No. S.B./118 OF 1887.
FROM
THE SURGEON-GENERAL WITH THE
GOVERNMENT OF BOMBAY,
To
THE CHIEF SECRETARY TO GOVERNMENT,
GENERAL DEPARTMENT.
Bombay, 18th March 1887.
SIR,
I have the honour to submit, for the information of His Excellency the
Governor in Council, my Administration Report on the Lunatic Asylums of this
Presidency for the year 1886.
2. During the year, the new asylum at Ratnágiri has been opened, and the
additions to the asylums at Poona and Dhárwár, mentioned in my last report, have
been completed and opened for the reception of patients. The general condi-
tion of the asylum buildings is good. The conservancy at all the asylums is
good. The water-supply at Colába from the mains is occasionally deficient, and
has to be supplemented by the use of water-carts ; at Ratnágiri also the supply
is deficient. Gardening continues to be practised at the asylums, and though not
very remunerative it affords a healthful out-door employment for the patients.
The realizations from the garden at Poona amounted to Rs. 281-1-4, at Dhár-
wár to Rs. 182-5-4, and at Colába to Rs. 112-9-6. Since the opening of the
asylum at Ratnágiri, accommodation has proved sufficient for the demands
made, and there will now be plenty of accommodation for some time to come.
3. The general health of the asylum population has been satisfactory;
there was no epidemic disease observed, the mortality was not great, the number
of deaths being 52 as compared with 48 in the previous year.
4. Summaries of the reports by the Superintendents and the usual state-
ments are appended. On the latter I beg to offer the following remarks :—
Statement No. I., giving the admissions, discharges, &c., of lunatics in the
asylums, shows that the total population during the year was 887 against 899
in the previous year. Of this number, 748 were males and 139 females. There
were 222 males and 23 females admitted, 10 males and 2 females re-admitted.
The number discharged was 164, including males 154 and 10 females; of these
60 were cured, 100 were transferred to friends (86 improved and 14 unimproved),
and 4 were discharged otherwise (3 escaped and 1 transferred to the Colába
Station Hospital). The deaths numbered 52. On the 31st December 1886,552
males and 119 females, total 671, remained. The daily average strength was
536.2 males, 117 females, total 653.2, as compared with 653.2 in the previous year.
The percentages of cures and deaths to the daily average strength were :—
Cured ...
Died ...
Males ... ... ... ...
Females
...
...
...
...
Males
...
...
...
...
Females
...
...
...
...
10.0
5.1
7.8
8.5
Total ...
Total ...
9.1.
7.9.
The percentages to
Cured
...
Died
...
admissions were:—
Males
...
...
...
...
Females
...
...
...
...
Males ... ... ... ...
Females
...
...
...
...
23.2
24.0
18.1
40.0
Total ...
Total ...
23.3.
20.2.
5. Statement No. II. is a return of criminal lunatics. On the 1st January
1886 there remained 85 males and 6 females, total 91 ; 20 males and 2 females
were admitted ; 1 male was re-admitted, making a total of 106 males and 8 fe-
males ; 114 in all confined, the same number as in the previous year. Of these
9 males and 2 females were discharged, 5 males died, and there remained on the
31st December 92 males and 6 females, a total of 98. The daily average
strength was 89.4 males and 7 females, total 96.4 as compared with 90.2 in the
year 1885.
B 1369—1