6
LUNATIC ASYLUMS IN BENGAL.
males and 18 lunatics) should be transferred. In September the report of the Committee,
which sat at Midnapore for the purpose of considering the question of converting the district
jail into an asylum, was forwarded to this office for opinion. Mr. Saunders, who, during
my absence on leave, held charge, represented that the climate of Midnapore was more
favorable than that of Berhampore, and that the district jail might easily be converted into an
excellent asylum.
Further discus-
sion on the subject
of segregating cri-
minal lunatics.
9. In the resolution on the general report for 1871, dated 4th October, the question
was again discussed. Doubts were expressed (1) whether all criminal lunatics should be treated
exceptionally ; and (2) whether it could be wise to mass together dangerous men ; and (3)
the propriety of removing lunatics from their own districts, where they would be constantly
liable to be sent up for trial or to be released, was questioned. The Lieutenant-Governor
was also not sure whether the proposed new lunatic asylum at Berhampore was well
fitted for a criminal asylum on account of its being so much in the station, and thought
that perhaps the old jail at Midnapore might suit better. On these points I was instructed
to report. After obtaining careful reports from superintendents, I recently represented
(1) that it is not necessary to treat all so-called criminal lunatics exceptionally—indeed that
it would be wrong to do so; (2) that no risk need be anticipated from massing together
those criminal lunatics whom it is desirable to confine in a special institution; and (3) that
while it would be an undoubted hardship to remove all criminal lunatics from their own
districts, it would neither involve hardship nor inconvenience to remove most of them, and
more particularly those comparatively sane persons who are the main cause of the difficulties
represented by superintendents, and who are in most cases—so to speak—life lunatics. On the
considerations set forth, I urged (1st) that a special asylum for some classes of criminal
lunatics is really wanted; (2nd) that all criminal lunatics should, in the first instance, be
sent to ordinary asylums; and (3rd) that particular lunatics should be selected by visitors of
asylums for transmission to the criminal asylum under certain principles and rules. As
regards the question whether the Berhampore adapted buildings or the Midnapore district
jail is best suited for a criminal asylum, I am inclined to agree with Mr. Saunders and
prefer the latter. Thus the matter now stands. Meantime I am in communication with the
Public Works Department regarding some practical points involved in the conversion of the
Berhampore buildings into an asylum.
10. Having discussed the statistics of criminal lunatics and the question of a separate
criminal asylum, I now proceed to consider the statistics relating to all native lunatics con-
fined in the five asylums of these provinces.
The population
of asylums is an-
nually increasing.
11. Population.—The number of lunatics in confinement on the 1st of January
exceeded the average of the preceding five years by 138.4, the total number treated, by 259.4,
and the daily average residents, by 182.4. The corresponding figures in 1871 were 125,
159, and 154.6 ; and in 1870; 111, 119, and 121.3. The increase of numbers in 1872 has
thus considerably exceeded that of the two preceding years. The growth in each case
is progressive, and the annual increments of the six years, 1867—73, have been—1st January
census 78, 36, 58, 37, and 44 ; total treated, 135, 25, 41, 36, and 169 ; and daily average
strength, 52, 64.2, 52.9, 56.6, and 72.5.
It thus appears that the population of asylums increases yearly at the rate of about
7.5 per cent. The difference between the admission and discharge rates was, in 1872, 5.4,
against 5.3 in 1871, and 6.95, the average of the five previous years. The number of days
each inmate spent in the asylums was 243.8 against 256.2 in 1871, 246.3 in 1870, 238 in
1869, 222.8 in 1868, and 233.7 in 1867.
12. On comparing the aggregate strength of asylums during the successive 12 months
of the year, it is curious to notice how the number of residents increases steadily till