( 3 )
amounted to 77 males and 19 females, giving a total of 96. There were two re-
admissions.
The total population was therefore 289 males and 34 females. Of this
number 49 males and 11 females were discharged, of whom 37 males and 8
females were cured, and 10 males and 3 females discharged improved, 2 escaped,
30 died, and at the close of the year 233 remained.
The daily average strength was 214.03 males and 16.40 females against
208.35 males and 15.39 females of last year, it being considerably above that of
last year.
Criminal Lunatics.—Seventy-seven criminal lunatics remained from the
previous year, 36 were admitted, and there were 2 re-admissions, making a
total of 115. Of these 4 were considered capable of making their defence,
2 were discharged to their own homes, 1 was transferred to jail, 3 transferred
to the civil side, and 13 died.
The daily average strength was 86.43 against 72.54 of last year. The mor-
tality amongst the criminals was very high. Out of the total number of deaths
in the whole Asylum 43.33 per cent. were on the criminal side, or 15.04 per cent.
to the daily average of criminal lunatics under treatment. It is difficult to explain
this heavy death-roll. There is no doubt that a very large percentage were anæ-
mic when admitted, and amongst the 13 who died as much as 60.53 per cent.
were recent admissions into the Asylum.
Statements III, IV, and V.—Call for no remarks.
Types of Insanity, Statement VI.—The different forms of insanity in this
statement have been arranged this year according to the classification adopted
in the last edition of the Nomenclature of Disease, and each case had to be
enquired into and re-diagnosed. The different types of insanity admitted were
mania 24, melancholia 41, dementia 8, general paralysis of the insane 2, puerperal
insanity 1, epileptic 5, toxic 5, and consecutive insanity 7. Five were admitted
sane; two of these were men who were re-admitted after trial and three others
were deemed not insane by me when received into the Asylum.
Causes of Insanity, Statement VII.—In accordance with recent instruc-
tions this table has been revised.
Out of the 323 cases of insanity there are 82 in which it is alleged to be due
to physical causes, 95 in which it is alleged to be due to such moral causes as
loss of property, grief, domestic trouble, fright, &c., while in 146 no conjecture
is given as to the cause.
Sickness and Mortality, Statement VIII.—The past year has been most
unhealthy owing to cholera having invaded the Asylum. The death-rate, which
reached 13.01 per cent. on the daily average strength, has not been so high since
1881, the most unhealthy of the series.
The total treated in hospital were 132 against 99 in the previous year, and
the daily average number of sick was 15.44 against 12.39 of last year. Of the
total treated in hospital 87 were discharged cured, 30 died, and 15 remained
under treatment.
The causes of death were 8 from cholera, dysentery 7, tubercle 7, debility
4, remittent fever 1, epilepsy 1, paralysis 1, and hepatitis 1.
The diseases in order of frequency treated during the year were intermittent
fever, debility, dysentery, cholera, epilepsy, phthisis pulmonalis, diarrhœa, &c.
A sick lunatic as a rule has a combination of ailments. There is first of all
the mental diseases which predispose to many disorders of innervation and nu-
trition, and there is the climate causing fevers, affection of lungs and liver.
Anæmia is one of the most common symptoms of failing health, and loss of
appetite, emaciation, and diarrhœa quickly follow; during the rainy season the
diarrhœa becomes dysentery with rapid ulceration of the bowels.
The number of patients admitted into the Asylum with general debility
was very large during the year. The majority of them were kept on the convales-
cent roll, receiving nutritious diets, soups, milk, and in some cases wine was
administered from the date of their admission.
In former years cachexia was generally applied to these cases of de-
bility of which the majority died. This term, though it accurately depicts