3
16. Sickness and mortality.—The admissions into hospital and the num-
ber of deaths in the Lahore Asylum were more than in the previous year. The
admissions rose from 432 to 517, and the number of deaths increased by 2.
Malarial fever was very prevalent, 214 admissions against only 76 in 1893 ;
and cases of diarrhœa also rose, 12 to 23 cases.
17. The asylum was again entirely free from cholera in 1894. The
number of patients admitted for anæmia shows a further decrease from 25 to 17
cases with a single death. The daily average under treatment in hospital was
46.56, against 38.05 in 1893.
18. The total number of deaths for the whole year was 24, compared with
22 in 1893, and were due to the following causes, viz. :—Pneumonia 7, tubercu-
losis of lungs 3, epilepsy 2, acute mania 2, and 1 each from dysentery, malarial
fever, tuberculosis of intestines, anæmia, ascites, peritonitis, acute nephritis, heat
apoplexy, asphyxia and rupture of spleen.
19. The mortality on total population was 7.57 per cent., and on daily
average strength 10.16.
20. In the Delhi Asylum there were 67 patients admitted into hospital,
compared with 80 in 1893. The daily average sick was 6.25, against 4.26 in 1893.
There were 18 deaths, or 8 more than in the year previous and were due to the
following causes, viz., dysentery 2, from pneumonia 5, and 1 each from debility,
anæmia, meningitis, intermittent fever, congestion (cerebrum), acute softening
of the brain, syncope, pneumonic phthisis, ascites, cystitis, and abscess.
21. The percentage of deaths to total population was 11.04, and to daily
average strength 17.12, the highest since 1884.
22. The expenditure on the Lahore Asylum amounted to Rs. 24,198-15-3,
a slight decrease on the sum of Rs. 24,382-12-6 spent in 1893.
23. The cost of establishment, as shown in columns 8 and 9 of Statement
IX, amounted to Rs. 8,845-14-4, a small decrease of Rs. 91-11-10 on 1893.
The establishment is now as low as it is possible to have it under existing circum-
stances. The cost of diet fell from Rs. 9,807-1-8 to Rs. 8,127-12-9, a decrease
of Rs. 1,739-4-11, due to the cheapness of provisions. The expenditure on
clothing and bedding amounted to Rs. 2,285-5-1, an increase of Rs. 369-11-5 on
that of 1893, and was owing again to an issue of extra blankets. The expendi-
ture on contingencies proper, Rs. 826-3-5, was much the same as in 1893.
24. In the Delhi Asylum the total charges amounted to Rs. 9,768-11-6,
compared with Rs. 13,461-7-4 in 1893, a decrease which is accounted for, in a
groat measure, by the reduction in the Public Works charges by Rs. 2,705-13-9.
Eliminating these charges for both years, the expenditure was 8,050-12-11 for
1894 and Rs. 9,043-11-0 for 1893, a decrease of Rs. 986-14-1.
25. There was a nominal decrease on establishment charges; a decrease of
Rs. 633-5-8 on diet, due partly to the favourable rates at which food grains were
selling during a great portion of the year, and partly to a system of making
direct purchases from dealers ; and a decrease of Rs. 287-5-4 on clothing and
bedding.
26. The usual abstract of the cash accounts, showing the cash expenditure
under the different headings, is given below. The cost per head on diet shows
an appreciable decrease in both asylums, but this is due to the favourable
market rates which prevailed throughout most part of the year. Establishments
cannot well be further reduced, and any fluctuations under this head depend
greatly on the daily average strength of the asylums.