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1881-82. The question of the best manner of providing increased accommodation in
all three asylums is now under the consideration of Government, and the Surgeon-
General should expedite the submission of his reply to G.O., 16th July 1889,
No. 1215. It is observed that the figures of capacity of each asylum appended to
Statement I in the report differ from those supplied in the monthly accommodation
returns, and the Government desires to be informed of the reason for this difference.
At Waltair, admissions numbered 9 against a five-years' average of 12.8, and at
Calicut 29 against a similar average of 33.6.
1883-84
..
..
..
..
1884-85
..
..
..
..
1885 (9 months)
1886
..
..
..
..
1887
..
..
..
..
Compare 1888 ..
Total popu-
lation.
652
707
727
768
797
795
Daily
average
population.
475
521
581
588
621
645
2. Owing to the smaller admissions, the aggregate of patients dealt with during
the year slightly diminished, but the daily
average population was considerably
higher than in 1887 or preceding years.
The figures are shown in the margin.
This rise in average number of inmates
seems to have been partly caused by the
smaller number cured and otherwise dis-
charged during 1888. Sixty-one patients
were cured, as compared with 73 in 1887
and 118 in 1886, the decrease occurring in
the Madras asylum, where the number
of cures in the year under report amounted only to 38, against a five-years' average
of 60. As observed by the Surgeon-General with the Government, the decrease is
not satisfactory, but the proportion of cures varies so considerably from year to year,
and must depend so largely on the character of disease met with, that no certain
conclusion can be drawn from the decrease. It is probable, moreover, that the
smaller number of admissions tended to reduce the proportion of cures, long-standing
cases being less hopeful than recent ones.
–
1884-85 .. .. .. ..
1885 (9 months) .. ..
1886 .. .. .. ..
1887 .. .. .. ..
1888 .. .. .. ..
Discharges.
129
100
145
124
109
Deaths.
35
27
33
46
39
3. The figures showing discharges and deaths are compared for 5 years in the margin.
The death-rate, though lower than in
1887, was slightly above the average, the
rate being 23.31 per cent. of admissions.
In the Madras asylum, special attention
is due to the very heavy mortality among
the female population, equal to 50 per
cent. of the admissions and 10 per cent.
of the daily average population. Nearly
half the deaths—5 out of 13—were due
to chronic pneumonic phthisis, and 4 more to diseases of the brain and epilepsy, but
there were 3 deaths from diarrhoea and dysentery, and among the male patients 5 deaths
are ascribed to the same causes. The Government considers that these figures
deserve the careful attention of the Surgeon-General, for it is obvious that the
" mal-nutrition " of which the report makes mention may arise from other causes than
impairment of the nervous centres. The fact that so large a number of cases of
dysentery and diarrhœa (59) were under treatment in hospital during the year is also
significant.
—
1887 ..
1888 ..
Mania.
272
260
Melan-
cholia.
34
40
Dementia.
211
225
Idiots.
34
36
Others.
76
84
4. In Statement VI—the return of types of insanity met with during the year
the most noticeable feature is not a hopeful one, viz., the largely-increased proportion
of cases of dementia admitted. It is apparent from the figures given in paragraph 9
that dementia furnishes a larger proportion of deaths and a lower rate of recovery than
other forms of insanity, being often but a more advanced stage of disease. The
figures in the margin compare the types of
insanity remaining under treatment at the
end of 1887 and 1888. Under " Others "
are included cases of toxic insanity, of
which 8 were admitted during the year
and 40 were under treatment, 7 recover-
ing and 2 being transferred as improved.
Turning to the causes of insanity as shown in Table VII, it appears that 69 cases are
ascribed to ganja smoking and the use of intoxicants, and among these 12 recovered
Epilepsy, hereditary taint and congenital defect account for 81, and the total number