3
one inmate received a fatal kick on the abdomen. It transpired on judicial
enquiry that the lunatic attempted to run away and the injury was inflicted
by certain keepers in their attempt to secure him. Post-mortem examination,
however, revealed no marks of injury and in the absence of sufficient evidence
to prosecute the keepers, they were punished departmentally—two with dis-
missal and one with degradation.
Accidents and injuries of only a trivial character occurred in the Berham-
pore Lunatic Asylum, while the Bhowanipur Asylum was entirely free from
such occurrences.
13. Escapes.—There were 4 escapes during the triennium, all from
the Dacca Lunatic Asylum, 3 in 1916 and one in 1917 ; the latter, a
criminal lunatic, effected his escape by scaling the enclosure wall. All were
recaptured.
14. Statement II—Criminal Lunatics.—The mean daily average strength
of the criminal population of the lunatic asylums during the triennium under
report was 492 or 45.54 per cent. of the total strength as against 507 or
47.30 per cent., of the previous triennium.
The system of discharging criminal lunatics after recovery advocated in
Government Resolution of 1888 could only be followed to a limited extent,
only 8 such cases having been discharged from the Berhampore Lunatic
Asylum during the past triennium. Lieutenant-Colonel Newman, Superinten-
dent, Dacca Asylum, thinks "that the stringency of the rules operates against
reducing the number of this class to any appreciable extent."
The order of Government regarding the release of harmless lunatics
convicted of trivial offences is carried out wherever possible. But many have
to be retained on the ground of humanity as they have no friends. However,
4 such lunatics were released from Dacca and one from Berhampore during
the last 3 years.
15. Statements III and IV.—Embodying particulars regarding religion,
sex, residence and previous occupation of lunatics do not call for any special
remarks.
16. Statement V—Ages.—As usual the largest number of admissions
was between the ages of 20 and 40, being, for that term of life, 73.46 per cent.
of total admissions.
17. Statement VI—Types of Insanity.—Mania was the most common type
of insanity accounting for the largest number of receptions, viz., 67 in 1915, 89
in 1916 and 116 in 1917, or 27.4, 36.9 and 40.8 per cent. of total admissions for
the respective years. This type is, however, more amenable to treatment than
others, 41 or 9.93 per cent. of the total number having recovered or improved
in 1915, 56 or 12.9 per cent. in 1916 and 52 or 11.82 per cent. in 1917. The
type which gave the next largest number of admissions was melancholia, for
which 57, 48 and 66 patients were admitted in the 3 years, respectively. The
recovery under this head is comparatively slow, only 10, 22 and 29 having
recovered or improved in 1915, 1916 and 1917, respectively, which are only
4.6, 9.48 and 11.84 per cent. of the total number under treatment. Cannabis
Indica which accounted for 42 admissions in 1915, 39 in 1916 and 34 in 1917
was the next commonest cause. Two cases of general paralysis of the insane
are reported to have been received at Berhampore in 1916 and the Superinten-
dent was very positive as to the symptoms indicated being typical of the
disease. One of them died last year and the other is said to have recovered.
A third case was admitted last year into the Dacca Asylum who also died.
Such cases are said to be very rare in India.
18. Statement VII.—The various agencies sending lunatics to asylums,
pay little or no attention to the provision of information regarding causation,
habits and associated conditions which is of so much help to the asylum
authorities in diagnosing and treating cases. For instance, insanity was
ascribed to heredity, in the majority of cases admitted into the Dacca
Asylum last year, while toxic (chiefly ganja), was alleged to have been the
most prolific ætiological factor in the cases admitted to Berhampore.
19. Delirium Tremens.—Last year the European Association raised the
question of the accommodation and treatment of cases of Delirium Tremens
amongst the Europeans and Anglo-Indians residing in Calcutta. The Associa-
tion complained that the hospitals generally refused admission to such cases