12
LUNATIC ASYLUMS IN BENGAL.
But as mania is the most fatal of mental diseases, so also is it the affection
most frequently followed by recovery. If, therefore, the prevalence of this
condition be accepted as an explanation of comparative mortality, the argument
requires that comparative recoveries shall correspond with the above totals, and
excluding persons " not insane " we have at the Presidency 49 recoveries in 1881 ;
at Dacca, five; at Patna, 13. This portion of the argument is evidently not
wanting. I omit from this reckoning the asylums of Berhampore and Cuttack,
having already, and for other reasons, ascribed the proportions of maniacs in them
to peculiarity of nomenclature. The scarcity of death and recovery in both
places strengthens this view, whereas at Dacca this same scarcity is in accordance
with the small quantity of mania.
27. Accidents and Injuries.—At Dullunda there was one case of fatal injury.
The skull of a lunatic was broken by a man who had been admitted as a
criminal lunatic. The latter was tried, found to be of sound mind, and
sentenced to transportation for life. There were two cases of injury by
accident. At Dacca there were two deaths from injury; one resulted from tetanus,
following a very slight wound on the head received from a lunatic. One severe
injury from accident remained on record from the previous year. Some trifling
injuries were received from lunatics, and one man was beaten by the overseer
who was dismissed. At Patna no injuries were inflicted on lunatics during the
year. At Cuttack a patient died from fracture of the skull caused by a fall. At
Berhampore there were three cases of injury, not serious, accidentally received.
28. Finance.—The revised financial forms Nos. IX and XI of the standard
series were sanctioned by the Government of India in May last, for general
adoption. The statements in the appendix have therefore been prepared in the
revised form. The usual table of income and expenditure is given below:—
TABLE No. 14.
Showing the Receipts and Expenditure of each Asylum for the year 1881.
ASYLUMS.
Dullunda
...
...
Dacca
... ...
Patna
...
...
Cuttack
...
...
Berhampore ...
Total ...
1
Daily average strength
206.76
209.63
219.96
51.5
182.39
870.24
2
Total expenditure.
Rs.
36,789
22,665
15,506
4,551
14,269
93,782
A.
10
8
10
12
5
15
P.
11
0
8
2
5
2
3
Realized from friends
of patients.
Rs.
1,644
90
125
53
63
1,977
A.
2
14
13
2
0
1
P.
6
10
6
6
0
4
4
Actual profit from
manufacture depart-
ment.
Rs.
1,975
3,218
1,394
143
1,067
7,511
A.
2
8
3
6
6
14
P.
5
11
1
2(loss)
3
6
5
Average cost of each
patient as
per
column 2.
Rs.
177
108
70
88
78
107
A.
14
1
7 6
3
12
P.
11
11
11
1
9
3
6
Average cost of each
patient deducting
columns 3 and 4.
Rs.
160
92
63
*87
72
96
A.
6
5
9
5
0
13
P.
10
4
4
7
7
9
7
8
9
10
11
12
AVERAGE COST OF EACH PATITNT IN RELATION TO—
Establishment.
Rs.
67
41
38
63
40
47
A.
13
1
9
5
3
15
P.
3
6
9
9
2
2
Diet.
Rs.
41
37
23
18
28
32
A.
13
7
11
15
9
1
P.
5
8
0
10
10
3
Bazar
medi-
cines.
Rs.
0
0
0
0
0
0
A.
0
0
0
0
1
0
P.
7
10
6
9
1
9
Clothing.
Rs.
4
2
3
1
2
3
A.
5
12
1
13
3
1
P.
1
9
9
3
8
0
Contingencies.
Rs.
14
2
3
2
2
5
A.
5
14
9
3
5
10
P.
5
9
9
9
7
4
Other charges.
Rs.
49
23
1
1
4
18
A.
9
12
7
14
12
15
P.
2
5
2
9
5
9
* Cost per patient deducting the amount received from friends of patients.
29. In comparing the total expenditure of 1881 with that of the preceding
year, it will be necessary to refer to table No. 15 shown in the report for 1880,
the expenditure under ordinary heads having only been shown in table No. 14,
and in the standard series of statement published in the appendix of that year.
The expenditure of the asylums may be divided into two heads:—
Ordinary expenditure ...
Cash expended (inclusive of money
expended for paying patients) ...
Value of articles made over for
asylum use
...
Extraordinary expenditure... ... ...
Total ...
1881.
Rs.
66,398
11,257
16,128
93,783
1880.
Rs.
70,494
10,919
8,606
90,019