4
LUNATIC ASYLUMS IN BENGAL.
Statistics of crimi-
-al lunatics.
5. In Statement No. 3 the statistics of criminal lunatics are given for each asylum
and a summary of the whole. In the corresponding table for 1870 the statistics of the
five years 1865—69 were given, so that these two tables give the main statistical facts of
the criminal lunatics in Bengal asylums for seven years. It will be observed that the strength
of this class has increased by 14.62, the increase being common to both sexes, but greater
actually and in proportion to number among females ; that, whereas males and females
constitute respectively 78.50 and 21.50 per cent. of the whole insane population of asylums,
the proportions among criminal lunatics are 89.3 and 10.7 ; that, whereas in five years the
actual increase in numbers among the whole insane population of asylums has been 35.1
per cent. of average strength, that of criminal lunatics has been 44.1 per cent.; that, whereas the
admission rate of the whole lunatic population is 48.1 of average strength for 1871, that of
the criminal lunatics is 37.4 ; that the discharge rates are 42.8 and 31.6 ; that the rate of
increase among criminal lunatics is thus higher ; and that the death-rate among criminal
lunatics is 9.7 per cent. of average strength against 12.1.
A criminal lunatic
asylum required.
It will also be noted that the strength of criminal lunatics in each asylum has increased.
The same embarrassment continues to be experienced in the management of this class ;
and as these lunatics have already attained such considerable numbers ; as their number is
growing yearly ; as additional asylum accommodation is urgently required for ordinary
lunatics, and as the principles and details of the management of this class are different from
those by which asylums for ordinary lunatics are governed, I submit that the time has
come to provide a separate asylum for the criminal lunatics of this province.
Return for 1871.
STATEMENT No. 3.
Return of Criminal Lunatics in the Asylums of Bengal for the year 1871.
Asylums.
Dullunda ...
Dacca ...
Patna ...
Cuttack ...
Moydapore ...
Total ...
Remaining on
1st January
1871.
M.
74
41
23
6
4
148
F.
6
6
3
...
1
16
T.
80
47
26
6
6
164
Admitted.
M.
23
11
7
5
6
52
F.
2
4
...
2
...
8
T.
25
15
7
7
6
60
Re-admit-
ted.
M.
3
...
1
...
...
4
F.
...
1
...
...
...
1
T.
3
1
1
...
...
5
Total.
M.
100
52
31
11
10
204
F.
8
11
3
2
1
25
T.
108
63
34
13
11
229
Discharged,
Transferred,
&c.
M.
23
7
2
1
2
35
F.
3
...
...
...
...
3
T.
26
7
2
1
2
38
Died.
M.
8
7
2
...
...
17
F.
...
...
...
...
...
...
T.
8
7
2
...
...
17
Remaining on
31st December
1871.
M.
69
38
27
10
8
152
F.
5
11
3
2
1
22
T.
74
49
30
12
9
174
Average daily
strength.
M.
76.33
40.03
25.63
7.6
6.2
155.79
F.
6.54
7.66
3
.3
1
18.50
T.
82.87
47.69
28.63
7.9
7.2
174.29
Discussion regard-
ing the provision
of a special asy-
lum.
6. Prominent attention was drawn to the difficulties connected with the management
of this class of lunatics in a mixed asylum in Dr. Payne's report of the Dullunda asylum for
1870. The attention of Government was drawn to his remarks in March, Dr. Saunders
having very properly singled them out for submission in anticipation of the regular report,
and in doing so recommended the provision of a separate and distinct asylum for those
criminal lunatics who are sane, or very nearly so, where they should be subjected to a severer
discipline than is possible in a hospital for the custody and treatment of insane persons. A
conference was arranged between this office and that of the Inspector-General of Jails on
the subject, and three proposals discussed,—(1) the provision of a separate criminal
asylum; (2) the attaching of lunatic wards for insane criminals to central jails; and (3)
provision of special arrangements and establishment for the control and management of
criminal lunatics in existing asylums. Both Dr. Payne ( who at the time officiated as
Inspector-General of Jails) and I agreed that the first of these proposals was the best. The
second was subject to several serious objections and was not approved. Government decided
that the third should be adopted provisionally. It was found, however, that in the existing
state of the asylum at Dullunda no arrangement could be made for separating the
criminal from other lunatics, except at night. The use and value of a special establishment