LUNATIC ASYLUMS IN BENGAL.
7
Dullunda, and of these, as was to be expected, a large number, viz. four,
proved fatal. Single cases of the same disease occurred at Patna, Cuttack, and
Berhampore. There were ten cases of cholera in Hazaribagh Asylum, four
in that of Berhampore, and single cases in Dacca and Cuttack.
STATEMENT No. 10.
Fevers ... ... ... ... ... ...
Cholera ... ... ... ... ... ...
Pulmonary consumption ... ... ...
Desentery ... ... ... ... ... ...
Diarrhœa ... ... ... ... ... ...
Bronchitis and catarrh ... ... ...
Pneumonia... ... ... ... ... ...
Exhaustion of mania ... ... ... ...
Spleen diseases ... ... ... ... ...
Anæmia and debility ... ... ... ...
Wound, contusions, &c. ... ... ... ...
Fractures ... ... ... ... ... ...
Dullunda.
1
......
1
......
1
......
4
2
......
8
......
1
Dacca.
49
1
......
15
40
5
1
......
1
5
18
3
Patna.
40
......
1
6
16
1
......
......
6
7
......
......
Cuttack.
9
1
1
4
5
......
1
......
......
1
......
1
Berhampore.
110
4
1
55
8
......
1
......
......
......
......
......
Hazari-
bagh.
31
10
......
31
49
2
7
......
......
10
25
......
Total.
240
16
4
111
119
8
14
2
7
31
43
5
21. Injuries.—In my last report I had to call attention to the large
number of injuries in Dacca and Hazaribagh Asylums, some of which had
been inflicted by keepers. There were 21 cases of local injury in the Dacca
Asylum during 1878 against 32 in 1877. One of these last year was a
fracture of the forearm, which occurred in consequence of a fall during a
struggle between two lunatics for the possession of a blanket. Another man
was admitted into hospital owing to a contusion of the face caused by a
keeper. The injuries which are said to have been caused by patients in Dacca
are as follow:—
Fracture of forearm ... ... ...
Ditto of fingers ... ... ...
Scalp wounds ... ... ...
Contusion of face ... ... ... ...
Wound of face ... ... ...
1
1
6
1
2
Wound of upper extremity
...
...
Ditto lower extremity
...
...
Injury of rectum (sodomy)
...
...
1
1
1
—
14
In addition to the above, a keeper was said to have struck a patient.
In reference to these cases of injury, Dr. Crombie remarks as follows :—
“ The keeper who struck a lunatic in the face with his fist was reported
to the police, and a local enquiry was made, but the case went no further for
want of legal evidence. He was nevertheless dismissed.
“The Lieutenant-Governor animadverts on the frequency of injuries in
this asylum, and is of opinion that it shows laxity of discipline. It is surprising,
I think, on the other hand, that these cases are so few, and generally of so mild
a description, with a population of irresponsible, irascible people, the half of
whom are criminals, and in whose hands at all times are weapons used in their
various occupations. I was myself the subject of an attack by a lunatic who
was sitting quietly weeding in the garden, when, without warning, he suddenly
sprang to his feet and seized a koodali and rushed at me with the intention of
felling me, but was luckily frustrated. No discipline can prevent such a sudden
ebullition, and we must stop our manufactures if the lunatics are to have no
means of inflicting injuries.”
22. In writing the above, Dr. Crombie apparently overlooks the fact that
the asylum of which he has charge is not exceptional in his patients working
with all sorts of tools which are capable of being used as lethal weapons,
and in his having a large number of criminal lunatics in confinement. It is the
same in all the other asylums, in most of which injuries are not found to be
caused either by keepers or patients. There is little doubt that in most cases,
when a lunatic is injured by another, it is an indication that the keepers had
not been attending to their duty properly.
23. In Hazaribagh Asylum last year were treated 5 scalp wounds, all
caused by other patients. Of 23 contusions, 10 were caused by other lunatics,