganja smokers and 3 spirit drinkers. The
entire number of known causes was 27, and of the unknown 30. At Patna of
36 cases with alleged causes 27 were ascribed to ganja, bhang, &c., and 7 to
alcohol. No cause was stated in 17 cases. At Cuttack of 12 cases of known
causation 10 were ascribed to ganja, and there were 10 returned as unknown.
At Berhampore 18 cases were said to have had known causes, whereof ganja
accounted for 12. Six cases only were returned as unknown.
In 1883 there were treated in all the asylums 1,081, whereof 310 were
said to have owed their insanity to intoxication. I have said before that
occurrences in the asylums show that the statements on this point are below—
I might say very much below—the truth ; and that, on the other hand, resort
to intoxication is sometimes assigned as the cause of a derangement of which
it is only an early result.
There were in all 76 admissions from ganja and bhang in 1883 and only 34
recoveries. If the cases were rightly ascribed, the proportion was small, and
again proves that with increased admissions there was no increase of cases of
mere temporary intoxication among them.
TABLE No. 9.
Admissions into hospital
...
...
...
...
...
Ditto per cent. of mean strength
...
...
...
Daily average sick
...
...
...
...
...
...
Ditto
in 1882
...
...
...
...
...
Ditto
per cent. of mean strength
... ...
Ditto
ditto
in 1882 ... ... ...
Daily average number of out-patients
...
...
...
Dullunda.
36
18.
6.18
3.14
3.09
1.67
18.58
Dacca.
51
22.99
10.17
8.65
4.58
3.93
4.70
Patna.
77
34.45
10.06
11.51
4.94
5.17
14.73
Cuttack.
13
24.30
3.42
2.30
6.41
4.52
11.70
Berhampore.
58
32.25
4.48
5.48
2.49
2.94
4.72
Total.
235
26.74
34.31
31.08
3.9
3.58
54.43