38
DACCA ASYLUM.
a cloth passed round the neck and tied to the iron door of his cell so as partially to support
his body. The deceased was last seen alive at 2 A.M., when he was visited in his solitary
cell by the jemadar on duty. At 4 A.M. he was visited by another jemadar and found
to be dead. The death was immediately reported to the overseer, who visited the cell at
4-30 A.M. At 6-30 A.M., on arrival of the superintendent at the asylum, the case was
reported to the magistrate, who immediately instituted a magisterial examination on the spot.
The post-mortem evidence went to show that the man died from hanging.
The following is a copy of the magistrate's remarks:—
" The post-mortem shows that death resulted from hanging. The case will be entered
as one of suicide. I do not think the officials are to blame. The rounds appear to have
been regularly gone, and the deceased, from his position and appearance, evidently died
without a struggle. Copy to superintendent, lunatic asylum."—(Signed) D. R. Lyall,
officiating magistrate.
The second was that of a non-criminal lunatic named Bhugabut Syce, who was admitted
into the asylum on the 7th September 1870, suffering from acute mania attributed to gunja.
His acute symptoms had quite subsided, and he had greatly improved in every way. At
6-30 P.M., on the 8th October, he was found in the day privy suspended by his neck to one
of the rafters by his chudder. The house surgeon of the Mitford hospital happened to be
at the jail when the body was found, and was in immediate attendance. He reported that
the man was quite dead, and had apparently been so for some time. The case was reported
to the magistrate and to the visitors, who were of opinion that it was one of those which must
from time to time be expected to occur. The man had shown no suicidal impulses, and had been
cheerfully expecting his discharge which, he had been told, would probably soon be authorized.
I am not aware of anything short of close watching and careful attendance that could have
prevented the occurrence of these two cases of suicide. With the present establishment, it is
remarkable that the number of deaths which occur from injuries are so few as they are.
9. The annual return of sick is contained in table No. 15. Before commenting on
this return, I should explain that the hospital is now used as an infirmary, in which all the
most weakly, helpless and debilitated patients, as well as those who from any cause require
more than ordinary supervision, are detained. The daily average number of patients thus
detained for special care throughout the year was 30.44, giving a ratio per cent. to daily
average strength of 13.48. Of the 470 cases admitted into the hospital during the year, 97, or
20.55 per cent., were cases of malarial fevers, and 119, or 25.21 per cent., were cases either
of dysentery or diarrhœa. There were 13 cases of cholera, of which eight recovered and
five died.
10. The estimated value of lunatic labor, for which no cash payment has been received,
is shown in table No. 16. The total has been computed to amount to Rs. 6,103-8. The
value set on the various kinds of labor is shown in a separate column.
11. The annual expenditure for the year is shewn in table No. 17. The average total
expense incurred for each lunatic was Rs. 101-6-3.78. In 1869 it was Rs. 92-4-0.5. Of the
difference (Rs. 3-2-3.73) Rs. 1-4-6.06 was caused by an increase in the price of provisions as
shown in table No. 18, and Rs. 1-13-10.67 was caused by the asylum having throughout
the year maintained its full establishment which, to that equivalent in 1869, fell short from
casual circumstances of the number authorised in the revised rules. Table No. 19, which has
been prepared by the order of the Inspector-General of Hospitals, is a statement shewing the
average daily number of lunatics for the year, the average daily number of those employed
on labor, the total yearly expenditure, estimated value of lunatic labor, average cost of each
inmate, and the average cost of each item of the charge per man. (See general statement
No. 10.)