2
10. Health of Lunatics.—There was no outbreak of any epidemic disease
in any of the Asylums. The health of the inmates of the Berhampore and
Dacca Lunatic Asylums was, however, not so good as in the previous year.
At Berhampore 284 lunatics had to be sent to hospital for treatment,
against 277 in 1915, and at Dacca 98 against 82, the most common cause
being tubercle of the lung and other tubercular diseases. The health of
the inmates of the Bhawanipur Asylum was on the contrary much better,
only 27 sick against 41 in 1915. Kala-azar made its appearance in this
asylum and caused one death, viz., a non-criminal female lunatic. The
patient had been in the asylum since 1910 ; she developed the disease in
April 1916 and died on the 6th June of that year. The diagnosis was
confirmed by the detection of Leishman Donovan bodies in the spleen-
Another case occurred (verified by splenic puncture), this time a male lunatic.
in a separate part of the asylum ; but he, I am happy to say. was cured. The
occurrence of a second case led me to fear an outbreak. The asylum was
therefore closed for a time against new admissions, but no fresh case occurred
and we have been unable to trace the source of infection.
11. The general health of lunatics admitted last year was far from satis-
factory. At Dacca only 48, out of 93 admitted, were in good health and at
Berhampore only 16 out of 124. One lunatic died three days after admission.
In many cases lunatics were admitted with incipient tuberculosis. Major
Peebles remarks :—" The problem of dealing with it (tuberculosis) is an
increasingly difficult one. As much as we can do in the way of extra food,
fresh air treatment, etc., is done, but the habits of the patients are so depraved
in many cases that we can do but little".
12. Deaths.—There was an unprecedentedly high mortality among the
lunatics in the Presidency during the past year, the death-rate having been
11.14 per cent. of the average population, as compared with 7.79 per cent. in 1915,
8.51 per cent. in 1914 and 8.57 per cent. in 1913. This compares unfavourably
with the death-rates in other Provinces except Assam and Bihar and Orissa
where the death-rates were 14.44 per cent. and 11.28 per cent. respectively.
Both Dacca and Berhampore recorded an increased mortality, viz., 39 and 78 re-
spectively, of which 25 and 30 deaths, respectively, occurred among the criminal
population ; the figures for 1915 having been 20 and 60 respectively, of which
13 and 23 occurred among criminal lunatics. Tubercle of the lung and
general tuberculosis accounted for 38 deaths at Berhampore and epilepsy
for 13 deaths, while tubercle of the lung alone carried away 20 inmates of
the Dacca Lunatic Asylum. This high mortality is believed by Lieutenant-
Colonel Newman to be somewhat fortuitous. He says that the death-rate from
tuberculosis was comparatively low during the two previous years and many
cases had reached the end of their resisting power. Careful investigation
revealed nothing else to account for this higher mortality.
13 Accidents and Injuries.—There were 13 cases of accidents and in-
juries in the Berhampore Lunatic Asylum of more or less trivial nature. A case
of severe injury occurred at Dacca in which a newly-admitted criminal lunatic
assaulted another criminal lunatic causing the latter's death. A judicial
enquiry was held in the case by the Assistant Magistrate, Dacca, who, on
examining witnesses and the assailant, found that no one was to blame for the
assault which was sudden and unexpected.
14. Escapes.—There were three cases of escapes, all from the Dacca
Lunatic Asylum. Two were re-captured the same day and the third, five days
after escape. The portion of the enclosure wall, which was low and which
facilitated the escape in one of the cases, has since been raised and it has been
decided to provide a second gate at the entrance to the asylum. Other
precautions have been taken, but I fear that a further increase of the staff and
more separate accommodation may yet be necessary. This of course means
increased expenditure.
15. Improvements.—The following improvements were carried out in
the Dacca Lunatic Asylum :—
(1) Some re-organisation of the establishment with increase of the
strength and pay of the keeper staff.
(2) Some structural additions and alterations, such as the provision of
additional cells, a guard house, an open air enclosure for