8
In the year 1873-74 there were only 182.6 insanes employed, whereas in the
year under report the number was 238.6. Although the total credits are only
Rs. 2,892 from manufactures, &c., it is to be remembered, that profit is only
a secondary consideration, and that employment as a means of cure is the
most valuable agent we have.
Condition of Insanes as
regards Marriage.
22. Statements No. 12 show the condition of the insanes as regards mar-
riage. The single numbered 401—380 males and
21 females. The deaths among them were 2.9 per
cent. only, whereas last year they reached 6.9. The
single insanes were 47.3 per cent. of the total treated; in the preceding year
they were 46.4. The married were 265—males 199 and females 66. The deaths
among them amounted to 8.6 per cent. to 2.2 in previous report. They num-
bered 31.3 per cent. on the total treated to 32.9 of last year. The widowers
were 38 and widows 36—total 74. The deaths were among them 16.2 as com-
pared with 17.1 in the previous year. They bore the proportion of 8.7 per
cent. to total treated. There where 109 whose condition as to marriage was
unknown ; among them the deaths were 7.3 per cent. as compared with 14.4
in the previous year. The unknown were 12.7 per cent. of total inmates,
whereas last year they were 11.9. Contrary to the experience of last year in
this return, the single have by far the lightest death-rate, next to them come
the unknown, followed by the married, and last of all the bereaved widowers
and widows. The last had also a high death-rate in the previous year. The
cures were—among single, 9.7 per cent. as compared with 6.6 in the preceding
year ; among the married the percentage was 12.8 to 26.5 in last report ; in
the widowed class 4.0 to 2.2 last year; and the unknown have 7.3 per cent.
of cured.
As regards the condition of marriage by castes, there were single 38.6
per cent. Hindus and 31.6 Mussalmans. Of the married 51.3 per cent. were
Hindus and 24.1 Mussalmans. Of the widowed 63.5 per cent. were Hindus
and 17.5 Mussalmans. 64.2 per cent. of the "unknown " were Hindus and
23.9 Mussalmans. Of 36 Parsi insanes 23 were married. The other castes
are so few that they require no special notice.
Number and Crimes of
Criminal Lunatics.
23. Statements No. 13 show the number of the criminal lunatics, &c.
Their average daily number was higher than in the
previous year, being 79.9 to 64.9. There remained
from the previous year 64 ; during the year 40 were
admitted and 2 re-admitted, making a total of 106 treated. Twenty-three
were discharged cured, 1—an European—was sent to England, 2 were dis-
charged improved, and 8 died. There remained at the close of the year 72,
or 8 more than remained last year.
Chief Crimes.
24. The chief crimes have been murder, theft, culpable homicide, and
grievous hurt; the first is represented by 37 cases,
the second by 19, the third by 15, and the last by 9.
The numbers of other crimes are small.
Average Daily Number of
Criminals employed.
25. The average daily number of criminals employed in some kind of
labour in the asylums was 40.57, while it was only
31.0 in the previous year. I would again point out
to Government that the transfer of criminal lunatics
to the Colaba Asylum is, in my opinion, objectionable, both on account of the