6
ANNUAL REPORT ON LUNATIC ASYLUMS.
absent even in the most serious cases. Amongst the causes leading to its pre-
valence and great fatality in Madras may be included the privations to which
most of the patients are subjected prior to admission. Thirteen deaths resulted
from diseases of the nervous system, the most prominent amongst these being
apoplexy (4), general paralysis of insane (2) and meningitis (3). Seven deaths
were due to bowel-complaints, viz., 5 to dysentery and 2 to diarrhœa. Both
ailments are sometimes brought on by over-eating or the ingestion of irritating
substances.
In the Vizagapatam Asylum the general health of the insanes was more
favorable than 1886, for, although the average daily sick rate was fractionally
higher than in 1887, there was a decline in the mortality from 5.98 to 3.83 per
cent. of daily average strength. The latter rate is remarkably low and cannot be
expected to continue. As already remarked, this asylum was the only one of
the three in which the proportion of recoveries was higher than in 1886. The
ailments treated in hospital included 1 of epilepsy and 1 of paralysis, both fatal ;
1 of pneumonia and 6 of bowel-complaints. There was only 1 case of injury, viz.,
a wound of the face.
In the Calicut Asylum, the daily average sick, viz., 1.58, was, considering the
population, very moderate; and the death-rate 3.39 per cent. of daily average
strength, although higher than in 1886, was very low, in fact lower than in any of
the other institutions. The more serious ailments treated were dysentery (7),
atrophy (7), epilepsy (2) and senile gangrene (1). The injuries sustained were
fracture of the clavicle 1 and dislocation of the humerus 1. There were in all 4
deaths, viz., 3 from atrophy and 1 from hypertrophy.
11. CRIMINAL LUNATICS.—On the 1st January 1887 there remained of this class
under treatment 90 males and 18 females, to whom were added during the year 49
males and 5 females, making a total of 139 men and 23 women. Of these, 19 were
discharged and 9 died, leaving at the end of the year 134 of both sexes against 108
in 1886 and 110 in 1885. These figures do not include the criminal insanes, who
were detained in jails for want of room in the asylums.
12. FINANCE.—In statement IX of Appendix will be found details as to cash
accounts, and according to it the receipts amounted to Rs. 1,28,302-5-7 against
Rs. 1,17,965-9-5 in 1886. Of the total receipts, Rs. 91,469-2-7 were drawn from
the treasury and Rs. 34,522-3-2 received on account of paying patients, including
those supported by Municipalities and Local Fund Boards. The actual receipts
for self-supporting patients were Rs. 6,422-8-6, and for paupers supported at the
expense of local authorities Rs. 28,099-10-8. The balance of receipts consisted of
Rs. 2,068-8-3, the value of articles received from the manufacturing department,
and Rs. 242-7-7, the cost of medical stores.
13. The subjoined statement contrasts the monthly average cost per patient,
including the Superintendent's pay for 1887 with that for 1886, in each of the
three asylums :—
Years.
1886
...
...
1887
...
...
Madras Asylum.
Europeans and
Eurasians.
RS.
16
16
A.
14
11
P.
8
7
Natives.
RS.
11
11
A.
8
2
P.
4
6
Vizagapatam
Asylum.
RS.
12
10
A.
4
2
P.
7
1
Calicut
Asylum.
RS.
10
9
A.
4
13
P.
9
8
In all three asylums the charges show a reduction in 1887, and the decrease in
the Vizagapatam and Calicut institutions was very satisfactory.
14. In table X of Appendix will be found a statement of the establishment
of each asylum and its cost. The total monthly charge for establishments was
Rs. 2,984-8-0 against Rs. 3,088 in 1886. The decrease was chiefly due to the