4
LUNATIC ASYLUMS IN BENGAL.
Proportion of
males and females
" remaining " on
1st January 1875.
11. Males formed 77.56 per cent. and females 22.43 per cent. of the total population
" remaining " on the 1st January 1875.
Admissions
(re-admissions not
included).
12. During 1875, 384 insane patients (males 305, females 79) were admitted into the
several asylums. This number was considerably lower than that of 1874, and was also
below the average of the preceding decennial period by 9 (males 2, females 7).
The greatest number of admissions was into the Dullunda Asylum, in which they were
at the rate of 50.37 per cent. of the mean strength, while into the asylums at Berhampore
Cuttack, Patna, and Dacca, they were respectively 22.34, 35.48, 35.32, and 30.00. There
were no admissions into the Moydapore institution during the year.
Proportion of the
sexes in the
admissions.
13. Males formed 79.42 per cent. and females 20.57 per cent. of the total admissions
(re-admissions excluded), and the following table shews the proportion of the sexes among
the admissions in to the asylums separately:—
Dacca ... ...
Cuttack ... ...
Dullunda ... ...
Males.
84
95.45
74.35
Females.
16
4.54
25.64
Patna ... ... ...
Berhampore ... ...
Males.
77.52
85.71
Females.
22.47
14.28
The preceding table displays the large proportion of male patients admitted into the
Cuttack, Berhampore, and Dacca Asylums, and the higher rate of admissions of female
patients into the Dullunda and Patna institutions. In explanation of the latter fact, it may
be that the conditions of life connected with residence in or near large cities may have
exerted a considerable influence.
Caste and sex of
those admitted.
14. The following table exhibits the caste and sex of the patients admitted and
re-admitted into the several asylums during 1875, with the rate per cent. of each sex to the
total admissions. The great excess of Hindoos over Mahomedans in the numbers of each
caste admitted is very striking :—
ASYLUMS.
Dullunda ...
Dacca ... ...
Patna ... ...
Cuttack ... ...
Moydapore ...
Berhampore ...
Total ...
Hindoos.
Males.
92
38
58
23
...
21
232
Females.
32
9
15
1
...
5
62
Total.
124
47
73
24
...
26
294
Mahomedans.
Males.
34
34
10
...
...
15
93
Females.
9
2
...
...
...
1
12
Total.
43
36
10
...
...
16
105
Christians.
Males.
2
...
1
...
...
...
3
Females.
4
1
1
...
...
...
6
Total.
6
1
2
...
...
...
9
Other castes.
Males.
1
...
4
...
...
...
5
Females.
...
...
5
...
...
...
5
Total.
1
...
9
...
...
...
10
Total.
Males.
129
72
73
23
...
36
333
Females.
45
12
21
1
...
6
85
Total.
174
84
94
24
...
42
418
Per cent. of each
sex to the total
admissions and
re-admissions.
Males.
74.13
85.71
77.65
95.83
.00
85.71
79.66
Females.
25.86
14.28
22.34
4.16
.00
14.28
20.33
Rate per cent.
according to
caste of admissions
and re-admissions.
15. Of the total admissions and re-admissions, 70.33 per cent. (males 55.50, females
14.83) were Hindoos; 25.11 per cent. (males 22.24, females 2.87) Mahomedans; 2.15 per cent.
(males .72, females 1.43) Christians, and 2.39 per cent. (males 1.19, females 1.19) were of
other castes.
Ages of those
admitted and
re-admitted.
16. The greatest number of admissions of both sexes was between the ages of 20 and
40 ; next between 40 and 60 ; then under 20 ; and lastly, upwards of 60 years.
Occupations.
17. The occupations of the insane patients prior to admission were, in order of
frequency, as follow.—viz. (1) " other occupations," (2) cultivators, (3) coolies, (4) beggars,
(5) servants, (6) unknown occupations, (7) shopkeepers, (8) tailors, &c. This is quite
in accordance with the observations of former years. The admissions were apparently from
the most impoverished and necessitous classes of the community : and this fact should be
kept in view when estimating the death-rate.
Residences of the
patients admitted
and re-admitted.
18. The admissions and re-admissions into the Dullunda Asylum were mostly from
Calcutta, the 24-Pergunnahs, Serampore, Hooghly, Jessore, and Midanapore; into the Dacca
Asylum from Dacca, Sylhet, Cachar, Furreedpore, and Chittagong; into the Patna, one from
the city itself, Shahabad, Monghyr, Gya, Tirhoot, and Purneah; the Cuttack one being
recruited chiefly from Cuttack and Pooree, while the Berhampore Asylum received the bulk
of its inmates from Moorshedabad, Arrah, Dinagepore, Rungpore, and Bogra, &c.
Proportion of
insane patients
admitted into the
Dacca Asylum from
the Cachar and
Sylhet districts.
Re-admssions.
19. The Cachar and Sylhet districts contributed 17.85 per cent. of the admissions
and re-admissions into the Dacca Asylum.
20. During the year 34 patients (males 28, females 6) were re-admitted into the several
asylums. This was a smaller number than that of any of the preceding five years.