REPORT ON THE DACCA LUNATIC ASYLUM.
For the Year 1873.
By Surgeon-Major J. WISE, M.D., Superintendent.
Admissions.
Table 1.—The admissions during the past year show a marked increase over the average
of former years, and are even greater than in 1872. There is also a slight increase in the
number of females re-admitted. The total number treated is greater than in any year of the
last ten.
It is difficult to offer any satisfactory reason for the rise in the number of admissions
during the last two, as compared with the previous nine years. The population is doubtless
increasing, and perhaps the orders for forwarding homeless lunatics to the asylum are more
attended to than formerly.
Re-admissions.
There was a slight decrease in the number of males re-admitted, but an increase in the
number of females. Of the ten males, one was a recapture; one returned after having stood
his trial; one was sent back as incapable of making his defence; and seven were habitual
ganja-smokers. Of the three females, one returned after standing her trial; and two,
who were prostitutes, were addicted to spirit-drinking and ganja-smoking.
Escapes.
Four escapes were successfully made from the asylum, and the endeavours to recapture
the lunatics have as yet been ineffectual.
Table 2.—The ratio of admissions to daily average strength in 1872 was 57.33, which
was far above that of earlier years. In 1873 the ratio has been 52.04 per cent.
Death-rate.
In the death-rate there is a considerable rise; the mortality being 19.26, while in 1872
it was 18.34, and in the seven years from 1866—72 it was 18.54.
Of the deaths to total treated, the average from 1866—72 was 13.01; for 1873, 13.05.
There is also a significant decrease in the percentage of deaths to total admissions as
compared with each year of the series but 1872. The average from 1866—72 was 45.58; in
1873 it fell to 37. This improvement is probably owing to the better care taken of the
lunatics while on their way to the asylum, to greater facilities in transporting them, and to
their improved health on arrival; but also in a great measure to the greater number of
admissions.
Criminal lunatics.
Table 3.—On the 1st January 48 males and 10 female criminal lunatics were in
custody in the asylum. During the year 19 males and three females were admitted, two
males and one female were re-admitted after trial; three men and one woman were sent to
stand their trial and have not returned; two males and one female were discharged
and again re-admitted; one male was remanded to jail on recovery; three males were trans-
ferred to the non-criminal list on expiry of sentence; two males, convicted of trivial offences,
were released by order of Government; and two males escaped. Eight males and one female
died during the year, and on the' 31st December forty-eight males and eleven females
remained.
Events according to
season.
Table 4.—The largest average number resident was in October, the smallest in February.
The daily average strength was 25.65 in excess of 1872. The total admissions and re-admis-
sions was 127; in 1872 it was 125.
Among the discharges are included four lunatics who escaped, and six who are boarding
out.
The males died at the rate of 19.8 per cent., the females at 17.02 per cent.
November, August, January, and December, were respectively the most fatal months.
August is usually very healthy; this year it was a very damp month, rain having fallen
on 24 days, and the total amount registered was 17.22 inches. It was difficult, however,
to trace any connection between the diseases of which the seven lunatics died and the
humidity of the atmosphere. The deaths were almost all due to chronic diseases, and the
individuals had been ill for months previously.
Prevalence of
lunacy in the
Sylhet district.
Table 5.—In the report for 1872 allusion was made to the much greater number of admis-
sions from Sylhet than from any of the other zillahs of Eastern Bengal. This year Sylhet
still occupies the same unenviable position as second in the list. In his reply to the 17th
paragraph of the Government resolution on the asylums of 1872, the Magistrate of Sylhet
agrees with the civil surgeon in referring the common occurrence of insanity in his district
to " an innate mental weakness, possibly due to intermarrying too closely," and " to the usual
physical and moral causes that dispose to unsoundness of mind." The consumption of
ganja in Sylhet is only eight seers seven chittacks per 1,000 of population; while in Mymen-
singh it is 14 seers four chittacks. It cannot, therefore, be to indulgence in ganja which
has paid duty that insanity falls so heavily on the population.