14
LUNATIC ASYLUMS IN BENGAL.
" Bayu" (vertigo.)
" Associated with fever in certain cases is bayu, to which the natives commonly ascribe their madness.
This term means " swimming of the head, or vertigo." A man says he was out in his field ploughing
the ground when suddenly he was seized with bayu, and from that time he remembers nothing until
perhaps his admission into the asylum. This bayu, then, is a sign of weakness from one cause or another.
Under the head of debility (bayu), eight individuals (strangely all males) are said to have become insane,
i.e. 2.13 per cent. of the total treated.
Epilepsy.
" Epilepsy was assigned as the cause in 4 per cent. of the cases in 1872 ; in 1873 the percentage was
2.6; and in 1874 it has been 2.13 per cent. Of eight cases, six were males and two females. Of these, one
(male) died.
Congenital.
" The congenital cases of insanity were in the proportion of 2.4 per cent. of total treated. Of nine
cases, five were males and four females.
Debauchery.
"Debauchery accounted for 1.86 per cent. of the cases treated. But the term debauchery is a vague one,
therefore the figures under this head are probably wanting in scientific precision.
Moral causes.
" Moral causes during 1874 accounted for 21.06 per cent. of the cases, against 19.60 per cent. in
1873.
Grief.
" Grief caused madness in 16.53 per cent. of the total cases treated. Of 62 cases, 36 were males and 26
females. The most common causes of great grief were the death of relatives, loss of property and of
law-suits, and domestic troubles, such as the desortion of husband from wife, &c.
Fear.
" The cases which are attributed to fear are associated with the imaginary sight of ghosts, goblins, and
evil-spirits. Bhuts and dynes are familiar objects of terror with the lower classes of this country.
Religion.
" Exaltation of feeling, with perverted judgment, or low melancholy, attributable to associations of
religion, occurred in five cases (four males and one female), accounting, together, for only 1.33 per cent. of
the total treated during the year.
Over-study.
" The cases associated with studious habits also occurred at the rate of 1.33 per cent. At one time we
see an individual whose madness is altogether mixed up with thoughts of priests, purans, and muntras.
At another the Koran or the Bible is the centre of much incoherent thought. One Hindu, now in the
asylum, for a long time never moved anywhere without a small flute and a large copy of the new testament
in Bengali, from each of which he seemed to derive equal comfort and joy. At last he destroyed the sacred
book and broke his flute, and since then he has never been so happy as before. One of the practical tests
in an Indian asylum of the state of mind of Muhammadans is the manner in which, and the frequency with
which, they attend to their prayers and other religious duties. In the case of many a good Mussulman,
who is in the habit of paying due attention to his prescribed religious duties, the approach of a relapse of
insanity is indicated by his evincing a sudden and total disregard for all such matters."
Restraint and
seclusion.
49. No mechanical restraint is employed in this asylum; 104 patients were secluded
during the year. " Seventy-nine were confined when under excitement, 25 for wickedness or
mischief or quarrelling. There are three or four men who are so dangerous to themselves and
others that they are almost always secluded, being taken out every day for about two hours
under proper guard."
50. Dr. Smith has the following remarks on the system of boarding out harmless
lunatics:—
The "Gheel"
system.
" As recorded by Dr. Wise in his report for 1873, six harmless and industrious insanes were boarded out
on the " Gheel" system. I find that no others were boarded out during 1874; and of the six men referred
to above, two were returned to us on the 1st of February 1875 by the head-master of the normal school,
and the third man who was boarded with him succeeded in effecting his escape, and has not since been
found.
" The head-master returned the two men because he found they were disposed to wander away from his
house, and he could not succeed in preventing them from doing so. The other three, who were boarded
with a Mr. Staves, are still with him, and are said to do his work well. Five rupees is paid monthly for
each of them. Thus it would appear that the boarding-out system was not extended during the year
under report. From time to time it may be found possible to extend it as opportunity offers, but it cannot
be done abruptly. The object of the system and the wishes of Government on the subject will be kept in
view during the ensuing year."
Conservancy.
51. The conservancy of the asylum is said not to be so good as it might be. The
Dacca sweepers are lazy and independent. Efforts are being made to bring about reform
in this respect, and to introduce the more perfect practice of the dry earth and trench
systems.
Requirements.
52. Dr. Smith states that the great want of the asylum is more space. The asylum
wall requires to be heightened, and a good deep well is a great desideratum.
Employments.
53. Out of an average of 202.34 males and 53.28 females, 172.49 and 45.80 were
employed. The industries of this asylum are water-carrying, gardening, cutting fuel,
carpentering, baking, spinning thread, grinding wheat, pounding soorkie, conservancy work,
attending on the sick in hospital, thatching, manufacturing mustard oil, &c.
Dieting.
54. The cost of dieting was higher than usual, owing to the greater price of articles of
food. Water is conveyed from the river and carefully filtered.
Subordinates.
55. The superintendent writes approvingly of the conduct and qualifications of
Mr. Camilleri, the overseer, and Prosono Coomar Sen, the native doctor. He agrees with
Dr. Wise in thinking that the latter is under-paid. Some minor changes took place in the
establishment, which are shewn in table VIII. It is difficult to get good attendants at Dacca
on the sanctioned salary.
Inspection.
56. The asylum was inspected by Deputy Surgeon-General Ross on the 23rd of
March. He found it overcrowded as above stated, but otherwise in excellent order. " The
patients," he remarks, " are evidently well taken care of, and receive the greatest attention
from all officials." Dr. Wise's benevolent interest in, and able management of, this institution
is well known to Government, and Dr. Smith's excellent report, from which I have so largely