5
Statement II.
16. Criminal lunatics.—The mean strength of the criminal population
of the Lunatic Asylums was 460.66, which is 45.42 per cent. of the general
mean strength of the Lunatic Asylums for the past triennium as compared
with a mean strength of 492.26 for 1915-17, or 45.54 per cent. of the
general mean strength of that period.
There were 480 criminal lunatics in the Asylums at the beginning of the
period under notice, viz., 3 in the Bhawanipur Lunatic Asylum, 183 in
Dacca, 291 in Berhampore and 3 in the Insane Ward of the Gobra Leper
Asylum ; 213 were admitted and re-admitted in the 3 years, viz., 2 in the
Bhawanipur Lunatic Asylum, 90 in the Dacca, 120 in the Berhampore and
1 in the Insane Ward at Gobra ; total 693 ; of this number. 153 were
discharged in the 3 years, viz , 5 from Bhawanipur, 59 from Dacca, 87 from
Berhampore and 2 from Gobra, and 84 died (28 in Dacca, 55 in Berhampore
and 1 in Gobra). There was therefore a criminal population of 456 in the
Lunatic Asylums at the end of the triennial period, of which 186 were in the
Dacca. Lunatic Asylum. 269 in Berhampore and 1 in Gobra. Their classifica-
tion is—
Under trial (Criminal I) ... ... ...
Tried and acquitted (Criminal II) ... ...
Convicts (Criminal III) ... ... ...
238
149
69
The nature of the crime of the under-trial prisoners was murder in
61 cases, culpable homicide 26 cases, grievous hurt 46 cases, theft 36 cases,
house-trespass 22 cases, attempting suicide 3 cases, incindiarism 1 case and
other offences 43 cases.
Statements III, IV and V.
17. They deal with religion, sex. residence, previous occupation and
ages of patients admitted and call for no remarks.
Statement VI.
18. Types of insanity.—The types which presented the largest number
of patients were mania, melancholia and insanity caused by cannabis indica or
its preparations and derivatives, for which 88, 80 and 33 lunatics were admitted
on an average annually, or 30.77, 27.97 and 11.54 per cent. of total admissions.
There were on an average 403, 299 and 180 lunatics of these types under treat-
ment in each of the past 3 years. Other types which formed a large proportion
of the Asylum population were dementia and delusional insanity, for which
93 and 76 lunatics were under treatment during each year on an average. The
annual average number of recoveries among the lunatics of these five types
was 55, 34, 12, 1 and 4, respectively. Dementia as well as idiocy are very
little amenable to treatment and, out of an annual average of 93 and 61
lunatics of these types present in the Asylums, only 2 of each type recovered
Statement VII.
19. Ætiological factors.—The most prolific ætiological factors were
intoxicants, chiefly ganja, which accounted for 22.56 per cent. of the average
annual admissions of the past triennium. Mental stress presented the next
largest number,viz., 14.63 per cent. of the admissions, insane inheritance was
the cause of insanity in 7.99 per cent., mental instability in 6.99 per cent.,
disorder of the nervous system in 5.62 per cent. and critical periods in 5.11
per cent.
Statement VIII.
20. Finance—Receipts.—Taking into account the sale-proceeds of articles
manufactured in the Asylums, which do not enter into the cash account of
Lunatic Asylums, the annual average receipts of the 3 Lunatic Asylums (includ-
ing the temporary Observation Ward, but excluding the Gobra Insane Ward,