6
ANNUAL REPORT ON LUNATIC ASYLUMS.
lunacy were ascertained only in 390 cases, while in the remaining 402 cases the
causes were unknown, because of the special difficulties existing in India in
tracing out the previous history of insane persons, not the least of which is that
a large number of them are wanderers from their homes uncared for by their
relatives and are picked up by the police and sent to asylums—a procedure of
doubtful utility in many cases, as in the cases of harmless monomaniacs or cases of
chronic dementia, the only point in its favor being the less likelihood of such
persons being able to propagate their species and thus add to the number of persons
with deranged mental states.
Amongst known moral causes, the most frequent were grief, family quarrels,
foreign service, religious excitement; and amongst physical the most prominent
were narcotic drugs and intemperance, hereditary influence, congenital mental
deficiency, privation or starvation and epilepsy. Although toxic causes (narcotics
and intemperance) are enumerated as being the cause of insanity in 82 cases, still
the number of cases of toxic insanity shown is only 23. The recoveries under this
type of insanity (which is generally a curable form) is perhaps rather small both
in this and last year, the figures being, respectively, 13.05 per cent. and 17.5
per cent.
The 9 cases shown as due to " Foreign service "were European and native
soldiers. The term is the one used by the medical officers who sent the cases to
the asylums. From an examination of the cases of these men, however, 3 are seen
to be physical causes, viz., drink 2 and heredity 1. Of the remaining 6, in 5 the
cause is stated as "Unknown " and in the sixth mental shock on receipt of bad
news is stated to be the cause.
9. FINANCE.—The amount expended during the year towards the maintenance
of the three asylums was Rs. 1,00,028-2-5 as against Rs. 1,22,522-5-8 in the
preceding year. Of the current year's revenue, Rs. 83,477-0-11 was drawn from
the treasury and the balance met as follows :—
Payments from private patients ... ... ... ...
Contributions from local authorities ... ... ...
Value of articles manufactured in the asylums ... ...
Income from the asylums and savings effected in the estab-
lishment
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
RS.
4,976
8,990
1,783
800
A.
13
4
10
5
P.
5
9
0
4
These figures show that there was a considerable decrease both in the total
cost and the contributions from Municipal and Local Fund Boards who, as a body,
are exempted from paying for the cost of patients from their districts under para.
5 of G.O., No. 815 of 5th November 1888, Finance. Setting aside the manufactur-
ing and public work charges, the actual cost of the asylums for 1889 as per columns
16 and 29 to 31 of statement IX is as follows compared with the previous year :—
Years.
1888 ... ... ...
1889 ... ... ...
Madras.
RS.
65,975
63,181
A.
4
1
P.
9
6
Vizagapatam.
RS.
5,715
6,106
A.
3
4
P.
3
0
Calicut.
RS.
14,772
14,189
A.
8
11
P.
2
5
Total.
RS.
86,463
83,477
A.
0
0
P.
2
11
It will be seen from the above statement that these institutions cost, during
the year under report, Rs. 2,985-15-3 less than in the previous year. In calculating
the actual cost for Calicut Asylum for 1889, Rs. 85-7-3, in column 29 of the finan-
cial statement, was excluded, as the sum was met from asylum income and not from
treasury receipts as in 1888. The subjoined statement contrasts the monthly
average cost per patient during the last three years, and shows that the asylums
were, on the whole, worked during 1889 more economically than in the preceding
years:—
Years.
1887
...
...
...
1888
...
...
...
1889 ... ... ...
Madras.
RS.
12
11
11
A.
8
11
9
P.
11
6
11
Vizagapatam.
RS.
10
8
9
A.
0
14
1
P.
4
11
5
Calicut.
RS.
9
10
8
A.
14
0
12
P.
1
6
10
Total.
RS.
32
30
29
A.
7
10
8
P.
4
11
2