(
8
)
ceremonies constantly ejaculates " Ram Ram Seeta Ram". Another Sardha, a
Kachi by caste, since dead, was constantly praying to Dhula Deo : and to Debi,
exclaiming that the above alone could cure him : he practiced ascetism in many
little ways especially in complete abstinence from the chewing or smoking of
tobacco, a very unsual piece of self denial in a lunatic.
One Jugmohun Brahmin is a Pundit and labours under intense religious
excitement always fussing about his puja ceremonial and wanting all sorts of
impossible things.
More than half the complete cures occurred in those whose insanity was at-
tributed to ganga : this is reasonable enough on the principal that withdrawal of
the cause led to the disappearance of the effect.
I do not think the mortality was in any way connected with the particular
cause of insanity in those who died.
STATEMENT No. VIII. treats of the bodily ailments 41 (36 males and 5
females) were treated during the year. The daily average number sick was only
1.53 Bearing in mind that scarcely a case admitted into the Asylum is free
from sickness in some shape or form, this return would argue a wonderfully good
state of health in the inmates of any institution : it is particularly remarkable in
a Lunatic Asylum. I have noted when Bowel Complaints and Fevers were pre-
valent in the city and Central Jail, that the Asylum enjoyed almost complete
immunity from these diseases and the cases that occured were of a mild type.
As usual Fever (8), Bowel Complaints (6), and Inflammation of the Lungs
(4) were the most common. There is nothiùg calling for remark. The broken
ribs and broken arms were caused by the lunatics in each instance: the men
were attacked by others and thrown down, the fractures occurred in the scuffle.
The assailants in both cases were men who, though not given to violence, were
excitable and imprudently allowed out of their cells by the Deputy Superintend-
ent, a new man who was acting for the permanent incumbent. In both cases
some provocation was given by the injured men.
Hydrophobia ...
...
...
General Paralysis ...
...
Pneumonia ...
...
...
Dysentery ...
...
...
Spasm of the Colon ...
...
Debility
...
...
...
1
1
1
1
1
1
Six died against 4 for the year preceding. I give the causes of death in the
margin ; the deaths from Hydrophobia and Spasm
of the Colon are so unusual in an institution of
this kind that they may be almost said to be
accidental.
The neighbourhood of the Asylum is infested
with pariah dogs, the numbers of which the Police
or any one else appears to be unable to keep down: it is a common thing daily for
two or three to " Scurry'' through the Asylum premises. In July the deceased
lunatic was bitten in the hand ; the wound was cauterised at once although the
persons who saw the dog declared he was not mad : in September he died with
well marked symptoms of Hydrophobia: he was one of three fatal cases from
the same disease within an area of 1/8 of a mile square, within a period of six weeks:
the third being a European Fitter in the G. I. P. workshops.
The case of Spasm of the Colon occured in a voilent lunatic who had to be
kept locked up; he was seized with it during a time when the weather was cold
and damp : it was next to impossible to get him to keep on his clothes: he could
almost rival the Davenport Brothers in extricating himself from clothes and
handcuffs : if his hands were handcuffed behind his back he could in a minute
wriggle himself between his arms and bring them to the front ! He was
under treatment with opium, belladona and the " Long-tube" for three days,
but nothing brought relief. It was found on a post mortem examination that 15
inches of the descending Colon and Sigmoid flexure were rigidly contracted into
a rope like structure the thickness of ones forefinger : no one part appeared
tighter than the others : the whole 15 inches were tightly constricted.