6
If we understand, however, the word recovered to signify, as it ought, the
total disappearance of the mental disease, the complete return of the former
capacity of intellect, of the whole earlier force of character, it must, of
course, be but seldom that such a result can be expected.
As the ratio of cures decreases with the increase in the number of
patients, is it not a question deserving consideration, whether it would not
bo more desirable to have an asylum for incurables, reserving the present in-
stitutions for recent cases and those susceptible of cure ?
The cost of maintenance has been decreased in all the asylums during
the past year, and constant attention is bestowed upon the economical
working of them.
There can be no doubt many persons are consigned to asylums and
treated as paupers, whose friends are able to contribute, at least, partly, if
not entirely, do their maintenance, and some more strict order appears to be
required on this subject. The Deputy Surgeon General, Sindh, mentions the
difficulty in making relations contribute towards the support of some of the
patients, and suggests that Magistrates should obtain information as to the
ability or otherwise of friends to pay.
A number of insanes have been treated out of asylums, not including the
State of Kolapur, where there is an asylum attached to the civil hospital.
The accommodation for these at Dhulia and Nasik answers well enough,
but Satara and Sholapur are without any, save in the former, two side
rooms belonging to the hospital for females. In the latter, the insanes are
treated in a ward of the civil hospital, with the other patients.
I much doubt if any reliance can be placed in the number of insanes
in the districts furnished by medical subordinates in charge of dispensaries,
and in this, I believe, I am borne out by the statement in paragraph 33 of
Dr. Wyllie's report, where it is shown that, out of 54 cases, 24 were cured,
and the same number absented themselves, probably much improved, if not
cured ; 8 were transferred to friends, and only 2 remained under treatment.
Probably, most of these, if at all insane, may be accounted harmless idiots.
Deputy Surgeon General Maitland objects to the tables, which he thinks
complicated and attempting to shew too much, but he has not offered any sug-
gestions for improving them ; he also considers there will be difficulty in ob-
taining the ago, &c, of insanes. There really ought to be none in obtaining,
at least, an approximation to the age, and none to the caste and condition,
and thus reliable data would be found, which would do away with Dr. Mait-
land's objection, and in his own words, " the tabular statements which appear
complicated and attempt to shew too much, when collated and compared
with those from other asylums, will, no doubt, afford valuable information. "
The tables appended to this roport, hurriedly prepared, are necessarily
imperfect, but, it is hoped, Government will receive thorn as a stop made in
advance. It is not pretended they approach the most desirable or correct
form, and with the view of obtaining the bast and one net of tables for the
whole of India, which alone can render the statistics of value, I would
suggest such should be supplied by the Sanitary Commission. Then, in time,
valuable information regarding insanity in India would be recorded. At