2
Observation cases.—There were 104
cases under observation during the year
as against 63 in 1923; 65 of them were in
the Observation Ward at Bhowanipore,
31 at Dacca, 6 at Berhampore and 2 at
Gobra. Of these 44 were certified as
insanes and admitted into hospitals, 17
persons were released as uncertifiable, 33
persons though certified as insanes were
released under section 14, Act IV of 1912,
2 died and 8 remained at the end of the
year.
Criminal mental patients.—There was
a criminal population of 569 in the
Mental Institutions, viz., 210 at Dacca,
356 at Berhampore and 3 at Gobra as
compared with 549 in 1923. Their daily
average strength was 472:42 as against
453.97 in 1923. Sixty-two of them were
discharged and 23 died. There remained
therefore 484 criminal patients on the 31st
December, viz., under-trial 262, acquitted
140 and sentenced 82. Their crimes
were murder in 214 cases, culpable
homicide in 47, grievous hurt in 60,
theft in 62, house trespass in 26 and
other offences in 75 cases.
Private patients.—Twenty
private
patients were admitted during the year
1924 as against 12 in the previous
year and 21 were remaining on the 1st
January 1924 as compared with 22 in
1923. Eleven were discharged, 2 died
and 28 remained at the end of the year.
Finance.—The total receipts of the
Mental Institutions (excluding those of
the Gobra Mental Ward for which no
separate figures are available) amounted
to Rs. 2,46,056, viz., Rs. 6,409 from fees of
paying patients, Rs. 10,598 being the
value of stores received from the
manufacturing department, Rs. 2,00,413
being the receipts from the Treasury and
Rs. 28,636 being the Book receipts. The
corresponding figures for the preceding
year were Rs. 3,17,228, Rs. 5,839,
Rs. 8,994, Rs. 2,15,654 and Rs. 86,741,
respectively.
The total expenditure amounted to
Rs.
2,39,647
as
compared
with
Rs. 3,11,389 in 1923. A smaller expen-
diture on buildings accounted for the
decrease. The average annual cost per
head of mental patients was Rs. 244-7-7
as against Rs. 327-3-9 in the year before.
Establishment.—Two extra female
keepers were entertained at Dacca
from February 1924 with a view to keep
watch over a dangerous female patient
with suicidal tendency. A revised scale
of pay was sanctioned in December 1924
for the keepers of the Dacca Mental
Hospital which had effect from the 1st
October 1924. The Observation Ward
for Indian patients at the Bhowanipore
Mental Hospital was opened from the 1st
May 1924 with an additional staff
sanctioned for the purpose.
Manufactures.—At Dacca 14:45 per
cent. of mean population was employed
daily on industrial work and at Berham-
pore 54 19 per cent. as compared with
12.21 and 52.87 per cent., respectively,
in 1923. The profit of the manufactur-
ing department was Rs. 8,955 as against
Rs. 8,438 in 1923.
General.—The buildings in connection
with the Indian Mental Hospital at
Ranchi are nearly complete and it is
expected that the shift of the patients
from the Dacca and Berhampore Mental
Hospitals to the new Hospital at Ranchi
will take place in September 1925.
Personnel.—The
following officers
held charge of the several Mental Insti-
tutions:—
Mental Observation Ward, Bhowani-
pore—Major
H. Hingston,
I.M.S.,
throughout the year.
Dacca
Mental
Hospital—Lt.-Col.
M. Mackelvie, C.I.E., I.M.S., held charge
throughout the year.
Central Mental Hospital,
Berham-
pore—Captain J. E. Dhunjibhoy, I.M.S.,
from 1st January 1924 to 1st September
1924 and from 20th October 1924 to 31st
December 1924 and Military Assistant
Surgeon W. G. H. Warner, I.M.D., from
2nd September 1924 to 19th October 1924,
in addition to his own duties as Deputy
Superintendent.
Gobra—Lieutenant
F. E. Knight,
I.M.D., from 1st January 1924 to 31st
October 1924 and Dr. K. M. Basu from
1st November to 31st December 1924.
All the officers carried out their duties
satisfactorily and are entitled to great
credit for their untiring energy and
skilful administration.
I have the honour to be,
SIR,
Your most obedient servant,
R. P. WILSON,
Offg.
Surgeon-General
with
the
Government of Bengal.