11
ANNUAL REPORT ON LUNATIC ASYLUMS.
5. There were 83 admissions during the last seven months; of these—
Military ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...
Criminal ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...
Paupers maintained by Municipalities and Local Fund
Boards
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
Paupers maintained by Government ... ... ... ...
Better class of patients
...
...
...
...
...
Partially maintained by relatives
...
...
...
...
17
11
8
38
4
5
of these admissions 67 were males, 16 females.
6. In Form 7 are detailed the various causes, divided into moral and physical,
of which the latter preponderate by 17. Those of which the cause is unknown
however largely exceed the number to which a cause has been ascribed. As is
usually the case the greatest number of admissions are from intemperance and
indulgence in narcotic drugs, but whilst there are 3 recoveries under the latter
heading there are none from intemperance, testifying to the insidious form of the
disease induced by this habit. No recoveries are recorded amongst insanes when
the disease is due to opium eating. An analysis of Form 7 yields the following
results :—
Total moral
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
Physical
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
Unknown
... ... ... ... ... ... ...
24
81
205
7. The percentage of cures for the past seven months is 39.75 on admissions;
13.53 on average population.
Amongst the recoveries, the highest number are from acute mania, being 20
or nearly 4/5ths of the admissions which were also most numerous under this heading.
In chronic mania there were 8 recoveries or about one-fourth of the admissions.
From melancholia there were 2 recoveries, but in acute and chronic dementia
none; these latter forms of disease admitting of little or no hope of cure.
8. The death-rate during the seven months is exceedingly favorable, being little
more than half that of the same period during the preceding year, and of the 15
one occurred in a patient aged 80, who was received in a "very bad "state of
health and died of general debility forty-five days after admission. Another 55
years of age died thirteen days after admission from heart disease. Two more were
over 50 years. Of the 15 deaths, five were "very bad" on admission, and all with
one exception died within nine months of general debility. Four were bad on
admission and one "indifferent." Out of the above number (15) only one was
"health on admission good "and lived three years and nine months, dying
ultimately of apoplexy. Four were "fair" on admission, and of these all but one
(55 years of age) lived several years in the asylum. Of the 15 deaths, 11 were
males and 4 were females, being a percentage of 6.15 on average strength and
18.07 on admissions.
With regard to the causes of death they were as follows :—
General debility
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
Atrophy ... ... ... ... ... ... ...
Ulceration of bowels ... ... ... ... ... ... ...
Apoplexy ... ... ... ... ... ... ...
Abscess lumbar ... ... ... ... ... ... ...
General paralysis
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
Gangrene ... ... ... ... ... ... ...
Heart disease ... ... ... ... ... ... ...
Total ...
3
3
4
1
1
1
1
1
15
9. I have so fully entered into treatment in former reports that it is unnecessary
to go into the subject in detail, but the greatest reliance must be placed on moral
and hygienic measures and drugs used sparingly.
The non-restraint system is rigidly carried out with very few exceptions,