6
into the asylum on 29th October 1891 reported as in a fair state of health,
though not of a robust constitution. During his residence he never suffered
any complaint beyond slight ailments until 31st December 1895 when it was
necessary to place him on the sick list for remittent fever, complicated with
diarrhœa. From this date he continued in a weak and debilitated condition
and was liable to recurrent attacks of fever which gradually impaired his con-
stitution and he died from exhaustion on 8th April 1896. The case of old
age was reported to be very weak and debilitated on admission into the
asylum on 16th October 1895. During his residence he was liable to periodic
attacks of great excitement and during these periods he refused food and was
most quarrelsome. He had frequently had attacks of diarrhœa which resisted
treatment and this impaired his general health and he died from exhaustion
and old age on 22nd May 1896, nearly 21 days after he was transferred to
the sick list. The patient suffering from paralysis was admitted into the asylum
on 31st October 1895 and at the time was returned as in a fair state of health.
He continued to be comparatively well until 21st June 1896, when he was
suddenly seized with involuntary muscular movements and total inability
to walk or assist himself in any way. From this date incontinence of urine
was present and he gradually sank and died from exhaustion on 10th July 1896.
The case of albuminuria was an old resident of the asylum. On admission on
23rd March 1869 he was reported to be in a fair state of health, though not
physically strong. During his long residence he had never been on the sick list
for any complaint until 14th April 1896, when symptoms of albuminuria
appeared and he was placed on the sick list. From this date well marked signs of
albuminuria steadily increased and he died from urenic poisoning on 12th August
1896. The patient who died of diarrhœa was admitted into the asylum on 21st
November 1895 and returned as in an indifferent state of health. Throughout
his residence in the asylum he was subject to frequent attacks of diarrhœa and
inability to assimilate the ordinary asylum food, which necessitated his being
placed on a special diet from the commencement. As little or no improvement
took place in his general condition, he was permanently transferred to the sick
list on 12th August 1896 and remained on it until death on 10th September
1896. The 3 cases of anæmia were reported to be in a weak and emaciated
condition on admission into the asylum. One of these was placed on the sick
list immediately on his admission into the asylum on 12th October 1896 and
during his three days' residence he was unable to either walk, move about or
feed himself, urine and fœces were passed involuntarily and he gradually sank
and died on 15th October 1896.
The Dhárwár Asylum shows an increase of 2 deaths over the previous
year, viz. 4 against 2, giving a ratio of 71.4 per mille of the total population as
compared with 37.0 in 1895. The causes were dysentery, epilepsy, pneumonia and
burns. The case of dysentery was that of a woman who had been under con-
finement since 1888 and had previously suffered from an attack of influenza with
bronchial catarrh and cardiac weakness. The dysentery was accompanied with
great prostration and proved intractable. The fatal case of epilepsy was that
of a male, the subject of epileptic insanity. He had been in the asylum since
May 1890, and his general health was much impaired by influenza and bron-
chitis in 1894. After two days of severe convulsions associated with a high
temperature he died comatose. At the post-mortem examination blood was
found effused on the surface of the brain and the cortical substance softened.
The case reported as having died of pneumonia was that of a female who had
been in the asylum for less than a year. She had suffered from severe epileptic
fits and sank from exhaustion on the 17th day of her illness. The death from
burns and scald was directly due to tetanus. The woman's clothing was set
on fire by the bursting of a lamp in the sleeping barrack and she was severely
and extensively injured in consequence. Tetanus set in shortly afterwards
and proved fatal the next day.
At Ahmedabad there were 5 deaths, or 2 more than in the preceding year.
The ratio of deaths per mille of the total population was 42.7 against 25.2 in
1895. Of the 5 deaths, 2 were from pneumonia and one each from debility,
epilepsy and diarrhœa. Of the two cases of pneumonia, one was a man of
50 years of age and an inmate of this asylum for nearly 21 years. The other