6
Annual Report on the Lunatic Asylum, Jubbulpore, for the year
1880.
Statement No. 1.—The number admitted during the past year was only 11, of
whom 5 were criminal, the lowest since the institution was open. The admissions
have been falling steadily during the past three years, owing, I suppose, to the
restrictions imposed by Government orders on sending harmless incurable lunatics
to the asylum. There is no doubt a great many of this kind were sent unneces-
sarily in former years, but I am not by any means sure that now the District
Officials have not gone to the other extreme.
Of the 6 admitted 3 were from Jubbulpore, 2 from Damoh and 1 from
Mandla ; none were received from Seoni. Narsinghpur, Saugor, Hoshangabad or
Nimar.
If 40 or 50 or 60 non-criminal lunatics were sent in former years, even
under the most rigid interpretation of the orders, 6 can scarcely be held to include
all who should be put under treatment, if the intentions of Government were
intelligently carried out.
The 2 readmitted were Sobharam, a criminal lunatic who escaped in 1879,
and DeLima, an East Indian, who was transferred from the criminal list on com-
pleting his sentence He is of course discharged in table 2, and unless readmitted
in table 1 there will be a discrepancy. None were discharged cured, because
all who could be made over to their friends under the above mentioned
orders were discharged during the previous three years, leaving now only those
who are hopelessly insane. Seeing also that those admitted were in all instan-
ces suffering from aggravated symptoms of disease it is not likely that there will
be many cures effected in coming years.
There were two harmless but incurable lunatics remaining from last year
whose friends were sought out and to whom they were made over, in an " im-
proved "condition
Of those discharged "otherwise " 3 absconded, and 1 was transferred from
the criminal list, as above described, 6 died ; details will be given in remarks on
table 8; 1 was drowned by falling into a well, he was removing weeds from the
garden, ran across the grating of the well, a "dozed " timber of which gave way,
and he fell in to the well. The Police held an inquest and reported that no
blame was attributable to any body.
A completely new grating has since been put over the well.
Statement No. 2.-There is little calling for remark in this Statement.
Criminal lunatics are increasing, because they belong to a class not to be lightly
discharged. 5 new admissions were received, almost equalling in number the non
criminal admissions The man readmitted was Sobharam above referred to.
He is a very active, vigorous man, he escaped three times, and on each occasion
committed a theft directly : he is a confirmed kleptomaniac ; in the asylum he
steals any thing he can lay his hand on, blankets, bits of bread, old clothing, &c.
&c. and half conceals it in a stupid way where it is easily found ; he has little or
no use for the article pilfered.
On the last occasion he committed a highway robbery with assault in the
Seoni District, and was sentenced to 7 years imprisonment On enquiry by the
Commissioner of the Division he was found to be a lunatic, and transferred to the
asylum under the orders of the Local Government.
Statement No. 3.— Speaks for itself. As usual Hindus preponderate largely;
perhaps as much as they do in the general population. The individuals are too few
to draw any conclusions from. The " Christian " is DeLima already referred to.
Statement No. 4.—May be dismissed with remarks similar to those preceding:
the numbers admitted under each head of " occupation " are if any thing pro-
portionate to the followers of the particular calling, but too few to furnish any
evidence as to the tendency or otherwise to insanity in individuals following any
special avocation.
Statement No. 5.—Deals with the ages of those admitted. A very few people
go mad before 20 years of age: and more people are living between 20 and 40.