REPORT OF THE PATNA LUNATIC ASYLUM
FOR THE YEAR ENDING 31ST DECEMBER 1872.
By Surgeon B. SIMPSON, M.D., Superintendent.
Population.
Increase of ad-
missions.
Insanity influ-
enced by temper-
ature.
Population.—On the 1st January 1871, there remained in the asylum 164 males and
48 females, being only 12 in excess of the previous year. The admissions however, during the
past season (1872) show a large increase. On referring to Table I, it appears that, including
re-admissions, 10 in number, a total of 124 patients have been received into the asylum
during the year. These figures are considerably in excess of any year since 1862. The
large number of admissions in 1868, 1869, and 1872, as compared with those of the other years
recorded in Table I, is difficult to account for, unless it be somehow connected with the high
range of temperature in those years. I have no records for 1868; but both 1869 and 1872
were exceptionally trying and hot in these districts ; and a reference to the table will show that
the number of admissions in these years stands highest in the list. I am, of course, aware
that it would be unsafe to base any conclusion on such limited data, especially as patients are
admitted into this asylum from distant places, such as Purneah and Hazareebaugh, of which I
possess no meteorological records, and where the conditions may have been reversed; I
merely throw out the suggestion, whether there may not be some connection between the heat
of a season and the proportion of insanes admitted. Statistics in Europe show, or tend to
show, that the seasons have some influence on the production of insanity ; and it is a matter
of fact that the great proportion of admissions into this asylum is during the hotter months. It
is therefore only reasonable to infer, that what applies to seasons may with equal force apply
to years also. By far the most important fact demonstrated by Table I, however, is the steadily
increasing population of this and the other asylums of Bengal, which demands the immediate
attention of Government.
Criminal lunatics.
Criminals.—The number of this class has increased by 12 since last report. This is
partly owing to the practice hitherto adopted by the visitors, which is never, save under very
exceptional circumstances, to recommend the release of any lunatic convicted of such
crimes as murder or attempted murder. I should be glad to see some arrangement finally
made for the accommodation of this class, whose numbers are gradually becoming larger, and
who are at all times a source of anxiety, being at the same time, as a rule, the most difficult
class to manage.
Payment
for
maintenance.
Probable effect of
pressure on pati-
ent's relatives.
Payment for maintenance.—Recently more stringent measures have been taken in the
districts sending patients to this asylum, to enforce payment by the relatives of insanes for
their maintenance. I apprehend that this will ultimately have a perceptible effect in decreasing
the number of admissions; as judging from the numerous complaints I have received, and
the number of petitions for the release of insanes which have been presented to me, the
measure seems a most unpopular one with those who have to pay, as might have been anti-
cipated, and will tend, I fear, to induce people to confine and otherwise illtreat their insane
relatives at their own houses, in order to prevent their falling into the hands of the police and
being sent to an asylum where they would have to pay for their maintenance.
Health of the in-
sane.
Sickness.—The health of the inmates has, on the whole, been good during the past year.
No epidemic of any kind visited the asylum. The total absence of cholera, and more
especially of dengue, is very remarkable, as the former disease was more or less prevalent
in the district during the hot season, and the latter affected more than 90 per cent. of