2
8. Discharges.—One hundred and twenty-nine lunatics were discharged
in 1915, 175 in 1916 and 154 in 1917, average 153, as compared with 125,
the average for 1912—14. Of the numbers discharged 81, 129 and 105,
respectively, were cured, the percentage of recoveries calculated on daily
average strength being 7.42, 11.98 and 9.77 as compared with 8.62, the average
percentage of recoveries for the preceding triennium. Fourteen or 5.74 per
cent. of the new admissions recovered in 1915, 43 or 17.84 per cent. in 1916
and 38 or 14.90 per cent. in 1917.
Of the 55 military insanes admitted during the year 1917, 20 or 36.36 per
cent. were discharged cured.
One leper lunatic recovered at Gobra and was discharged.
Besides those who were discharged cured, 39, 9 and 19 lunatics were
made over to friends and relatives in 1915, 1916 and 1917, respectively, in
an improved state. There still remain in the Indian asylums many lunatics
who could be similarly discharged, but the apathy and indifference of their
friends and relations prevents this desirable relief.
9. Paying Patients.—The number of patients who paid their own
expenses was 39 in 1915, 45 in 1916 and 47 in 1917. Of the 47 paying
patients treated in 1917, 21 belonged to Bhowanipur and 26 to Berhampore.
There was no paying patient at Dacca.
10. Sickness.—The daily average number of sick treated in hospital
during 1917 was 89.09 against 90.31 in 1916 and 84.38 in 1915, the mean of
the triennium being 87.93 against 100.26 of the previous triennium. The per-
centage of sickness to the daily average strength was 8.29 against 8.38 in
1916 and 7.73 in 1915, the average ratio for the three years being 8.13 against
9.34 for the period 1912—14.
The general health of the inmates was on the whole satisfactory. There
was not a single case of cholera and only one case of small-pox. General
tuberculosis and pulmonary phthisis, dysentery, malaria and diarrhœa were
the most prominent causes of admission. It is, however, satisfactory to note
that there has been a fall both in the incidence of and deaths from Phthisis
and Dysentery during the period under report. The figures for the two periods
were—
1915—1917 ...
1912—1914 ...
PHTHISIS.
Number of
cases.
112
153
Number of
deaths.
86
105
DYSENTERY.
Number of
cases.
60
92
Number of
deaths.
8
24
Emetine was used with success in the treatment of dysentery at the
Berhampore Asylum.
The stools of the inmates were examined as usual in this asylum, Ova
of Ascaris Lumbricoides and of Oxyuris Vermicularis were found in 54 and 26
cases, respectively.
11. Deaths.—The number of deaths fell from 120 in 1916 to 85 in 1917.
The ratio per cent. of deaths to the daily average strength was 11.14 in 1916
and 7.91 in 1917. The mean death-rate during the triennium was 8.95
against 8.35 in the previous triennium. Of the 85 deaths in 1917, 19 occurred
among the newly-admitted patients, one being a military insane.
Last year's death-rate compares favourably with that of other Provinces
except Assam, vide figures quoted below :—
Assam
...
...
...
...
...
...
Bengal
...
...
...
...
...
Madras
...
...
...
...
...
United Provinces ... ... ... ... ...
Bombay ... ... ... ... ...
Central Provinces ... ... ... ... ...
Bihar and Orissa ... ... ... ... ...
Punjab
...
...
...
...
...
5.56
7.91
9.04
9.27
10.1
10.08
11.68
12.31
12. Injuries and Accidents.—There were several cases of serious acci-
dents and injuries in the Dacca Asylum. In the year 1915, two lunatics died
by suicidal hanging and three of injuries inflicted by other lunatics. In 1916.
one died of a severe injury, dealt by a newly-admitted criminal lunatic. In 1917,