No. 1283, dated 28th April 1883.
From - Surgeon-General S. C. TOWNSEND, 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 the year 1882, I have the honor to offer the following
remarks.
2. The number of lunatics admitted into the two Asylums in the course
of the year was 138, six in excess of the number admitted in the previous
year. The total number treated during the year amounted to 458, of whom
378 were males and 80 females ; of the above total, 338 were confined in the
Lahore Asylum and 115 in the Delhi Asylum.
3. Of the 188 lunatics admitted, 12 belonged to the criminal class ; and
at the close of the year there were 42 of this class in confinement, 39 men and
3 women.
4. Forty-one lunatics were discharged cured from the two Asylums, 22,
equal to 8.9 per cent. of average strength, from the Lahore Asylum, and 19,
equal to 26.5 per cent., from the Delhi Asylum; 11 were transferred to their
friends in an improved state from the Delhi Asylum, 2 from the Lahore
Asylum. In explanation of the comparatively small number of cured and
improved, discharged from the Lahore Asylum, Dr. Gray states that cases
were kept longer under observation than in former years after they had ceased
to exhibit symptoms of insanity before they were pronounced cured. Dr..
Ross attributes the large number of cured and improved, discharged from the
Delhi Asylum, to his having taken measures to amuse the inmates, particularly
by providing them with musical instruments.
5. Eight lunatics were discharged from the Lahore Asylum, and 5
from the Delhi Asylum, without having exhibited symptoms of insanity after
having been kept under observation for sufficient periods after admission.
6. Four lunatics escaped during the year, 3 from Lahore, and 1
from Delhi: none appear to have been recaptured.
7. Twenty-three lunatics died in the Lahore Asylum and 10 in the Delhi
Asylum during the year. The rate of the mortality in the Lahore Asylum (8.8
per cent.) is below what is usual in asylums in this country. The rate of mor-
tality in the Delhi Asylum was 13 per cent. The mortality in this Asylum
was raised by a rather excessive prevalence of pneumonia : 9 cases occurred, of
which 4 proved fatal. In the Lahore Asylum there were only 6 cases
none of which were fatal.
8. The total cost of the institutions, as shewn in Statement No. IX, was
for the Lahore Asylum Rs. 29,329, Delhi Asylum Rs. 10;974-9-5.
9. The average expenditure per head of average strength on diet, cloth-
ing, medicines and contingencies in the two Asylums was as follows:—
Diet ...
Clothing and bedding ...
Medicines...
Contingencies...
TOTAL...
Lahore.
Rs.
36
7
1
5
51
A.
14
6
10
7
5
P.
0
0
0
0
0
Delhi.
Rs.
39
11
0
11
62
A.
9
2
8
4
7
P.
0
0
0
0
0
10. The cost per head under the same items of expenditure in the pre-
vious years was at Lahore Rs. 55-14-2, at Delhi Rs. 54-3-0. In the Lahore
Asylum there was a considerable reduction in the cost per head compared
with the previous year. In the Delhi Asylum, on the other hand, the cost per
head in all the items given, except medicine, was much higher than in Lahore,
and also much higher than in the Delhi Asylum in the previous year. In the