2
In 43 out of the 106 cases cured, the duration of insanity prior to their
admission was ascertained. It was less than 3 months in 23 cases, between
3 and 6 months in 8, between 6 and 12 months in 6 cases, between 1 and 5
years in 5 and over 5 years in 1 case
The types of insanity of patients cured were Mania, 55 cases,
Melancholia 21, Delusional insanity 3, Alcoholic 2, Insanity caused by
Cannabis Indica 24 and Dementia 1.
7. Sickness and mortality.—The daily average number of sick increased
from 116.29 in 1920 to 130.33, showing a greater prevalence of illness during
the past year although the asylums were free from outbreaks of epidemic
diseases. Admissions into hospital numbered 861 against 612 in the
preceding year. The largest admission was from Fever 222, almost all in
the Berhampore Lunatic Asylum. Influenza of a mild type accounted for
162 admissions, viz., 80 in Dacca and 82 in Berhampore ; 87 patients were
admitted for Dysentery, viz., 37 in Dacca and 50 in Berhampore and 14 from
Phthisis, all in Berhampore. A separate ward in the hospital is set apart in
this asylum for Phthisis cases. Every suspected case is watched and isolated,
and the sputum is examined microscopically. Suspected cases are put on
special diet and open air treatment is-freely given.
The mortality was much lower than in 1920, being 6.89 per cent., to daily
average strength as compared with 10.55 per cent.; the actual number of
deaths was 66, viz., 25 at Dacca and 41 at Berhampore, as compared with 102
in 1920, of which 24 took place at the former, 77 at the latter asylum and 1
at Gobra. Dysentery was the cause of death in 10 cases, Pneumonia and acute
Mania each in 8 cases, Epilepsy in 7 and Phthisis and Diarrhoea each in 6
cases. Eleven deaths occurred among the new admissions.
There were no deaths from accident or injury in any asylum. A case of
serious injury occurred in the Dacca Lunatic Asylum, a sane criminal lunatic
having stabbed himself in the upper abdomen with a chisel with which he
was working. The patient was however cured.
8. Escape.—No case of escape occurred during the year in any of
the lunatic asylums.
9. Observation cases.—These are now shown in a separate statement,
viz., Statement I A. Fifty-three persons were under observation during
the year against 62 in 1920 ; 24 of them were in the Observation Ward,
Bhowanipore, an equal number in Dacca, 4 in Berhampore and 1 in Gobra.
Of these 37 were certified as insane and admitted into the asylum or sent
to the Lunatic Asylum at Ranchi, 9 were pronounced to be sane and released,
6 others although certified as insane were released under section 14, Act IV
of 1912, and one remained over.
10. Criminal Lunatics.—There was a criminal population of 530 in
the lunatic asylums, viz., 213 at Dacca, 316 at Berhampore and 1 at
Gobra, as compared with 521 in 1920. Their daily average strength was
447.79 against 449.11. Fifty-three of them were discharged and 32 died.
There remained therefore 445 criminal lunatics in the lunatic asylums on the
31st December 1921 against 456 on the same date in 1920, viz., Under-trial
223, Acquitted 149 and Sentenced 73. Their crimes were murder in 211
cases, culpable homicide in 36, grievous hurt in 55, theft in 35, house
trespass in 13 and other offences in 95 cases.
11. Finance.—The total receipts of the lunatic asylums (excluding
those of the Gobra Insane Ward for which no separate figures are available)
amounted to Rs. 354,456, viz., Rs. 6,177 from fees of paying patients, Rs. 15,612
being the value of stores received from the manufacturing department,
Rs. 7,856 sale-proceeds of manufactured articles and Rs. 324,811 received
from the Provincial Revenues. The corresponding figures for the preceding
year were Rs. 374,846, Rs. 4,734, Rs. 15,251. Rs. 8,572 and Rs. 346,289.
The total expenditure amounted to Rs. 340,242 as compared with
Rs. 361,542 in 1920. A smaller expenditure on buildings accounts for the
decrease. The actual cost to Government, taking into account the receipts
from other sources referred to above, amounted to Rs. 310,597 as compared
with Rs. 332,984 in 1920. This gives Rs. 324-7-5 as the average annual
cost to Government per head of lunatic against Rs. 347-13-8 in the year
before.