( 2 )
Lahore Asylum the decrease in cost was chiefly in the item of diet, but in
the Delhi, the cost of diet per head rose Rs. 35-13-0 in 1881 to Rs. 39-9-0 in 1882,
an increase of nearly Rs. 4 per head. Dr. Ross states that the increase was
due to the extra diet ordered, but this explanation is scarcely satisfactory, for
any increase on this account should have been more than compensated by the
lower price of food that prevailed throughout the year.
11. In the Lahore Asylum 161, or 61 per cent. of the average population,
were employed in labour or manufactures during the year ; in the Delhi Asy-
lum 55, or 76 per cent., were so employed. In the Lahore Asylum the net
profits on the labour amounted to Rs. 1,234, in Delhi to Rs. 353, equal to
Rs. 7-10-0 and Rs. 6-6-0 per head respectively, compared with the previous
year. The profits by employment of the lunatics was considerably higher
in the Lahore Asylum, somewhat less in the Delhi Asylum.
12. The Superintendent of the Lahore Asylum represents the desira-
bility of having the Asylum provided with pure water from the Municipal
service, and also of providing accommodation for the temporary confinement
of European insanes. Both measures are greatly needed, and proposals for
carrying them into effect are under consideration.
13. In both reports several cases of interest are described, and there is
satisfactory evidence that the lunatics are well cared for and kindly treated.
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE LAHORE LUNATIC ASYLUM FOR THE YEAR 1882.
Population—Statement I.
ON the 1st January 1882, the number of lunatics in the Asylum was 240, exactly
the same number as there was on 1st January 1881; the
number admitted in 1882 was 98, which was 5 in excess
of the admissions during 1881. The total population for the two years was therefore very
nearly the same, but the daily average strength in 1882 (262.21) exceeded that of the
previous year by 22.53. This is chiefly due to the fact that only 22 were " discharged cured"
in 1882 against 39 in 1881. The explanation of this is not that a smaller proportion of those
in the Asylum in 1882 were cured, but that capes were kept longer under observation from
the time they ceased to show symptoms of insanity before being pronounced cured.
Of the 11 entered in column 6 C., Statement I, 8 effected their escape; one of these had
not previously shown any symptoms of insanity, although he had been under observation in the
Asylum for nearly two months. None of them have been recaptured.
The remaining 8 entered in that column (6 C.) were discharged without having exhibited
any symptoms of insanity after being kept for various periods in the Asylum.
Statement No. I might be made clearer, if there were one column for showing the
number of escapes, and another for showing the number who are discharged without having
exhibited any evidence of being insane after admission into the Asylum.
Criminal Lunatics—Statement II.
Religion, sex and residence of admis-
sions—Statement III.
Occupation of admissions—Statement IV.
Age of admissions—Statement V.
2. The figures entered in the statements, from II. to
V. are nearly the same as those shown in the statements
of previous years, and call for little remark.
During the year 1882, the number of sepoys admitted (7) was half of what it was in 1881.
Of the 7, one was discharged after being kept for upwards of a month without showing
any symptom of insanity.
Statement VI.-" Types of insanity."
3. With regard to Statement No. VI. (showing the types of insanity), I ought to state
that of the 13 who were returned on the 31st December
1881 as " not insane," as many as 5 subsequently showed
unmistakable signs of insanity. It seems to me that no one who is admitted into the Asylum
should be returned as " not insane " till he is discharged from it.
Idiots and imbeciles—Statement VI
4. It will be seen from Statement VI. that there were 6 idiots and 2 imbeciles in the
Asylum during the year. Most of them have been long
inmates of the Asylum. They, as well as some cases of
"chronic dementia," might with safety be made over to their relatives, if they had any who
were willing to provide for and take charge of them. I have endeavoured to trace the rela-
tives of a number of such cases through the Deputy Commissioners of districts, but mostly
without success.
Under orders of the Punjab Government, such cases are now prohibited from being sent
to the Asylum.