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that lunatics of this class can generally be left with advantage to the care of
their relatives, and the Lieutenant-Governor would wish the Surgeon-General
to see if further discharges cannot be effected. Of 166 cases in which the predis-
posing cause of insanity was ascertained, 156 were found to have originated in
physical and 10 in moral circumstances. Of the former, 107 were attributed
to the excessive use of ganja or bhang, 13 to undue indulgence in drink, and 2 to
opium-eating. Of the latter, 7 were caused by grief. The Lieutenant-Governor
can see no good reason why it was found impossible to ascertain anything of
the previous habits of 119 of the 285 persons admitted. The large proportion
of persons admitted to asylums suffering from the effects of excess in the use of
ganja or bhang is worthy of remark. Of forty-four cases admitted or re-admit-
ted to the Dullunda Asylum, in which it was known that insanity was due to
physical causes, 28 were attributed to the use of these drugs. In Patna 41 out
of 53, in Dacca 16 out of 32, in Cuttack 7 out of 8, in Berhampore 7 out of 10,
and in Hazareebagh 8 out of 9 belonged to this class. Of 410 lunatics from
this cause treated in the asylums, 56 completely and 51 partially recovered.
The previous occupations of 240 only of the 285 patients admitted were known.
Of these no less than 142 were cultivators, coolies, beggars, or unemployed.
The great majority of the remainder were servants or small traders. Only 12
were artizans. One native doctor was the only representative of the professional
classes.
7. The asylums generally were much more healthy than during the pre-
vious year. The average daily number sick was only 68.99, or 6.17 per cent.
of mean strength against 98.31, or 8.02 per cent. in 1876, and 84.45, or 7.75 per
cent. in 1875. The numbers in hospital were greatest in Hazareebagh, Dacca,
and Patna. It is explained that Dr. Birch in Hazareebagh admits freely to
hospital all patients, however triflingly indisposed. In Dacca there was a good
deal of fever and of diarrhœa and dysentery. The last-named complaints,
however, were much less common than in previous years, and only 37.9 per cent.
of the inmates were thus attacked against 51.9 in 1876 and 49 in 1875.
Dr. Crombie appears to be justified in claiming this as the result of the greater
care paid to the quantity and quality of the food supplied to the lunatics. In
Patna, fever and bowel-complaints led to 48 out of 90 of the admissions to hospital.
There were three fresh cases only of consumption against 13 in the previous year.
This point is not specially adverted to in the report. There was no cholera in
the Dullunda Asylum, and only three cases of dysentery with one death and one
of diarrhœa. In 1876 there were 32 admissions from dysentery in this asylum
with 12 deaths. The measures adopted by Dr. Payne to exclude the patients
from access to impure water appear to have been very beneficial, and the decrease
in cases of dysentery and diarrhœa following on the provision of a supply of pure
water is very remarkable. The Lieutenant-Governor regrets to observe that 32
cases of contusions and fractures are reported from Dacca and 28 from Hazaree-
bagh. It is stated that the injuries sustained by the Dacca patients were all slight,
" and were in nearly every case the result of quarrels between lunatics at work "
It is at the same time mentioned that one was a case of wounding by a keeper,
who was afterwards dismissed. Of the 28 cases in Hazareebagh, it appears that
only 22 are shown to have been caused by patients. The Lieutenant-Governor
considers that the number of these cases at Dacca and Hazareebagh reflects
very seriously on the management of those institutions. If proper discipline
were maintained, affrays of this nature between the patients should be almost
impossible. Any use of violence by keepers to the unhappy people under their
charge must be most severely punished. Where a serious assault is committed,
dismissal is an entirely inadequate punishment. The Lieutenant-Governor
desires that full particulars of all cases of this nature, and of the steps taken in
consequence, may in future be submitted.
8. There were 73 deaths, or 6.5 per cent. of average strength against 119,
or 9.7 per cent. in 1876. There were 8 deaths from cholera, 11 from dysentery,
7 from diarrhœa, and 12 from phthisis. Of the latter, 7 were contributed by
Dullunda, 4 by Patna, and 1 by Cuttack.
9. The gross expenditure during the year was Rs. 1,13,458 with a daily
average of 1,117 lunatics, against Rs. 1,18,792 with a daily average of 1,224
in 1876. The gross average cost was therefore Rs. 101 against Rs. 97. The
amount realized from the relations or friends of lunatics was Rs. 1,704 against