No. 206.
REPORT ON THE DULLUNDA LUNATIC ASYLUM
FOR THE YEAR 1871.
BY SURGEON-MAJOR A. J. PAYNE, M.D., SUPERINTENDENT.
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Population.
Growth of the
asylum.
3. Population.—On the 1st January 1871 there remained from the previous year 317
persons in the asylum, exceeding those of the same date in 1870 by 26. From the first
table it will be seen that the number exceeded the average of nine years by 100.89. This
comparison, however, does not set forth the growth of admissions in its practical significance.
It is solely due to progressive increment during five years, whereby the excess in January
1871 was really 120 on the figure of 1867. The previous fluctuations had no practical mean-
ing, but unvarying increase such as has been lately manifest, is a matter of great moment.
Decrease of admis-
sions; causes.
The admissions show an increase on the nine years' average of 10.23, but the figures of
five years show that they are undergoing slow reduction. It is not easy to give a positive
reason for this. Several facts unite to suggest an explanation, such as (a) the rule made strin-
gent in 1868 against despatching from a distance lunatics unfit to travel ; (b) the re-opening
of the Moydapore Asylum ; and (c) the practice of demanding payment from persons in easy
circumstances, who bring their relatives to the place in the hope of being gratuitously relieved
of the charge.
Re-admissions; dif-
ferent causes.
Necessity of analys-
ing totals.
The statement of re-admissions has little or no technical interest. In many of them
recurrent insanity means only repeated intoxication. In others re-admission means the
return of an acquitted criminal who had been discharged to take his trial, and whose proper
place would be among the cured, and a third group is composed of persons removed by rela-
tives and brought back from difficulty or expense in managing them at home. This is an
illustration of the manner in which, with a population composed of classes which have little
or nothing in common, figured totals and mean numbers designed to represent collections of
simple and similar facts in the life of each, may become mere heterogeneous aggregates of
dissimilar units.
Average popula-
tion.
The daily average population during the year was 335.12, against 309 in 1870, an
increase of 26 in 1870, of 110 on the nine years' average, and of 132 by uniform growth in
the last five years.
Total treated, sick-
ness.
In the total number treated during the year, re-admissions must be reckoned as separate
cases for the purpose of comparison with former years. The number was 493.
Return of 1871 not
comparable with
that of previous
year.
4. Sickness.—The daily average number sick from independent illness was 15.61.
This figure must be taken with the explanation given in my last report. The increase
recorded in the first table for the last three years is only apparent. It arises from the
practice, not formerly adopted, of placing every man on the sick list who has even the most
trivial bruise or abrasion of the skin.
Cause of omission
of detailed re-
turn of sickness
The 14th table is intended to show the particulars of bodily illness, and it may perhaps
appear singular that the information has not been given. In the diary which is kept by
myself, every detail of illness is entered, but no general statement of the kind has hitherto