Annual Report on Lunatic Asylums for 1884.
No. 1692.
GENERAL DEPARTMENT.
Bombay Castle, 7th May 1885.
Letter from the Surgeon General with the Government of Bombay, No. S.B.-138, dated
30th March 1885—Submitting the Annual Administration and Progress Report
of the Lunatic Asylums in the Bombay Presidency for the year 1884.
RESOLUTION.—The number of Lunatic Asylums in this Presidency in the
year under review was the same, viz., 5, as in 1883. As in previous years, the
want of sufficient accommodation was felt in the Presidency proper, and it was
found necessary to refuse admittance for a time to several lunatics. It is hoped
that an additional asylum at Ratnágiri will be ready for use next year. The
asylum at Hyderabad was sufficient for the accommodation of lunatics in Sind.
2. The total number of lunatics under treatment at the various asylums
during the year under review was 920—763 males and 157 females, as compared
with 948 in the previous year. The number of persons admitted for the first
time was 300, and that of persons re-admitted 15. Of the whole number admitted
103 were Europeans, mostly soldiers from different stations in India, 4 Eurasians,
9 Native Christians, 108 Hindus, 78 Mahomedans, 11 Pársis, while the
nationality or religious persuasion of 2 was not ascertained. The number of
criminal lunatics treated at the several asylums was 116 or 9 more than in the
previous year. The daily average number of lunatics under treatment was 626.4
as compared with 611.4 in the previous year. The total number of lunatics
discharged was 193; 61 of whom were cured and 132 transferred to their friends,
122 being improved and 10 not improved. Two lunatics were transferred from
Poona to Ahmedabad, 3 succeeded in making their escape from the asylum at
Hyderabad, and 1 lunatic under treatment at the Ahmedabad Asylum was
handed over to the Mahárája of Idar.
3. The alleged causes of insanity are given in 442 cases. Physical causes,
such as immoderate use of intoxicating drugs and spirits, ill-health and vicious
habits, are supposed to account for 338 cases, and moral causes, among which
grief is predominant, for 104.
4. The health of the patients was satisfactory. The diseases from which
they suffered to the greatest extent were ague, diarrhœa, dysentery, epilepsy and
debility. The number of deaths reported in the year under review was 59 or 20
less than in the previous year.
5. The net cost to Government on account of the five asylums was
Rs. 1,13,321-14-5 or Rs. 180-14-6 per head as compared with Rs. 95,413-9-11
and Rs. 156-0-10 in 1883. The cost per patient was lowest at Hyderabad
(Rs. 86-10-10) and highest at Colába (Rs. 256-2-10). The high average cost at
the latter asylum appears to be due to a rise in the contract rates for supplies.
It should have been explained why there has been such a rise in the contract
rates at Colába. The average cost of the asylum at Dhárwár (Rs. 231-6-0) was
less by Rs. 46-0-5 than in 1883. The fees received from paying patients fell
from Rs. 8,807 in 1883 to Rs. 7,108 in 1884, while the profits realized from
the sale of articles manufactured at the asylums rose from Rs. 3,436 to Rs. 3,733.
6. The Governor in Council is glad to observe that the Superintendents of
all the asylums conducted their duties with ability and efficiency and that the
official visitors were regular in their attendance.
J. MONTEATH,
Under Secretary to Government.
To
The Surgeon General with the Government of Bombay,
The Sanitary Commissioner,
The Commissioner, N. D.,
The Commissioner, C. D.,
The Commissioner, S. D.,
The Commissioner in Sind,
All Collectors, including the Collectors and Deputy
Commissioners in Sind,
The Military Department of the Secretariat,
The Public Works Department of the Secretariat.
The Judicial Department of the Secretariat,
The Accountant General.
With copies of the
report.