4
LUNATIC ASYLUMS IN BENGAL.
Table showing relation of Population to capacity of Asylums.
Dullunda
...
...
...
Dacca
...
...
...
Patna
...
...
...
Cuttack
...
...
...
Berhampore ... ... ...
Total ...
CAPACITY OF 50
SUPERFICIAL FEET.
Males.
246
167
190
32
147
782
Females.
47
40*
70
11
55
223
Total.
293
207
260
43
202
1,005
MAXIMUM NUMBER
CONFINED IN ANY
ONE NIGHT.
Males.
224
197
187
48
121
777
Females.
56
35
53
6
54
204
Total.
280
232
240
54
175
981
AVERAGE DAILY
NUMBER CONFINED.
Males.
211.45
189.35
182.32
45.77
117.26
746.15
Females.
53.94
32.21
52.41
6.6l
51.79
196.96
Total.
265.39
221.56
234.73
52.38
169.05
943.11
EXCESS OF AVERAGE
STRENGTH OVER
CAPACITY.
Males.
......
22.35
......
13.77
......
......
Females.
6.04
......
......
......
......
......
Total.
......
14.56
......
9.38
......
* In the table for 1886 this number was 50, but the new female ward occupied in 1887 gives accommodation to 40 females only.
8. At some of the asylums the bad effects of any over-crowding are to some
extent obviated by allowing harmless lunatics to sleep in the verandahs of the
buildings; but this practice is manifestly objectionable.
Table of Criminal Lunatics in the Asylums in Bengal for the year 1887 and ten previous years.
1
YEARS.
1877 ... ...
1878 ... ...
1879 ... ...
1880 ... ...
1881 ... ...
1882 ... ...
1883 ... ...
1884 ... ...
1885 ... ...
1886 ... ...
1887 ... ...
2
REMAINING
ON 1ST.
JANUARY.
Males.
245
255
265
252
264
269
291
332
332
349
360
Females.
24
23
23
24
31
28
27
27
31
38
37
Total.
269
278
288
276
295
297
318
359
363
387
397
3
ADMITTED.
Males.
62
62
69
64
64
69
85
65
81
74
73
Females.
6
8
3
14
8
8
8
9
12
7
7
Total.
68
70
72
78
72
77
93
74
93
81
80
4
RE-ADMIT-
TED.
Males.
6
8
12
14
12
9
12
10
10
10
9
Females.
1
...
1
1
1
1
...
2
1
2
1
Total.
7
8
13
15
13
10
12
12
11
12
10
5
Total.
Males.
313
325
346
330
340
347
388
407
423
433
442
Females.
31
31
27
39
40
37
35
38
44
47
45
Total.
344
356
373
369
380
384
423
445
467
480
487
6
DISCHARG-
--, TRANS-
FERRED, &C.
Males.
45
50
67
40
51
35
44
56
46
54
67
Females.
6
7
2
5
8
6
6
5
4
6
8
Total.
51
57
69
45
59
41
50
61
50
60
75
7
DIED.
Males.
13
10
27
26
20
21
12
19
28
19
26
Females.
2
1
1
3
4
4
2
2
2
4
2
Total.
15
11
28
29
24
25
14
21
30
23
28
8
REMAINING
ON 31ST
DECEMBER.
Males.
255
265
252
264
269
291
332
332
349
360
349
Females.
23
23
24
31
28
27
27
31
38
37
35
Total.
278
288
276
295
297
318
359
363
387
397
384
9
DAILY AVERAGE
STRENGTH.
Males.
246.55
256.75
248.2
253.41
250.98
278.7
314.52
301.81
336.74
359.2
355.57
Females.
21.66
21.35
22.56
27 64
26.42
27.05
28.3
30.24
36.22
37.45
35.31
Total.
268.21
278.1
270.76
281.06
277.4
305.75
342.82
332.05
372.96
396.65
390.88
9. Criminal lunatics.—The returns for some years past disclose the fact that
this class of the asylum population has been annually increasing, and the
number now in confinement is undoubtedly very large—much larger indeed than
it is in other parts of India.
PROVINCE.
Bengal
...
...
...
North-Western
Province.
and Oudh.
Punjab
...
...
...
Madras
...
...
...
Bombay
...
...
...
Number of general
population as per
census.
69,536,861
44,849,619
22,712,120
31,170,631
23,395,663
Number of
criminal lunatics
in confinement in
asylums on 31st
December.
384§
171*
51†
110‡ 98*
Proportion of criminal
lunatics to population.
1 to every 181,085 persons ...
Ditto 242,278 ditto ...
Ditto
445,335 ditto ...
Ditto 283,369 ditto ...
Ditto 238,731 ditto ...
REMARKS.
§ Figure on 31st December 1887.
*
Ditto
ditto 1886.
†
Ditto
ditto 1884.
‡
Ditto
ditto 1885.
But it is satisfactory to find a diminution in 1887, there having been 397
at the beginning of the year and 384 at the end of it in all the asylums of the
province—a result which was due, not to fewer admissions, but to the greater
number of those who were discharged or transferred.
10. In all asylums there is a tendency to an accumulation of criminal
lunatics which is caused by the annually increasing admissions of this class, and
also by a very proper reluctance on the part of the authorities to liberate any
who have been guilty of grave crimes against the person. It is probable that
not more than half of the criminal lunatics in the asylums belong to the
category of those who are dangerous or have committed crime attended with
violence, and continued efforts should be made to get rid of all those who are
harmless and have so far recovered as to be capable of taking care of them-
selves.