4
ANNUAL REPORT ON THB LUNATIC ASYLUMS.
(b) The daily average strength, 124*81 was much the same as last year,
while the percentage of deaths on this strength was much less, 7*21 against 11*16.
The mortality compared with recent years was low and the general health of these
inmates verv good.
4. STATEMENT No III gives the religion, sex and residence of those admitted. Of
the 225 admissions, there were 134 Hindus, 27 Muhammadans, 22 Native Christians,
31 Europeans and Eurasians and 11 of other classes. As usual, Madras contri-
buted the largest share of the admissions and this year the batch returned from.
Ceylon made up a noticeable figure.
5. STATEMENTS Nos. IV AND V show the occupations and ages of the admissions.
There were 26 agricultural labourers, 42 coolies, ministerial and menial servants
13 each, 16 beggars, 18 were of no occupation and in 26 their occupation was
unknown. The remainder in small numbers belonged to various occupations.
With regard to ages 17 were under 20 years on admission, 146 were from between
20 to 40 years, 52 between 40 to 60 years and 10 above 60 years.
6. STATEMENTS Nos. VI AND VII.—The numbers admitted for the chief recognized
forms of mental diseases were for mania 134 (including 6 epileptics), for dementia
50 (including 5 epileptics), for melancholia 31 (including 2 epileptics), for idiocy 5,
for delusional insanity 4 and for mental stupor 1. Specific causes were assigned in
106 cases, i.e., in 47*11 per cent, comparing favourably with the 39*46 per cent, of
the previous year. Of the known causes, 81 were ascribed to physical causes such
PS epilepsy, spirit-drinking, ganja-smoking, heredity, etc., and 25 to moral causes ;
but the * unknown' cause still figures too largely in the returns—from the difficulty,
of course, of obtaining an accurate history of the individual patients.
7. ESCAPES.—There were no escapes from the asylums in Madras and Calicut,
but from that at Vizagapatam, 5 males and 1 female escaped from the grounds
while at work, 4 of whom were captured in a few hours, while the other (a male)
is still at large.
8. MEDICAL—(a) Sickness and its causes.—The average daily sick in the three
asylums was 41*66 against 62*89 in the previous year. The general health of the
patients was good. As usual, the largest number of admissions to hospital was for
catarrhal enteritis and its allies, diarrhoea and dysentery; next came acute mania
and tubercle of the lungs.-
(6) Mortality and its causes.—Seventy-two deaths occurred in the three asy-
lums against 86 in 1905. The percentage mortality on daily average strength was
11*87 against 14*64 of the previous year, so that the figure for the asylums of all
England of 10*03 is fairly approximate to ours despite the difference in the causes
of the mortality in the two countries, for the general paralysis of the insane that
is almost unknown in India causes 20 per cent, or more of the deaths in asylums in
England, while with us tuberculosis is by far the most important cause of death,
and next come bowel affections closely followed by acute mania.
9. EPIDEMICS.—There were no epidemics in any of the asylums, but two cases
of cholera occurred among the first batch of lunatics transferred from Colombo to
Madras, one of whom died. The precautions taken sufficed to prevent a spread of
the disease.
10. STATEMENT No. VIII.—A reference to the financial statement shows a de-
crease in expenditure of lls. 5,575-11-9. This decrease was in spite of the higher
rate of pay drawn for part of the year by the Superintendent of the Madras Asylum
and the increased charges on diet owing to larger numbers treated and enhanced
rates of provisions, and is clue chiefly to smaller expenditure on buildings and their
repairs, smaller salary drawn by the Military Assistant Surgeon in the Madras
Asylum, smaller cost of bedding and clothing, and to the greater amount realized
from paying patients (Rs. 1,121 more).
11. DIET.—The average cost of the diets is shown to be much the same as in
former years, though market prices ruled somewhat higher and I am inclined to
think that a more liberal * table ' might sometimes be advantageously given.