16
Report on the Jubbulpore Lunatic Asylum for the year 1895.
There were no alterations or additions to the Asylum buildings during the
year except the annual repairs done by the Public Works Department.
The ground in front of the Asylum was brought under cultivation this
year. Tilli and dhal were sown, the crop was not very goodowing to the
scanty rainfall at the end of the year. Funds are not yet available for the
building of accommodation of European and Eurasian patients. All buildings
are in good order.
STATEMENT I.
This statement shows the total of all lunatics independent of classification.
The total population of the year was a little lower than that of last year,
being 174 (134 males, 40 females) against 180 (142 males, 38 females) in 1894.
The number remaining on the 1st January 1895 was 149 (115 males, 34
females); admitted during the year 16 males 6 females, total 22, re-admitted 3
males. Total 134 males, 40 females=l74.
Of these, 13 males were discharged " cured "; 2 males were discharged
" otherwise "; 6 males and 5 females (total 11) died leaving a total of 113 males
and 35 females. There were no escapes during the year.
The 2 discharged "otherwise" were criminal lunatics sent to stand their
trial, being declared by the official visitors capable of making their defence.
The 3 re-admissions were 2 of the criminals sent to stand their trial and
thereafter were sent back to the Asylum, and one was a man who escaped in
1893 and voluntarily returned. The percentage of deaths to daily average
strength was 7.48 (males 5.29, females 14.83) against 9.90 (males 11.10, females
6.06) in 1894, and to admissions 44.00 (males 31.58 females 83.33) against 50.00
(males 50.00, females 50.00) in 1894.
Of the 13 males discharged " cured ", 4 were criminal lunatics. One had
been in the Asylum for 15 years, another 12 years. Another criminal's sentence
had expired and he was declared sane by the visitors. The fourth was declared
capable of making his defence and was sent back to his district to stand his
trial, and has not returned.
The average residence of the 9 non-criminals was 1 year and 3 months,
the highest being 3 years, and the lowest being 6 months.
With reference to the correspondence regarding the difference between the
number of cases cured in this Asylum compared with that of other Provinces, I
have divided the inmates of the Asylum at the end of the year as follows:—
Non-criminals with no friends ... ...
Non-criminals, dangerous and under treatment, some
will eventually get better ... ...
Congenital, heriditary, hopelessly insane, but could be
made over to friends ... ...
Criminals ... ... ...
Males.
26
40
19
28
Females.
11
18
3
3
Total.
37
58
22
31
Of the non-criminals—males 37, females 22, total 59, could be recommended
for discharge if friends could be found to look after them and give security.
A great many of these non-criminals are sent to the Asylum having been found
wandering about. Nothing is known of them, where they came from, and not
even their names.
Idiots are sent either because they have no relatives or that their relatives
cannot or will not support them.
Enquiries have been made for the friends of most of them, but they either
cannot be found or are too poor to support them.
With regard to the remarks of the Hemp Drugs Commission to the effect that
very meagre reports are given about the lunatics, I may say that it is very hard
to write very full reports on the amount of information supplied by the police
and magistrates. It is not their fault, for information cannot be obtained. Very
often the information form sent is filled up, with the exception of the sex, with