No. 1999, dated 23rd June 1882.
From—S. C. TOWNSEND, Esquire, C.B., Surgeon-General, Punjab,
To—The Secretary to Government, Punjab.
IN forwarding the Annual Reports of the Lunatic Asylums at Lahore
and Delhi for 1881, I have the honor to offer the following remarks :—
From statement I. it appears that the number of admissions into the two
Asylums in 1881 was rather in excess of the number of admissions in the
previous year, amounting to 132 (inclusive of re-admissions) against 87. The
total number treated during the year was 438, of whom 333 were confined at
Lahore, 105 at Delhi. Of the above total, 369 were males and 69 females ; 51
lunatics were discharged cured during the year and 35 died ; the percentage of
cured on average strength was, at both the Asylums, a little over 16, and the
mortality a little under 15. Of the 132 lunatics admitted for treatment dur-
ing the year, 14 belonged to the criminal class ; and at the close of the" year
there were 39 of this class in confinement, 31 at Lahore and 8 at Delhi.
The rate of mortality among the lunatics in 1880 was low compared
with former years, but in the year under review it reverted to the high rate
which usually prevails in this class of patients. The death-rate was nearly
the same in both Asylums, being 14.60 at Lahore and 14.98 at Delhi. At
Delhi, the chief causes of mortality were diarrhœa and pneumonia. At Lahore,
of the 35 deaths returned, 13, or nearly one-third, were due to cholera, which
attacked the Asylum in July. But for this outbreak of cholera, the death-rate
of the Lahore Asylum for the year would have compared favorably with the
rates of former years.
The average cost of each lunatic for food, clothing, medicines and
contingencies was about the same at the two Asylums, being Rs. 55-14-2 at
Lahore, and Rs. 54-3-0 at Delhi; but while at Lahore the cost of diet was
Rs. 42-15-0, at Delhi it was only Rs. 35-13-0. On the other hand, the annual
expense on clothing at Delhi was much greater than at Lahore, being
Rs. 10-7-0 against Rs. 5-9-0 per head.
A considerable sum was credited at both Asylums for paying patients.
At Lahore, these consisted altogether of sepoys, and Dr. Fairweather points
out that the Rs. 7 per mensem credited for each insane sepoy does not nearly
cover the cost of his maintenance. The paying patients confined in the Delhi
Asylum are chiefly insanes sent in from Rajputana; but the sum of Rs. 156
was received from two private individuals for the maintenance of relatives.
In the review of the Report for 1880 it was pointed out that, compared
with the Delhi Asylum, a very small number of the lunatics confined in the
Lahore Asylum were employed on manufacture or other works ; during the
year 1881 Dr. Fairweather employed a considerable number in grinding
wheat, gardening, and levelling old buildings. This kind of employment is
very suitable for lunatics, and perhaps better than any other calculated to keep
them in health ; it appears also from paragraph 23 of Dr. Fairweather's report
that a fair profit was realized on this labor. It would appear, however, that
there is great room for further employment of the lunatics on manufactures.
Statement II. shows that 80 lunatics on the average were employed on manu-
factures, and the net profit realized amounted to Rs. 263, or about Rs. 3 per
head of those employed ; but including the net profit realized on labor other
than manufactures, the net profit per head of the whole number of inmates
would be little over Rs. 2. The corresponding statement of the Delhi Asylum
shows that 62 lunatics were employed on manufactures out of an average
strength of 73 , and a net profit of Rs. 580, or Rs. 9-5-0 per head of the num-
ber employed, and Rs. 8 per head of the whole number of inmates was
realized.
In both Asylums the lunatics have been well cared for, and the Superin-
tendents report favorably of the care and attention to their duties of the
Deputy Superintendent and other subordinates.