5
ANNUAL REPORT ON LUNATIC ASYLUMS.
close of 1877-78. The results of 1878-79 as compared with those of the previous
year were therefore less favorable as regards discharges, but they show a reduc-
tion in mortality.
8. The subjoined abstract shows the results as regards criminal lunatics in
each of the three asylums. With reference to the remaining at the end of 1878-79
the increase was confined to Madras, there having been a diminution in each of
the two other institutions.
Asylums.
Madras ...
Vizagapatam.
Calicut ...
Total ...
Remained.
Males.
40
9
7
56
Females.
5
1
2
8
Total.
45
10
9
64
Admitted.
Males.
32
3
2
37
Females.
5
...
...
5
Total.
37
3
2
42
Total Treated.
Males.
72
12
9
93
Females.
10
1
2
13
Total.
82
13
11
106
Discharged.
Males.
13
1
2
16
Females.
1
...
1
2
Total.
14
1
3
18
Died.
Males.
13
3
4
20
Females.
...
...
...
...
Total.
13
3
4
20
Remaining.
Males.
46
8
3
57
Females.
9
1
1
11
Total.
55
9
4
68
Table No. II of Appendix gives details as to the criminal sections of the
asylums for 1878-79 and the ten preceding years. The class of criminal insanes
has a growing tendency, although the daily average strength was less in 1878-79
than in the immediately preceding years. The growth of an asylum population
is greatly due to the accumulation of incurable cases, and although the numbers
remaining at the close of 1877-78 and 1878-79 were less than in some of the
preceding years, still no conclusion can be arrived at from this as to the probable
increase or decrease of criminal insanes in coming years. A good many cases
must of course prove incurable and remain there to die, meanwhile increasing the
remaining at the close of each year during their tenure of life. Dr. Mortimer
Granville, an authority on lunacy, in England, is inclined to think that the normal
life of a case of insanity "so far as residence in an asylum is concerned should be
estimated at nearly nine years, when the population studied is a large one and the
period surveyed covers three or four decades."
9. Admissions of Civil Insanes.—The following abstract gives the numbers
admitted in 1878-79 according to sex and caste. The total admissions amounted to
176, and were therefore 26 in excess of the numbers in 1877-78. Of the total 176
admitted 5 were re-admissions, thereby reducing the actual number of fresh cases
to 171. The increase in admissions is not of any significance with respect to the
increase or decrease of mental disease amongst the population.
Caste.
Europeans and East Indians ...
Hindus
...
...
...
...
Mahomedans ... ... ...
Native Christians
...
...
...
Other Castes
...
...
...
Total ...
Males.
22
79
12
5
5
123
Females.
14
31
1
5
2
53
Total.
36
110
13
10
7
176
Of the 176 admissions 36 or 20.45 per cent. were Europeans or East Indians, 110
or 62.50 per cent. Hindus, 13 or 7.38 per cent. Mahomedans, 10 or 5.68 per cent.
Native Christians, and 7 or 3.97 per cent. "other castes."
10. These returns as to caste and sex do not as yet afford reliable data as to
the comparative prevalence of insanity amongst males and females, and amongst
the different castes. In European asylums female are in excess of male insanes,
and this mainly because women are more numerous than men. Thus, of 9,097
insanes in Scotch asylums 4,879 were females and 4,218 males. The small number,
comparatively, of females in Madras asylums is to a certain extent due to caste
2