2
Presidency up to the 15th September 1918. After that, the number was
reduced to 3 owing to the abolition of the Lunatic Asylum at Bhawanipur.
Counting the temporary Observation Ward, which has taken the place of the
latter, the number was 4.
The total accommodation available during the first 8½ months was 1,170
(viz., 962 for males and 208 for females) and in the subsequent 3½ months it
was 1,115 (viz., 938 for males and 177 for females). The accommodation
underwent a further reduction to 1,099 in 1919 (viz., 901 for males and 198
for females) owing to a more strict calculation of the capacity of the
Berhampore Lunatic Asylum by allotting 50 sq. ft. of floor space to each
inmate, and this was the sanctioned capacity of the Lunatic Asylums (includ-
ing the temporary Observation Ward) till the end of the triennium.
Considered individually, the accommodation available in each Asylum
in the last 2 years was as follows :—
Temporary Observation Ward, Bhawanipur ...
Dacca Lunatic Asylum ... ...
Berhampore
ditto ... ...
Insane Ward, Gobra ... ...
Male.
3
274
616
8
Female.
3
45
148
2
Total.
6
319
764
10
Besides the above accommodation in the temporary Observation Ward,
4 rooms on the ground floor of the main building were allotted for paying
patients.
There was no overcrowding in any Asylum during the period under review,
except to a small extent on the male side of the Dacca Asylum in 1918 and
1919, the maximum number of male lunatics confined there in any one night
in those years having been 277 and 284, respectively, against a capacity of
274 on the male side. An additional barrack has been constructed in this
Asylum with accommodation for 24 male lunatics. It was completed only in
December last year, and was not occupied during the year, as it was still
damp. This addition, besides relieving overcrowding, will carry us on for a
time.
4. Population.—The annual average population of the Lunatic Asylums
was 1,315 during the past triennial period as compared with 1,331 in 1915-17.
The fall is due to the transfer of lunatics to Ranchi.
The average number of lunatics confined in the 4 Lunatic Asylums
(including the temporary Observation Ward) on the first day of each year of
the period under review was 1,029 as compared with 1,075 in the previous
triennium. The average admissions (including re-admissions) numbered
286 against 256 and the average numbers of discharges (including transfer
to the Ranchi Lunatic Asylum) and deaths were 226 and 102, respectively,
as compared with 152 and 97 in 1915-17. The average number of lunatics
on the last day of each year was therefore 987 as compared with 1,082 in the
preceding triennium. The mean strength was, however, 1,014.12 against a
mean strength of 1,080.9 in 1915-17, while the largest number confined in any
one night of the triennium was 1,126 against 1,134 during the preceding
3 years.
5. Admissions and re-admissions.—Admissions and re-admissions
taken together numbered 334 (279 males and 55 females) in 1918, 247 (204
males and 43 females) in 1919 and 278 (215 males and 63 females) in 1920,
average 286 (232 males and 54 females) against an average of 256 for 1915-17.
There was a very large admission of military insanes, viz., 74, into the Ber-
hampore and Dacca Lunatic Asylums in 1918, which is to a considerable extent
responsible for the higher figure in that year.
Admissions from confirmed lunatics, i.e., excluding Observation cases,
numbered 268, 188 and 207, and re-admissions 28, 10 and 10, respectively, in
1918, 1919 and 1920.
Only 22 cases out of the total admissions and re-admissions of last year
were certified by the Superintendents of the Asylums.
The intervals between the dates of discharge of patients and their re-
admission in 1920 varied from 1 month and 24 days to 10 years, 8 months and
22 days in the Berhampore Lunatic Asylum and from 4 months to 1 year,
9 months and 14 days in the Dacca Lunatic Asylum.