5
whose physicial and mental state was reduced below par, and all such cases
succumbed inevitably to the prevailing diseases.
At Ratnágiri there were 5 deaths as compared with 2 in the previous year,
giving a ratio of 46.3 per mille of the total population against 20.2 in 1893.
The causes were dysentery in 2 cases, and tubercle of lungs, anœmia and cur-
vature of spine in 1 each. The health of these persons was bad and weakly
on admission.
At Poona the number of deaths was considerably larger than usual, viz., 32,
as compared with 13 of the previous year, giving a ratio of 217.7 per mille of
the total population against 94.2 in 1893. The mortality is chiefly attributable
to the prevalence of cholera from 15th July to 14th August 1894 and to the
debilitated condition of some of the lunatics from age, epilepsy and impaired
health on admission. Of the 32 deaths, 8 were from cholera, 8 from epilepsy
generally associated with debility, 3 each from dysentery and general debility,
2 each from diarrhoea, remittent fever and old age, and 1 each from general
dropsy, Bright's disease, chronic bronchitis and paralysis. Nine cases of cholera
occurred during the outbreak, and directly the disease manifested itself, the
patients were transferred for treatment to the Sassoon General Hospital where
8 of them died ; the length of time the fatal cases were under treatment varied
from 7 hours to 2 days and 7 hours. Of the 8 cases of epilepsy only 1 was
admitted to the asylum during the year, the oldest resident dated from 8th
August 1891. They were all in an impaired state of health on admission and
most of them were subject to frequent epileptic attacks during their residence.
In one of these the disease was associated with diarrhœa of a persistent nature for
about 2 months before death. Two of the patients who died of dysentery were
returned as in fair health on admission, and the third in a weak and debilitated
condition, suffering from dysentery associated with malarial fever when
brought to the asylum on 12th September 1894. Of the 3 cases of debility one
had been continuously on the sick list for 2 years and 1 month, the second for
7 months, and the third for over 4 months. The latter patient had been in
the asylum for 9 years and was returned as only in fair health on admission.
The first case of diarrhoea was in a weak and emaciated condition when ad-
mitted on 14th August 1893, and notwithstanding the greatest care remained
so until death ; the second was in a fair state of health when admitted in Sep-
tember 1893, but the digestive system being impaired, he never regained
strength. Of the 2 cases of remittent fever 1 was in a weak and emaciated
condition when sent to the asylum from Sholápur on 22nd August 1894 and was
subject to slight recurrent attacks of ague which had considerably impaired his
constitution before the remittent fever set in. The 2 cases reported as having
died from old age were respectively admitted into the asylum on 6th September
1882 and 23rd September 1884. Both enjoyed fairly good health up to a year ago
when their strength began to fail. The patient suffering from general debility was
placed on the sick list on 15th March 1894, but for some time previously he had been
complaining of weakness and slight swelling of feet and legs and disinclination
to walk or work in the garden as he had previously willingly done. He became
anœmic and the dropsy gradually increasing caused death from exhaustion on
6th August 1894. The patient with Bright's disease had been 14 years and
6 months in the asylum and enjoyed fairly good health until the latter part of
December 1893 when symptoms of kindney disease developed and necessitated
his being placed on the sick list on 2nd January 1894, where he remained until
death, on 21st February 1894, from exhaustion. The case of bronchitis was
sent to the asylum on the 21st April 1894 in an impaired state of health, suffer-
ing from fever and chronic bronchitis, and was placed on the sick list and
remained under treatment until death on 5th August 1894. On admission
into the asylum on 30th April 1894 the case of paralysis was in a bad state of
health suffering from general paralysis and incontinence of urine. He gradual-
ly got weaker and died from exhaustion on 15th October 1894.
At Dhárwár there was only 1 death, giving a ratio of 22.7 per mille to
the total population, ascribed to influenza which was locally epidemic in the
early part of the year. Eleven of the lunatics (all male) were attacked and in
one the attack proved fatal. The patient (a non-criminal) came into the
B 2064—2