No. S.B/66 OF 1888.
FROM
THE SURGEON-GENERAL WITH THE
GOVERNMENT OF BOMBAY;
TO
THE CHIEF SECRETARY TO GOVERNMENT,
GENERAL DEPARTMENT,
Bombay.
Bombay, 25th February 1888.
SIR,
I have the honour to submit, for the information of His Excellency the
Governor in Council, the Administration Report on the Lunatic Asylums of
this Presidency for the year 1887.
2. During the year no additions have been made to the asylums. The in-
creased accommodation provided in 1886 at Poona and Dhárwár has been fully
occupied, but owing to the relief supplied by the opening of the Ratnágiri Asylum
there is still accommodation available there and at Colába. The condition of the
asylum buildings is generally satisfactory, though complaint is made at Ahmed-
abad of the insufficient protection from the rain afforded by the verandahs ;
at Dhárwár a new and higher railing is required—this is to be supplied; and
some structural alterations have been carried out at Ratnágiri.
3. The conservancy of all the asylums is carefully attended to and is good.
At Colába the water-supply from the mains was deficient in the hot weather and
had to be supplemented by water-carts; at Ratnágiri the supply is also deficient;
at the other asylums it is satisfactory.
4. The general health of the asylum population was on the whole satis-
factory, but two fatal cases of cholera occurred at Poona. The mortality was not
excessive ; the total number of deaths was 54 or 7.95 per cent. of the average
strength compared with 52 and 7.96 respectively in the previous year.
5. Summaries of the report by the Superintendents and the usual state-
ments are appended. On the statements I beg to offer the following remarks :—
Statement No. I. showing the admissions, discharges, &c., of lunatics in
the asylums, shows that the total population during the year was 913 as compared
with 887 in the previous year. Of this number 765 were males and 148 females.
There remained on the 1st January 552 males and 119 females ; 195 males and
27 females were admitted ; 18 males and 2 females re-admitted. The number
discharged was 176 ; of these 163 were males and 13 females ; they included 61
males and 6 females cured ; 105 were transferred to friends, 86 improved and 19
unimproved ; 4 were discharged otherwise (2 escaped and 2 transferred to the
Marine Battalion Hospital) ; 45 males and 9 females, total 54, died ; and on the
31st December 1887, there remained under treatment 557 males and 126 females,
total 683. The daily average strength was 556.4 males and 122.8 females,
total 679.2 against 653.2 in 1886.
6. The percentages of cures and deaths to the daily average strength were :—
Cured ...
Died
...
Males ... ... ... ...
Females ... ... ... ...
Males...
...
...
...
Females...
...
...
...
11.0
4.9
8.1
7.3
Total...
Total...
9.9
7.9
The percentages to admissions were :—
Cured ...
Died
...
Males
...
...
...
...
Females...
... ... ...
Males ... ... ... ...
Females ... ... ... ...
28.6
20.7
21.1
31.0
Total ...
Total...
27.7
22.3
7. Statement No. II. is a return of criminal lunatics; it shows that on the 1st
January 1887 there remained 92 males and 6 females, total 98 ; 20 males and
4 females were admitted ; one male re-admitted ; making a total of 113 males and
B 1199—1