6
LUNATIC ASYLUMS OF BENGAL.
16. The prisoners at all the jails of these places, with the exception of
Dacca, were much healthier than in 1889:—
Table showing Sickness and Mortality in the Jails near which the Asylums are situated.
Anæmia and debility ...
Cholera
...
...
...
Diarrhœa and dysentery
Fevers
...
...
...
Pneumonia ... ... ...
Phthisis
...
...
...
Other diseases
...
...
Total ... ...
Daily average strength
Daily average sick ...
PRESIDENCY
JAIL.
1889.
Total treated.
20
9
384
573
2
26
322
1,336
Died.
...
5
11
2
1
8
9
36
1,159.22
50.73
1890.
Total treated.
21
1
123
408
4
20
399
976
Died.
4
11
4
2
6
12
39
1,174.46
31.64
ALIPORE JAIL.
1889.
Total treated.
58
6
364
750
30
18
1,143
2,369
Died.
2
2
15
7
6
9
5
46
1,757.23
89.71
1890.
Total treated.
60
4
323
738
43
22
1,027
2,217
Died.
7
3
13
7
13
13
10
66*
1.746.57
82.05
DACCA JAIL.
1889.
Total treated.
15
18
493
337
15
3
290
1,177
Died.
..
10
10
1
9
3
5
38
835.08
30.78
1890.
Total treated.
12
1
637
590
9
2
795
2,046
Died.
1
...
20
7
5
...
5
38
877.96
56.73
PATNA JAIL.
1889.
Total treated.
2
3
98
170
7
...
110
390
Died.
..
1
7
1
4
...
1
14
260.83
13.05
1890.
Total treated.
2
...
45
113
7
1
119
287
Died.
...
...
1 1
...
...
1
3
218.13
7.14
CUTTACK
JAIL.
1889.
Total treated.
14
23
249
185
3
1
108
583
Died.
2
14
3
...
...
1
4
24
271.29
21.43
1890.
Total treated.
15
...
167
99
3
1
90
375
Died.
1
...
1
...
1
1
2
6
233.78
12.20
BERHAMPORE
JAIL.
1889.
Total treated.
15
1
141
190
1
2
121
471
Died.
...
1
6
...
...
1
...
8
243.62
16.87
1890.
Total treated.
7
...
63
83
2
3
138
296
Died.
...
2
...
1
1
1
2
7
219.11
9.52
* Excluding 1 who committed suicide.
17. In all the asylums of the province the health of the inmates showed
a decided improvement, the daily average sick for the whole province being
58., against 69.55 in 1889. Most of the principal bodily affections to which
lunatics are subject and which give rise to mortality showed a diminution, as
will be seen from the subjoined table : —
Fevers ... ...
Bowel-complaints ... ...
Anæmia ... ...
Cholera ... ...
Admissions per
1,000 of total
admissions.
1889.
318.97
175.43
49.44
22.32
1890.
239.16
123.07
36.36
None.
18. Cholera was completely absent from all the asylums in 1890, and, with
the exception of a few cases of small-pox and chicken-pox at Dullunda, Berham-
pore, and Patna, there was no visitation of any serious epidemic disease.
Influenza, however, was prevalent at Dacca, Patna, and Berhampore, but was
not the immediate cause of more than one death, although it tended to increase
the sick list; but for this the total admissions in all the asylums in 1890 would
have been smaller than in 1889.
19. The total admissions at Dullunda rose from 192 in 1889 to 214 in 1890,
which was due chiefly to eye affections, intermittent fevers, and trivial accidents
and injuries. At Dacca and Berhampore, influenza was very prevalent during
a part of the year, but at Patna there were only a few cases. Intermittent fevers
were not unusually prevalent at any of the asylums. Bowel-complaints diminish-
ed at Dacca, Patna, and Berhampore, but slightly increased at Dullunda and
Cuttack. Lung affections, and particularly tubercle, gave rise to a good deal of
the mortality at Dacca, Patna, and Berhampore.
20. Mortality.—The death-rate for the whole province was 6.94 per cent.
on the daily average strength, which is the lowest figure during the last ten
years with the exception of the year 1883, when it stood at 5.92. Looking at
the separate asylums, the death-rates stand thus:—
Dullunda
...
... 350 per cent. on daily average strength.
Patna
...
... 6.05
ditto
ditto.
Berhampore
...
... 6.7
ditto
ditto.
Cuttack
...
... 7.79
ditto
ditto.
Dacca
...
... 11.55
ditto
ditto.
These death-rates are very low, and in the first four asylums they will bear
comparison with the average in English county asylums. It is not likely that