( 2 )
Sickness and mortality.—There was no unusual sickness amongst the
inmates of the asylums during the year, and the mortality was less than in 1903.
One hundred deaths occurred as compared with 106 in that year, the ratios per
cent. of the daily average number being respectively 9.22 and 10.05. The
daily average number of sick shows a small increase, being 70.10 against 62.17,
but this was the result of closer supervision of the health of the lunatics,
especially at the Dullunda Asylum, where slight cases of illness were at once
placed under observation and recorded in the sick list. The most unhealthy
asylums were those at Bhowanipore, Dullunda and Patna, in all of which the
mortality exceeded 10 per cent. of the average number of inmates. A con-
siderable drop in the death-rate occurred at the Berhampore Asylum, where
the mortality amounted to 6.76 per cent. as compared with 11.75 per cent. in
1903. The improvement was entirely due to the absence of cholera, which
caused 7 deaths in the previous year. The most important causes of mortality
were bowel-complaints (27 deaths), pulmonary tubercle (21 deaths) and
pneumonia (6 deaths). Tubercle, as in former years, was most frequent in the
Dullunda Asylum, where it caused 10 deaths. Many of the new admissions
were found to be suffering from this disease which is very prevalent amongst
the surrounding population. Dysentery was most prevalent in the Patna and
Berhampore Asylums. In the case of the former institution the Superintendent
attributes the prevalence of this disease to a defective water-supply, whilst at
Berhampore dysentery is said to occur mainly amongst lunatics addicted to filthy
habits. It is satisfactory to note that no case of plague occurred in any of the
asylums during the year. In the case of the Patna institution this is particularly
satisfactory, as this asylum is situated practically inside a very insanitary bazaar,
where Plague was present throughout the year.
Cholera appeared in one asylum only, viz., at Dullunda, where it caused
three deaths. Malarial fevers were frequent in the Patna Asylum, but less
common than usual elsewhere. The use of prophylactic doses of quinine seems
to have bad a distinctly good effect in the Berhampore Asylum.
Statement II.
The daily average criminal population of the asylums was larger than in
1903, the numbers being 556.32 and 543.67 res-
pectively. This increase was due rather to a
decrease in the number of discharges than to an increase in the admissions.
The largest number of admissions occurred at Dullunda, where 60 lunatics of
this class were received, the total number of admissions in all the asylums
being 148. The number of criminal lunatics under detention has steadily risen
since the promulgation of the orders contained in Bengal Government Circular
No. 41J. of 1888 whereby these lunatics are required to be kept under obser-
vation for longer periods than formerly. The following figures showing the
average criminal propulation of the asylums for quinquennial periods will
illustrate this point:—
Number of criminal
lunatics under
detention.
1884—88.
380
1889—93.
444
1894-98.
475
1899—1903.
515
1904.
556
The decrease in the number of discharges has been alluded to ; and as it is
doubtful whether the orders of Government regarding the release of harmless
lunatics convicted of trivial offences have been strictly observed, the attention
of Superintendents is being drawn to the matter.
Statements III, IV and V.
The statistics furnished in these statements do not differ materially from
those for former years. It will be seen that the
cultivating and labouring classes furnished the
largest number of admissions.
Statement VI.
As in previous years, mania was the form of insanity most frequently met
with; 59.48 of the total number treated being
classified under this head. In English asylums
41.7 per cent. of the inmates were suffering from mania. Melancholia follows
next in frequency, furnishing 29.5 per cent. of the total. Six cases are returned
under the vague heading " Mental stupor" in the Dullunda Asylum, and one case
of general paralysis of the insane was met with in the Bhowanipore Asylum.
In the English asylums this disease was found in 6.4 per cent. of the total
number dealt with.