ANNUAL REPORT ON LUNATIC ASYLUMS.
5
strength is strained to the utmost in the battle of life, and to the fact that both the
physical and moral causes that tend to produce insanity are most frequently met
with at this age. It is also very probable that insanes under 20 years of age
are, in a considerable number of cases, taken care of by their relatives.
The comparatively small number of admissions over and above 40 is due to
the decrement of the general population at this age and which is more marked
among insanes, their mean age being less than among the rest of the population.
7. TYPES OF INSANITY.—Table VI in the appendix gives the various forms of
insanity amongst the inmates in the asylums and the number of cases of each under
treatment during the year. The most common form of insanity was dementia, which
contributed 455 cases; next in order of frequency comes mania, which contributes
199 cases. These figures are not quite in accordance with those of previous years,
as mania always was the most common form of insanity. The following table
contrasts these two forms for the past three years :—
Years.
1887 ... ...
1888 ... ...
1889 ... ...
Mania.
Remained.
254
263
148
Admitted.
109
57
51
Total.
363
320
199
Dementia.
Remained.
202
217
396
Admitted.
38
48
59
Total.
240
265
455
It will be seen that the increase under "Dementia" is greater among the
remaining cases than among the new admissions, the figures being 36.4 and 22.9
per cent. respectively. The decrease in the number of cases of mania is also
greater among the remaining than in the admissions, the figures being, respectively,
43.7 and 10.5 per cent.
Speaking generally, this decrease under the heading "Mania" in the residual
population of an asylum and an increase under "Dementia" is in accordance
with medical experience, the state of mental weakness or deficiency known as
" Dementia" being the sequel or termination of the state of mental exaltation known
as " Mania."
8. CAUSES OF INSANITY.—In the following table are recorded the alleged causes
of insanity:—
Physical causes.
Narcotic drags ... ... ... ...
Hereditary
...
...
...
...
Other diseases ... ...
...
Spirit-drinking and intemperance
Congenital
...
...
...
...
Privation and starvation ... ...
Epilepsy ...
...
...
...
...
Fever
...
...
...
...
...
Old age
...
...
...
...
...
Injury to head
...
...
...
...
Masturbation ... ... ... ...
Irregular living and habits ... ...
Syphilitic ...
...
...
...
...
Confinement in jail
...
...
...
Concussion of brain ... ... ...
Previous attacks
...
...
...
...
Puerperal ...
...
...
...
...
Ill-treatment
...
...
...
...
Pthisis
...
...
...
...
...
Total ...
57
36
28
25
23
22
21
14
10
5
5
4
3
2
2
2
1
1
1
262
Moral causes.
Grief
...
...
...
...
...
Family quarrel
...
...
...
...
Foreign service ... ... ... ...
Religion ... ... ... ... ...
Misfortune ... ... ... ...
Mental anxiety ... ... ... ...
Fear
...
...
...
...
...
Fright and nervous shock ... ...
Loss of property ... ... ... ...
Overstudy
...
...
...
...
...
Infidelity on the part of wife ... ...
Disappointment ... ... ... ...
Desertion of husband ... ... ...
Love and jealousy ... ... ...
Dissipation ... ... ... ...
Disgrace
...
...
...
...
False belief ... ... ... ...
Satyriasis ... ... ... ...
Total ...
27
23
9
8
7
7
7
6
5
5
5
4
4
4
2
2
2
1
128
As usual the physical causes preponderated over the moral, there having been
262 cases of the former against 128 of the latter. One of the reasons for which
no doubt is that the former are more easily traced and more evident to the friends
and relatives. Out of a total population of 792 cases, the immediate causes of
2