4
in mental and this can be realised by a walk round one of the modern
mental hospitals. As late as the 18th century insanes were kept in chains.
Modern mental hospitals give insanes irrespective of their crimes as much
freedom as possible. Experience teaches us that this method helps the reco-
very rate. As the Indian Mental Hospital is run on modern lines, great
freedom is allowed to all patients irrespective of their crimes. In spite of
this only five patients escaped during the year under review, out of which four
were recaptured and brought back. One sane convict patient is still at large.
The staff concerned found negligent in these cases were suitably dealt
with.
19. Suicide.—There were two cases of suicide by hanging. All suicidal cases
are segregated in a separate ward where they are kept under strictest vigilance
and supervision. These two cases did not show any suicidal tendency during
their stay in the hospital nor were there any remarks in their descriptive rolls
and medical certificates to this effect. Hence, they were not kept in the
suicidal ward. Apparently both the cases committed suicide in a sudden fit of
insanity which is an every day occurrence outside and therefore not an
uncommon incident in a mental hospital.
20. Paying patients.—Forty-four paying patients were treated during the
year under report (40 males and 4 females).
In the absence of proper paying patients' blocks, this class of patients are
temporarily housed in a separate ward in one of the quiet-patients' blocks.
Plans and estimates for the construction of paying patients' wards have
already been submitted to Government for sanction and it is hoped they will
be sanctioned as early as possible. I have been obliged to refuse many
applications from the upper class patients for admission for lack of special
facilities and suitable arrangements for treating this class. In my opinion the
paying patients' blocks should be practically self-supporting and not a burden
on the State. Given the required facilities consistent with their classes the
guardians will willingly subscribe towards maintenance in the shape of fees,
etc. At present there exists no such accommodation in the provinces of
Bengal and Bihar and Orissa for treatment of mentally-afflicted upper class
people.
21. Criminal insanes.—The daily average strength of criminal patients
was 591.81 (549.04 males and 42.77 females). One patient escaped and is
still at large as already noted in paragraph 18. There were 20 deaths
among this class. Thirty-four patients (30 males and 4 females) were trans-
ferred to the non-criminal class during the year under report.
It may not be out of place to mention here that in several cases persons
committed petty offences while insane such as indecent exposure, committing
nuisance, disorderly conduct, house trespass and lurking, petty theft, etc., etc.,
and these offences have been treated as criminal acts and dealt with under the
provisions of Criminal Procedure Code. As a result of these patients being
classed as " Criminal lunatics " they often suffer long detention in jails
awaiting legal proceedings. This is detrimental to their mental condition.
Moreover, the discharge of these patients from this hospital after their reco-
very is delayed for the compliance of certain legal formalities and a considera-
ble extra expenditure is incurred by Government in sending them under police
escorts to the courts concerned to stand their trial. During this period they
have again to stay in the district and sub-jail as the case may be. They
are ultimately released and never convicted on the strength of the evidence
of insanity. All this could be avoided if these patients are sent to the
hospital as non-criminal patients. It is in my opinion very desirable that the
Government of Bengal and Bihar and Orissa should once more impress on
committing magistrates the desirability of withdrawing the petty charges
against these patients and send them as non-criminal patients. In addition
this procedure throws unnecessary extra work on the staff of this hospital and
its Board of Visitors.
During my tenure of office as Superintendent, Berhampore mental
hospital, this subject was brought to the notice of the Government of Bengal