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The French system introduced by Morel, in which symptoms are set aside, and names are
derived only from the cause or manner in which the disease has arisen, is one which leads to a
minuter sub-division of classes, and consequently to greater uniformity than any other; but it
is really a classification of causes, not of varieties of disease, and embraces under one head
several forms of insanity, commonly regarded as distinct. For certain purposes it is useful and
accurate. Having reference to antecedents, it may illustrate the influence on the mental health
of communities, of their habits and occupations, of physical diseases, of climates, or other
circumstances of local geography, and of inheritance; and in this manner, if carefully followed
out, may, in course of time, afford trustworthy data for preventive legislation. But on the issue
of the disease, the results of treatment, the comparison of various methods, &c., &c., which,
for administrative purposes, are scarcely less important, it throws no light whatever. For the
risk which lies before a lunatic in every case but that of inheritance (and in some degree in
that also), is found to be more connected with the form and duration of his illness, than with
any antecedent circumstance. Moreover the system of Morel is quite inapplicable to a country
where the simplest facts connected with the origin of a case are, in many instances, quite
unascertainable; and this difficulty alone appears to me to forbid, as useless, any attempt to
supersede the broad classification in use, in spite of its admitted vagueness, and the consequent
want of uniformity which attends its use.
Among the causes of admissions, there appears nothing of novelty or special interest. The
fact which each succeeding year brings prominently forward, of the prevalence of ganja
smoking as a fertile source of insanity, is as prominent as ever in the records of 1867. The
districts from which the people came are shown in Table 5. In my last report, I took
occasion to point out the inconvenience incurred by sending insane natives from Cooch
Behar to Calcutta, which had then been recently ordered, and suggested that the Dacca Asylum
was better situated for their reception. Orders have since been issued in accordance with this
suggestion, and no admissions from Cooch Behar have lately been made.
Table 6 exhibits the previous occupation of lunatics admitted. Some trouble has been
taken to make the information here given as accurate as possible. It has hitherto been the
practice, after ascertaining the caste to which each Hindu belongs, to conclude that he has
followed the legitimate employment of his guild, and no other. This conclusion is fallacious;
and although the greater liability of certain classes and callings to insanity, if proved to
exist, will probably show no more than a greater prevalence of intemperance among them,
it will well repay enquiry if this mediate connection be established.
The rates per cent. of cures and transfers has been 25 against 28 last year, a difference which
is attributable to the increased proportion of cases chronic on admission; for this proportion,
even after making due allowance for altered nomenclature, has been exceedingly large.
The cures and transfers are thus divided between the various classes of mental disease:
Acute Mania ...
Chronic Do. ...
Imbecility ...
Observation ...
43 in 116 Cases
40 in 208 Do.
8 in 12 Do.
4 in
6 Do., i. e. insanity questionable.
The proportion in acute mania, considering the large number of cases of intoxication by
ganja, is not large. The method of nomenclature introduced, as above described, has affected
it, by removing to the Chronic class those cases not characterized by any great activity or
intensity of symptom; and the same process has of course increased beyond the usual pro-
portion ; the recoveries in this class, as the shortness of duration which belongs to them, is the
leading element in curability.