10
LUNATIC ASYLUMS IN BENGAL.
TABLE No. 10.
Showing the prevalence of principal Diseases in 1885 and 1886.
Anæmia and debility
...
...
Diarrhœa
...
...
...
...
Dropsy
...
...
...
...
Dysentery
...
...
...
...
Fever
...
...
...
...
Pneumonia
...
...
...
...
Phthisis
...
...
...
...
Cholera
...
...
...
...
Dullunda.
1885.
8
8
2
11
1
2
1
1886.
10
10
1
16
39
1
7
Dacca.
1885.
1886.
15
28
9
59
2
14
8
2
22
42
1
4
Patna.
1885.
19
5
4
7
39
8
1886.
18
7
2
22
26
1
6
Cuttack.
1885
2
1
5
5
1
1886.
3
1
8
15
3
Berhampore.
1885.
7
5
3
25
4
2
1886.
4
7
7
9
1
1
3
Total.
1885
51
47
6
85
129
2
16
2
1886.
49
33
5
75
131
4
21
3
21. The cachectic conditions, which include all the terms indicative of
general constitutional fault or infirmity, debility, anæmia, &c., as regards the
total treated show well. Dullanda (2) and Cuttack (1) alone give an increase.
Diseases of this class do not as a rule originate in asylums, but extend far back
into the previous life of individuals. Diarrhœa increased in Dullunda, Patna
and Berhampore; it fell considerably in Dacca ; in Cuttack it remained
stationary. The increase, however, in those asylums was not large, while the
fall in the total treated in all the asylums in the year as compared with
the figures for 1885 is very satisfactory. Dysentery increased in all the
asylums, noticeably so in Dacca and Patna. 1 suspect, though I have
no very demonstrative data to prove it, that an excess of bowel-
complaints will be found to depend rather on an unhealthy year and
a low hygienic state of the community than on any defect in the diet
or sanitation in the institutions where the diseases occur. Fevers rose in
Dullunda and Cuttack.
The rise in the former was very considerable.
It fell elsewhere. The increase in the total treated in all the Asylums is due
to a great extent to the more accurate record in Dullunda. The total admis-
sions in the year under the head of pneumonia was only 4, which is
significant of the healthful condition of things in the asylums generally.
Phthisis increased in Dullunda, Dacca, and Cuttack. It fell in Patna and
Berhampore. The total treated in the year in all the asylums was 21 against
16 in 1885. Phthisis is known to affect the insane in larger proportion than the
sane population. It is a form of organic degeneracy, and it is not surprising
that it should precede, accompany, or follow mental derangement, which is
itself a condition of debility and degeneracy. The cases treated in Dullunda
were constitutional. Three cases of cholera were admitted in Berhampore
during the year, of which two died. The disease did not spread. All the
remaining asylums show a clear bill of health in this direction. The fact that
epidemic cholera so seldom visits our asylums, I take it, not only speaks to the
admirable sanitary conditions of those institutions, but reflects great credit on
their management. The following figures show the amount of cholera admitted
under treatment and deaths from that disease in the several jails adjacent to the
lunatic asylums:—
Presidency Jail ... ... ... ...
Alipore
„ ... ... ... ...
Dacca
„ ... ... ... ...
Patna
„ ...
...
... ...
Berhampore „ ... ... ... ...
Total
treated.
5
1
3
1
1
Died.
1
...
2
...
1
22. The following table exhibits the variations of the principal diseases
in the jails neighbouring the asylums.