4
One man, who had erroneously been forwarded as an idiot last year, was
found to be suffering from acute mania, and on recovery was discharged.
Alleged
causes
of
insanity.
6. The admissions have been chiefly from physical causes. Many appear
to be sent to the asylum who are suffering from the effects of
Indian hemp in its various forms—bhang, charas and gánja.
The excessive use produces a condition analogous to delirium
tremens; and the patients are sent up as suffering from acute mania. The
mental aberration caused by the abuse of the drug lasts longer than the delirium
tremens of alcohol. After being kept under observation for some months, they
are generally discharged as sane. Out of the total, 346, in the asylum, 81 were
stated by the certifying officers to have had their insanity caused by this drug.
They form 35.2 per cent. of the total discharged cured.
Sickness and mortality.
7. The year under review has been as healthy as the preceding one.
There was no epidemic disease, and the annual autumnal
fever was of a mild type.
The mortality was 8.01 per cent. of strength; that of last year was 8.09.
This is less by .08 than in 1883.
The number of deaths was 23. Of these 3 resulted from remittent fever,
3 from diarrhœa, 3 from epilepsy, 2 from dysentery, 2 from phthisis pulmonalis,
2 from debility, 1 from intermittent fever, 1 from splenitis, 1 from ascites,
1 from acute bronchitis, 1 from pneumonia, 1 from acute mania, 1 from
asthma, and 1 from drowning.
Expenditure.
8. The expenditure during the year was Rs. 28,882-10-3, against
Rs. 28,678-2-1 in 1883. The increase is chiefly under the
head of "Establishment," consequent on the appointment of a
1st class Hospital Assistant drawing Rs. 70 a month, and the increase of salary of
the Deputy Superintendent on promotion. The expenditure under all other
heads has been less than that of the preceding year. There has been a
decrease in the average cost per head in 1884, as compared with that of
the previous year —
Establishment
...
...
...
...
Diet
...
...
...
...
...
Clothing and bedding ...
...
...
Bázár medicines ...
...
...
...
Contingencies
...
...
...
...
Total
...
...
...
1884.
Rs.
45
35
5
0
5
92
A.
14
2
11
3
13
13
P.
5
3
2
9
8
3
...
...
...
... ...
...
1883.
Rs.
41
36
9
1 6
95
A.
10
6
5
13 2
6
P.
11
11
1
7
9
Manufactures.
9. Statement No. XI. shows the receipts and expenditure on account of
manufactures. The net profit for the year under report
amounts to Rs. 1,380-13-6, being an excess profit over that of
the preceding year of Rs. 136-6.
Employment.
10. 12.4 per cent. are employed in skilled labour, such as weaving
blankets, gára cloth and dasúti, making twine, chicks, &c.,
for the use of the asylum. 46.8 per cent. are employed in
grinding corn, cultivating the garden and grounds, and in the domestic economy
of the establishment. 40.1 per cent. of the men and 43.1 of the women are
too mad to be put to any kind of work. Attempts have been made to interest
the inmates in native games, cards and music, but with slight success. It will be
a great advantage having some simple kind of employment introduced into the
dangerous ward, if it were only to take up the attention of those who are sane
enough to do any intelligent work.
Building.
11. The new European ward was begun in November, and will soon be
ready. There are only two Eurasian patients in the asylum
at present. The ward will be a great convenience for the
treatment and care of cases of temporary insanity among Europeans, and for the
temporary management of cases which have to be sent to Calcutta or Bombay.