LUNATIC ASYLUMS IN BENGAL.
5
The greatest number of re-admissions was into the Dullunda Asylum—viz. 18 patients
(males 13, females 5), and the lowest observed (2 males) was that of the Cuttack Asylum.
There were no re-admissions into the Moydapore or Berhampore Asylums.
Causes of
re-admission.
21. The re-admissions into the Dullunda Asylum arose mainly from cases of recurrent
intoxication; in the Patna Asylum the patients re-admitted were mostly addicted to habits
of intemperance, but this cause did not seem to be an influential one among the re-admissions
into the Dacca institution, while ganja-smoking produced the re-admission of one patient
into the Cuttack Asylum
Physical and moral
causes of the total
admissions.
22. Among the most common physical causes of insanity were—firstly, the excessive
indulgence in ganja and bhang; secondly, habits of intemperance; thirdly, hereditary
predisposition; fourthly, epilepsy, &c., &c.: while those of a moral nature were chiefly
grief and fear. These observations agree very generally with those of former years.
23. The following table shows the proportion of each type of insanity to the total
number remaining, admitted, recovered, and died in the several asylums during 1875, as well
as the rate per cent. of each sex under each type of insanity to the same totals :—
Per cent. of total " remaining
"...
...
...
...
Per cent. of total remaining ...
Males
...
...
...
Females ...
...
...
Per cent. of total admissions
...
...
...
...
Per cent. of total admissions ...
Males
...
...
...
Females ... ... ...
Per cent. of total recoveries
...
...
...
...
Per cent. of total recoveries ...
Males
...
...
...
Females
...
...
...
Per cent. of total deaths
...
...
...
...
...
Per cent. of total deaths ...
Males
...
...
...
Females ... ... ...
Acute mania.
14.71
11.17
3.53
40.19
32.77
7.41
42.58
33.54
9.03
24.41
15.74
8.66
Chronic mania.
41.99
31.09
10.89
33.01
25.11
7.89
41.29
30.32
10.96
29.13
18.11
11.02
Melancholia.
7.63
5.86
1.76
10.05
8.85
1.19
5.16
3.22
1.93
7.09
5.51
1.57
Acute dementia.
1.48
1.02
.46
5.5
3.83
1.67
4.51
3.22
1.29
3.93
3.14
.78
Chronic dementia.
30.81
25.52
5.30
9.33
7.18
2.15
4.51
3.87
.64
32.28
25.19
7.08
Idiotcy.
.55
.46
.09
.48
.47
.00
.00
.00
.00
.79
.00
.79
Imbecility.
.37
.27
.09
.00
.00
.00
.00
.00
.00
.79
.00
.79
Not insane.
2.42
2.14
.27
1.43
1.43
.00
1.93
1.93
.00
1.57
.78
.78
24. From the above table it is seen that chronic mania and chronic dementia formed 72.80
per cent. of the total asylum population " remaining " on the 1st January 1875. Almost 43
per cent. of the admissions were from chronic mania and chronic dementia; and these
varieties of insanity also contributed a little over 45 per cent. of the recoveries as well as
61.41 per cent. of the total mortality.
Transfers.
25. The Berhampore Asylum received 100 insane male patients by transfer during the
year—viz. 50 from Dacca and 50 from Patna. These transfers were of the non-criminal
class, with the exception of 13 amongst those from Dacca.
Total asylum
population.
26. The total asylum population during 1875 was 1,492 (males 1,166, females 326),
and was composed of 78.15 per cent. of males and 21.84 per cent. of females: 284 (males
254, females 30) criminal lunatics were included in these numbers, and they composed
19.03 per cent. (males 17.02, females 2.01), or nearly one-fifth of the total population.
Total population
less than in 1874.
27. The total population was less than that of 1874, but exceeded the average of the
preceding decennial period by 311 (males 233, females 78).
Gradual increase of
the more chronic
forms of insanity.
28. I have already, in paragraph 7, shewn that there has been a steady and progressive
increase of the " remaining " in the asylum population in each year from 1868 to 1875 ; but
according to the table given in paragraph 24 it will also be observed that this increase is
principally due to cases of insanity in its more chronic forms.
29. The influence which an accumulation of the more chronic forms of insanity exerts
on the rate of recoveries and deaths will be understood by referring to the same table in
paragraph 24.
Mean strength of
the asylum
population.
30. The mean average strength of the asylum population was 1,126.44 (males 875.60,
females 250.84), and was composed of 77.73 per cent. of males and 22.26 per cent. of females.
In it was also included the mean strength of criminal lunatics, 224 (males 199, females 25),
who thus formed 20 per cent. (males 18, females 2), or one-fifth of the total mean asylum
population during the year 1875.