7
8. Sickness and Mortality.—The total number treated in the hospital was
314 against 439 in the previous year, and the daily average number of sick
was 17.77 against 19.89.
The average duration of each lunatic's sickness was 20.63 days, compared
with 16.58 in 1888. There were 37 deaths during the year. Of these, 7
resulted from cholera, 6 from dysentery, 6 from remittent fever, 1 from secondary
syphilis, 1 from apoplexy, 2 from debility, 1 from old age and debility, 3 from
epilepsy, 2 from acute mania, 1 from fatty degeneration of the heart, 1 from
chronic bronchitis, 1 from pneumonia, 1 from diarrhoea, 1 from ascites, 1 from
rupture of the spleen, 1 from impaction of food in the throat, and 1 from
hanging (suicide). The death-rate was 14.69 per cent. of daily average strength
against 5.06 in 1888. This high rate was chiefly due to cholera and to a very
unhealthy season proving fatal to many weakly patients suffering from organic
disease. Several old and diseased patients also succumbed this year. Com-
paring this with the preceding cholera years, the percentage was less than in
1872, 1875 and 1879, nearly equal to that in 1881, but greater than in 1887.
9. Cholera.—When cholera appeared in the neighbourhood every precau-
tion was taken to prevent its spread in the Asylum. Ample supplies of dry
articles of food were stored in the godowns. Meat and vegetables were brought
daily from the market and washed with pipe water outside the Asylum. Cows
were kept in the Asylum premises, as heretofore, and milked before the door
of the Asylum. The milk was boiled before distribution. Unfortunately on
the 27th August 1889 a case of cholera occurred among the female lunatics.
It was sporadic till the 9th September 1889, when 3 cases occurred among the
male lunatics. The male lunatics of that section were removed into camp
on 10th September 1889, and after that only one other undoubted case
occurred. They returned on the 22nd September 1889. There were 7
deaths out of 9 cases.
10. Injuries.—The injuries were 7 cases of contusions, chiefly due to
epileptics falling. One woman's humerus was broken in a quarrel with another
lunatic. Judicial enquiries were made into the death from rupture of the
spleen, which was found accidental and due to a fall, and into the suicide by
hanging, which was suddenly effected by using the string of a pyjama on the
hinge of a door. The warder on duty in the ward at the time was dismissed.
11. Expenditure.—Statement No. 9 shows the receipts and expenditure
of the Asylum. The sum drawn from the treasury for establishment, food, cloth-
ing, contingencies, &c., was Rs. 23,354-7-5 against Rs. 24,739-12-11 in 1888.
The Public Works charges were Rs. 3,180-10-5, and the cost of printed forms
and stationery Rs. 23-14-0. The value of lunatics' labor in the form of garden
produce, weaving, &c., was Rs. 1,018-7-11 (vide column 21 of Statement No. 9).
Thus the gross expenditure was Rs. 27,577-7-9. After deducting Rs. 340-4-8
recovered from friends of lunatics (vide column No. 23 of Statement No. 9)
and Rs. 1,467-3-7 received from lunatics labor and miscellaneous sources (vide
column No. 21 of Statement No. 9 and column 4 of Statement No. 11) from
the gross expenditure, the net cost to the State would be Rs. 25,769-15-6.
12. Cost per Head.—The following table shows the net cost per head
calculated on the daily average strength, 251.88.
1
Year.
1889
2
3
4
5 6 7 8
9
10
11
12
COST PER HEAD ON ACCOUNT OF
RECEIVED FROM TREASURY (vide COLUMNS 6 TO 13 AND FROM
24 TO 27 OF STATEMENT No 9.)
Superin-
tendence
and
Estab-
lishment.
Rs.
44
a.
2
p.
10
Diet.
Rs.
39
a.
2
p.
1
Clothing
and
Bedding.
Rs.
4
a.
9
p.
6
Bazar
Medi-
cines.
Rs.
0
a.
4
p.
1
Contin-
gencies.
Rs.
4
a.
9
p.
1
Public
Works
Depart-
ment
Charges.
Rs.
12
a.
10
p.
1
Cost of
printed
Forms
and
Station-
ery.
Rs.
0
a.
1
p.
6
VALUE OF LUNATICS LABOUR AS GARDEN
PRODUCE, WEAVING, &c. (vide COLUMNS
15 TO 20 OF STATEMENT No. 9.)
Diet.
Rs.
1
a.
14
p.
10
Clothing
and
Bedding.
Rs.
1
a.
9
p.
1
Bazar
Medi-
cines.
Rs.
0
a.
1
p.
7
Contin-
gencies.
Rs.
0
a.
7
p.
3
13
Gross
cost per
head.
Rs.
109
a.
7
p.
11