( 29 )
in regard to the preparation of Statement VI, presumably on account of the difficulty
of re-classification at so late a date. From
this statement it appears that out of 792
patients treated, no fewer than 455, or 57.4
per cent., were suffering from dementia.
The next largest group was formed by
persons afflicted with mania; these num-
bered 199, or 25.1 per cent. of the total.
Among the larger groups, the rate of curen
varied from 11.5 per cent. in the case of
mania to 3 per cent. in epileptic insanity;
particulars appear in the margin.
9. In the following table the patients treated are classified with reference to the
more important causes of insanity :—
Dementia .. ..
Mania .. ..
Epileptic insanity ..
Percentage cured to total
treated.
Males.
4.8
14.7
3.8
Females.
9.9
4.7
0.0
Total.
5.9
11.5
3.0
Cause.
(a) Physical—
Gainja smoking .. .. ..
Spirit drinking .. .. ..
Congenital type
..
..
..
Epilepsy .. .. .. ..
Hereditary taint .. .. ..
Privation .. .. ..
" Other diseases"
..
..
..
Cause.
(b) Moral—
Grief .. .. .. .. ..
Family quarrel .. .. ..
Proportion of cases due to a physical cause
to the total number of cases treated ..
Proportion of cases due to a physical cause
to the total number of cases the cause of
Percentage to the total number of cases
ascertained to be due to a physical cause.
Males.
21.7
10.1
7.7
7.7
10.1
9.1
8.2
Females.
0.0
1.8
12.7
9.1
27.3
5.4
20.0
Total.
17.2
8.4
8.8
8.0
13.7
8.4
10.7
Percentage to the total number of cases
ascertained to be due to a moral cause.
Males.
20.2
17.2
34.6 per cent.
67.6
„
Females.
24.1
20.7
28.3 per cent.
65.5
„
Total.
21.1
17.9
33.0 per cent.
67.2
„
A knowledge of the cause of insanity being undoubtedly a matter of great
importance, the improvement in this respect which has occurred during the last few
years in the Madras asylums is a satisfac-
tory feature of their administration. The
figures given in the margin show how
steady this advance has been. In respect
of the registration of causes, the results
obtained during 1889 in the Madras
asylums lie midway between those
obtained in Bengal and Bombay and
those in the Panjáb ; thus the percentage of cases in which no cause was ascertained
to the total number treated was, in the year under review, in Bengal 48.4, in Bombay
48.6, in Madras 50.7 and in the Punjab 52.2. On the other hand, in England, in the
10 years ending 1887, the proportion to the total number of patients admitted into the
various institutions of those in whose cases the cause of insanity was unknown was
only 20.7 per cent., so that there is obviously room for considerable improvement in
this Presidency.
The sub-divisions adopted in Statement VII under the two main heads " Physical
causes " and " Moral causes " seem in several cases open to objection. When review-
ing the report for 1888, the Government commented upon the unsatisfactory character
of the term " Foreign service " when used to denote a cause of insanity, and the
Surgeon-General now admits the inaccuracy of the expression, but nevertheless the
expression is again used; some more definite term should be used in future. "Dissi-
pation " appears as a sub-division of the " Moral Cause " division, but " Intemper-
ance " and " Irregular Habits " are shown as " Physical" causes, and in the Bengal
Percentage to total
treated of cases due to
an unascertained cause.
1885 .. .. .. ..
1886 .. .. .. ..
1887 .. .. .. ..
1888 .. .. .. ..
1889 .. .. .. ..
69.7
69.4
57.7
52.4
50.7