2
compared with 987, the average of the
preceding triennium. The daily average
strength was 954-02 as against a daily
average of 1,014.12 during 1918-20,
while the largest number confined in any
one night during the triennium under
review was 988 as compared with 1,126
of the preceding triennial period.
Admissions and re-admissions.—The
total number of admissions and re-admis-
sions (excluding observation cases) was
187 in 1921, 198 in 1922 and 213 in 1923
or an average of 199 per annum as com-
pared with 237 in 1918-20.
Duration of insanity.—The duration
of insanity prior to admission was ascer-
tained in the case of 84 out of 213
patients admitted during 1923. The
duration was less than three months in 44
cases, between three and six months in
12, between six and twelve months in 14
and from twelve months to several years
in the remaining 14 cases.
Paying patients.—At the beginning
of the period under review there were 25
paying patients (22 males and 3 females)
all these being in the Berhampore Men-
tal Hospital. Forty-one patients were
admitted during the triennium as
against 51 in
1918-20. Forty-two
patients were discharged and three died
in 1921-23 as against fifty and six res-
pectively in 1918-20. Thus there re-
mained at the end of the period under
review 21 paying patients as against 25
in the preceding triennium.
Observation cases.—These cases are
now recorded in a separate statement,
viz., Statement I A, prescribed by the
Government of India in their letter
No. 13 L.-A., dated 2nd July 1921.
Altogether 148 patients were admitted or
re-admitted for observation during the
three years under review as compared
with 146 during 1918-20 (viz., 59 in
Bhowanipore Observation Ward, 75 at
Dacca, 11 at Berhampore and 3 at
Gobra). Of these 104 were certified as
insane (viz., 34 at Bhowanipore, 61 at
Dacca, 6 at Berhampore and 3 at Gobra)
and admitted into Mental Hospitals; 14
persons though certified as insane were
discharged under section 14 of Act IV of
1912 (viz., 10 from Bhowanipore and 4
from Berhampore); 24 persons were
released as uncertifiable; and 6 remained
under observation at the end of the trien-
nial period.
Military insane.—Two military in-
sanes were received in the Mental Hospi-
tals during the past three years, viz., 1 at
Dacca and another at Berhampore and
these together with the 31 patients
remaining over from the year 1920 made
a total of 33. Of this number 11 were
discharged and 2 died leaving 20 mili-
tary insanes under treatment at the end
if the triennium, viz., 1 at Dacca and 19
at Berhampore. The cost for the main-
tenance of the military insanes is re-
covered from the Military Department
under the orders of the Government of
India communicated in letter No.
D 241-L-A., Jails, dated the 30th Novem-
ber 1922.
Discharges.—One hundred and thirty-
eight patients were discharged in 1921,
115 in 1922 and 157 in 1923 or an aver-
age of 136 per year as compared with 226,
the average annual number of discharges
during the period 1918-20. The large
average of 1918-20 was due to the trans-
fer of patients to Ranchi. The numbers
of discharges from individual mental
hospitals were 139 from Dacca and 271
from Berhampore.
Recoveries.—One hundred and six
patients were discharged cured in 1921,
84 in 1922 and 115 in 1923 or an average
of 102 a year as compared with an
annual average of 112 during the preced-
ing triennium. Twenty patients were
discharged in an " improved " state in
1921, an equal number in 1922 and 27 in
1923.
The proportion per cent, of recoveries
to daily average strength in the past
year was 10:58 in the Dacca and 12:86
in the Berhampore Mental Hospital.
The average period of a patient's stay
in the Mental Hospitals prior to recovery
in 1923 was 2 years, 2 months and 21 days
at Dacca, and 2 years 5 months and 20
days at Berhampore. The longest stay in
the former hospital was 9 years and in
the latter hospital 18 years 8 months and
16 days; and the shortest stay, 1 month
and 2 days at Berhampore and 4 months
at Dacca.
Escapes.—There was only one case of
escape during the period under review
and it occurred in 1923 in the Berham-
pore Mental Hospital. The patient who
escaped was a criminal lunatic and was
admitted into the Mental Hospital on the
16th June 1923. Vigorous steps were
taken by the Superintendent to recap-
ture the patient but without success.
Information subsequently received show-
ed that the lunatic had been run over
by a train near the Plassey station. One
head male keeper and one male keeper