88
REPORT ON THE
Duration
of
insanity.
Table No. VIII is compiled chiefly from information derived from the descriptive rolls,
and I do not think that this is much to be relied on. It is at all times a difficult matter to
obtain exact information from natives ; and unless pains are taken to arrive at the truth, which
is, I imagine, seldom the case, they are as likely as not to be a year or two, or a month or two,
out in their calculations.
Health on admis-
sion
and
dis-
charge.
Table X shows the state of health on admission and discharge. From this it appears
that out of 16 deaths which occurred, only two were in good health when received into the
asylum; of those discharged, all but one had gained in weight.
Causes of death.
* See General Statement
No. 8.
Table XI* calls for no special notice. One death occurred from cancrum oris. This
man had been treated for the same disease in the previous year, and
cured. He was in a very cachectic state for a long time, and ultimately
the disease re-appeared in conjunction with fever, and ended fatally. The patient who
died from psoas abscess was an old, emaciated man, quite unable to stand erect. He
was found under a tree by the police within a few yards of the Commissioner's compound,
and had a suspicious-looking knife in his possession, and a large bundle of old clothes.
He had apparently come from Lucknow. How he had managed to travel so far in such a
state is a mystery. The abscess had just commenced to point, before his death, below Poupart's
ligament; it was apparently dependent on debility, as no disease of the spine could be dis-
covered to account for it.
Restraint.
Restraint.—This has only been had recourse to once during the past year in the case
of a patient whose finger had to be amputated on account of a sloughing sore.
Improvement in
buildings.
Building.—Considerable improvements have been effected in this respect during the past
season. A new and commodious shed has been erected at a comparatively small cost,
which is now devoted in part to the manufacture of castor-oil, the remainder being occupied
by mills for the preparation of mustard-oil. A new shed has also been erected for spinning
thread, in order that the patients so employed may not be exposed to the sun or the
inclemency of the weather. The overseer's house has also been brought within the asylum
limits by the construction of a good masonry wall. The old gate of the asylum, which was
at a considerable distance from his bungalow, has been built up, and now the only means
of ingress and egress are close to the overseer's bungalow. I need hardly say, that in addi-
tion to the extra space thus gained within the walls, this alteration was a most desirable one
in all other respects. The original estimate for this last work was made out by the Depart-
ment of Public Works, and was calculated to be Rs. 4,358.* We, however, erected it ourselves
subsequently, at a cost of Rs. 1,335-8, inclusive of labor.
Expenditure.
Expenditure.—Table XVIII shows the annual expenditure on account of the asylum. The
average cost of dieting each patient is ten annas in excess of 1871 but, on the other hand,
the average yearly cost per man is less in 1872 by Rs. 3-6-4.
Industrial profits.
Profits of Labor.—This Statement, No. XIX, shows a large increase on the previous year.
Including value of stores remaining in hand at the close of the year, the total amounts to
Rs. 11,051-7, against Rs. 6,463-8-7 in 1871. This increase is to be attributed in great measure
to the profit derived from the manufacture of castor-oil. There are now two screws at work in
the asylum which give employment to a great number of the lunatics. The women are parti-
cularly good hands at the shelling and picking of the seed.
Annual account of receipts and expenditure.—Table XXI shows the receipts and expenditure
of the industrial fund, leaving a balance in hand on 31st December last of Rs. 635-5-8. The balance
* This was exclusive of labor and skilled superintendence.