( 2 )
however, considers the use of the verandahs for this purpose to be objec-
tionable on sanitary grounds when the main wards are full of patients, and
suggests some additions being made to the asylums in question. The
Lieutenant-Governor will await specific proposals on this point
4. The following statement shows the number and disposal of criminal
lunatics treated in the asylums during the last three years:—
1
YEARS.
1882 ... ... ...
1883 ... ... ...
1884 ... ... ...
2
REMAINING
ON 1ST
JANUARY.
Males.
269
291
332
Females.
28
27
27
Total.
297
318
359
3
ADMITTED.
Males.
69
86
65
Females.
8
8
9
Total.
77
93
74
4
RE-ADMIT-
TED.
Males.
9
12
10
Females.
1
..
2
Total.
10
12
12
5
TOTAL.
Males.
347
388
407
Females.
37
35
38
Total.
384
423
445
6
DISCHARGED,
TRANSFER-
RED, &c.
Males.
35
44
56
Females.
6
6
5
Total.
41
50
61
7
DIED.
Males.
21
12
19
Females.
4
2
2
Total.
25
14
21
8
REMAINING
ON 31ST
DECEMBER.
Males.
291
332
332
Females.
27
27
31
Total.
318
359
363
9
DAILY AVERAGE
STRENGTH.
Males.
278.7
314.52
301.81
Females.
27.05
28.30
30.24
Total.
305.75
342.82
332.05
With the exception of the year 1883, the number of admissions has been almost
the same in each of the last seven years. The return which was given in the
report for 1883, showing the offences with which the criminal lunatics in con-
finement were charged, has been repeated in the present report. The commit-
ments for graver crimes decreased in 1884.
5. The following table shows the number of cases in which the cause of
insanity is attributed to intemperance and the use of drugs: —
Asylums.
Dullunda
...
...
...
...
...
...
Dacca
...
...
...
...
...
...
Patna ... ... ... ... ... ...
Cuttack ... ... ... ... ... ...
Berhampore ... ... ... ... ... ...
Total ...
No cause
assigned.
56
23
17
11
5
112
CAUSE ASSIGNED.
Ganja.
26
4
14
9
9
62
Spirit drinking.
2
1
8
1
......
12
Other causes.
26
11
7
2
......
46
Of the cases in which causes were assigned, 83 cases were ascribed to phy-
sical and 27 to moral causes. The great causes of insanity would, as usual,
appear to be the abuse of ganja and spirits. In this connection the Inspector-
General makes the following remarks:—" In the statement one woman
is set down as having suffered from the effects of bhang (Dullunda),
while opium is alleged to have caused mental disease in another Patna). Yet
opium is said to be extensively consumed by both sexes in some districts.
Spirits as a cause of insanity is largely represented. No mention, notwith-
standing this, is made of 'alcoholism' or 'delirium tremens' in any of
the returns. From this fact, I am inclined to doubt the correctness of assign-
ing so many cases to excessive drink." The Inspector-General adds, and in
this opinion the Lieutenant-Governor is disposed to agree, that the alleged
causes entered in Statement VII bear the stamp of mere guess-work.
6. The health of the asylums was generally good, though not as good as
in the previous year. The following table shows the prevalence of the prin-
cipal diseases in the year under report:—
Anæmia and debility
...
...
Diarrhœa
...
...
...
Dropsy
...
...
...
Dysentery
...
...
...
Fever
...
...
...
Pneumonia
...
...
...
Phthisis
...
...
...
Cholera ... ... ...
Dullunda.
1883.
3
1
1
6
2
1
5
2
1884.
13
9
4
11
8
1
1
......
Dacca.
1883.
3
12
......
9
16
1
10
......
1884.
14
18
3
8
72
4
9
3
Patna.
1883.
17
11
......
12
8
10
2
1884.
17
9
1
5
17
......
19
......
Cuttack.
1883.
2
3
......
2
5
......
......
......
1884.
2
......
......
2
11
......
2
......
Berhampore.
1883.
1
7
2
5
15
2
1
......
1884.
4
6
1
......
13
......
3
......
Total.
1883.
36
34
3
34
46
4
26
4
1884.
50
42
9
26
116
5
34
3
There was a large increase in the number of cases of anæmia and debility
and diarrhœa in the Dacca and Dullunda Asylums. Dysentery increased only
in Dullunda, where 11 cases were treated against 6 in the previous year.
Fever was unusually prevalent in the Dacca Asylum, where the number of