ANNUAL REPORT ON LUNATIC ASYLUMS.
7
(d) Escapes.—In the Vizagapatam Asylum a male insane succeeded in
eluding his attendant when his cottage was opened but was brought back by
the police after three days from a village a few miles distant. Three persons
attempted to escape from the Madras Asylum but were shortly returned.
(e) Religions, races and castes.—
Asylum.
Vizagapatam ... ...
Calicut ... ...
Madras ...
...
...
Total ...
Remained on 1st January 1894.
Hindus.
37
47
251
335
Muham-
madans.
3
20
56
79
Christians.
3
13
98
114
Other
castes.
3
...
53
56
Admitted during 1894.
Hindus.
9
20
89
118
Muham-
madans.
2
20
26
48
Christians.
1
3
37
41
Other
castes.
...
1
14
15
(f) Sexes.—Of the 584 insanes who remained on 1st January 1894, 442
were males and 142 females. During the year 222 were admitted—180 males and
42 females.
(g) Occupation.—These are fully detailed in statement IV, the headings in
which have this year been revised in accordance with the classification in the
Census Report of 1891. The previous occupation of all the insanes admitted
during the year was ascertained with the exception of one man in the Calicut
Asylum. The largest number of admissions (41) was from the 'carrier' cooly
class, and the next in the order of frequency was from 'cultivators,' 27.
(h) Ages.—These are dealt with in statement V as usual. The largest
number of admissions was between the ages 20 to 40.
(i) Types of insanity.—These are dealt with in statement VI. The largest
number of cases treated was for mania 549, of whom 53 recovered. The next
largest number under treatment was from melancholia 81, of whom 7 recovered.
There were 69 cases of dementia treated without any recoveries as might be
expected.
(j) Causes of insanity.—These are dealt with in statement VII. The
principal 'physical' causes are returned as from ganja-smoking 77 cases, hereditary
taint 40 cases, under privation and starvation 55 cases, only 1 case is returned
as due to opium-smoking ; 6 cases to opium-eating, all old cases ; 5 cases to the
use of bhang, 12 to spirit-drinking and 5 for all other intoxicants. The principal
'moral' causes are returned as 'religion' 27, grief 25 and family quarrels 23.
6. CRIMINAL POPULATION AND THEIR SUB-DIVISIONS.—There were no criminal
insanes during the year at Calicut. Since August 1892 all criminal insanes from
Vizagapatam have been sent to Madras, so that the admission of one so-called
criminal into the Vizagapatam Asylum requires explanation. The Superintendent
reports " that this man was originally received into the asylum as a civil insane and
after six months was discharged recovered. Within a month of his release he
was brought back to the asylum as a criminal it having transpired that he had set
fire to a hut while insane, and that he ought, in the first instance, to have been
admitted as a criminal. As the man was perfectly sane, there was nothing to be
gained by sending him all the way to Madras. His removal there would only
have acted injuriously. He was not treated as a lunatic but as an assistant to
the attendants. The Government has sanctioned his release on security to be
given by his relatives."
In the Madras Asylum, the year opened with a population of 150 criminal
insanes of both sexes; there were 43 admissions, 20 discharges, and 14 deaths,
leaving 159 criminal insanes on 31st December 1894. Of the admissions, 11
were tried and acquitted on grounds of insanity, 23 were insanes on admission
and found incapable of making a defence, and 9 had become insane during
imprisonment.
7. HOSPITAL ACCOMMODATION.—In Vizagapatam there is hospital accommo-
dation for 12 males. There being no hospital accommodation for females, the old