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Dr. Wise brings to notice the curious fact that a disproportionately large
number of lunatics comes from Sylhet, and states that this is notoriously the
case in most years. The Magistrate will be asked if he can throw any light
on the point.
18. The mortality in the asylum was high—40 deaths in all, of which
19 were due to pulmonary diseases. This disease is said to be very common
in Dacca, and it is noteworthy, that all the measures adopted for giving
warmer clothing to the lunatics (which perhaps accounts for the dispropor-
tionate outlay for clothing in this asylum) and for warming the wards, have
had no effect in stopping it. Dr. Wise is now inclined to attribute it to over-
crowding. The asylum will soon be relieved of its criminal lunatics. Bowel
complaints have much decreased, which is satisfactory. The result of the
introduction of the Gheel system of boarding out harmless lunatics will be
awaited with interest.
19. The Superintendent notices that the mortality among lunatics sent
from Julpigoree is unusually great, and attributes it to their being sent down
viâ Caragola, the rail and Calcutta, instead of by boat from Doobree. The
Deputy Commissioner will be instructed to follow the route suggested in
future.
20. Dr. Wise's remarks upon causation are interesting and valuable.
He differs from other superintendents in not assigning to ganja-smoking
such an important direct function in the production of insanity as is usually
given to it. Nor does he believe that ganja-smoking is an incentive to
crime, though it is much used by the class of people who are criminals, and
tends indirectly to facilitate insanity in those disposed that way. Another
curious fact is that in Bengal insanity is never traced to blows on the head,
though Dr. Wise says few men show so many marks of blows on the head
as Bengalis; 30 per cent. of the inmates showing marks of severe contusion.
21. The Lieutenant-Governor has sanctioned a bonus for the overseer
on account of last year, but he disapproves of the system of bonuses, and has
directed its abolition. His Honor trusts that the accounts of this and other
asylums may now be brought under a proper system. This need not
interfere with the development of industry, or with any reasonable discretion
of the Superintendent.
22. Patna (Paras. 56-57).—Here also the daily average strength has
much increased, being 234 against 211 last year, and a five years' average of
169. The total of discharges and deaths was 33.7 per cent. on strength.
The death-rate was peculiarly favorable, sixteen deaths in all, giving a per-
centage to average strength of 6.8 and to treated of 4.76.
23. Cuttack (Paras. 58-60).—This asylum had a daily average of 51
inmates. Its population has been increasing yearly. There were thirteen
deaths, or 25.6 per cent. on strength. Dr. Cayley does not attach much weight
to the excessive mortality of the year in a small asylum like this. One of the
cases was a suicide, one died by acute disease, and the rest were cases of
chronic disease in broken-down constitutions such as accompany often
mental disease. The asylum was, however, undoubtedly overcrowded, a state
of things which it is hoped may soon be remedied.
24. Moidapore (Paras. 61-64).—The average strength here was 44,
against 26 in 1871. There were three deaths,—one by paralysis, one by
dysentery, and one by diarrhœa. The state of the asylum was satisfactory
on the whole.
25. Dr. Coates points out that the police are in the habit of retaining
property stolen by an insane so long as the thief is unfit to stand his trial,