GENERAL DEPARTMENT.
MEDICAL BRANCH.
SHILLONG, THE 16TH JUNE 1906.
RESOLUTION—No. 6721J.
READ—
The Triennial Report on the Lunatic Asylums in Eastern Bengal and Assam for the years
1903, 1904 and 1905.
READ ALSO—
The Annual Returns of the Lunatic Asylum at Tezpur for the years 1903 and 1904 and the
Annual Returns of the Lunatic Asylums in Bengal for the years 1903 and 1904 with the
Resolutions recorded by the Government of Bengal thereon.
The two lunatic asylums of the province are situated at Dacca and Tezpur.
The number of inmates at the end of the triennium was 425, greater by 8
only than at the beginning of the triennial period. But owing to an outbreak of
beri-beri in the Sylhet jail at the end of 1905, some criminal lunatics were not
transferred to the Dacca Asylum, and the actual number of lunatics in confinement has
therefore not been stated. The total number of discharges was 191 as against 110 in
the previous three years and the daily average strength was 428.93. Both institutions
are reported to have been overcrowded—Dacca for a few months, Tezpur continu-
ously and to a greater extent. At Tezpur a new hospital for 14 inmates and a new
barrack have been completed and another barrack is under construction, while it is
intended that two more shall ultimately be built.
2. The health of the inmates was not wholly satisfactory at Tezpur during 1904
and at Dacca during 1905. The Lieutenant-Governor observes with regret that the
mortality per thousand has steadily risen in the latter institution from 55 in 1903 to
81 in 1905. The increase is stated to be due chiefly to deaths from tubercle of the
lungs, to which the insane are said to be specially liable. The defective nature of
the buildings and their crowded condition contribute to the spread of the disease,
and the suggestion of the Inspector General of Civil Hospitals for the construction of
separate tuberculosis wards at both asylums is engaging the attention of the Local
Government. It is noted by the Inspector General that, taking both asylums together,
the mortality of 1905 was decidedly below the average of that year for Indian asylums.
3. Proposals have been made by the Inspector General for limiting the use
of restraint by rules similar to those which are in force in England. The Lieutenant-
Governor has noted with satisfaction Colonel Wilkie's statement that "on the whole,
it may be said that the asylums were managed carefully and efficiently, and that
the lunatics were well looked after and treated humanely."
4. The annual cost of the two asylums has risen but little during the triennium
and amounted during 1905, to Rs. 1,26,762-10-5. The average cost of maintenance per
head fell in both institutions. In Dacca it was Rs. 97-6-7, at Tezpur Rs. 100-3-9 as
against Rs. 108-3-4 and Rs. 109-9-8, respectively. The decrease is attributed to
the cheapness of food-grains in the early portion of the triennium.
5. No European lunatics are confined in the asylums of this province. Lunatics
of this class have hitherto been sent to the Bhawanipur Lunatic Asylum in Calcutta,
but a scheme is under consideration for the construction of a central asylum at Ranchi,
which will ameliorate the conditions to which European lunatics are now subjected.
The Government of India propose to erect at Ranchi in Bengal a large central lunatic
asylum to accommodate European criminal and non-criminal lunatics from the whole
of Northern India, exclusive of military lunatics, and the Government of Eastern
Bengal and Assam will upon the realization of this scheme share in the advantages
that this central institution in a healthy locality is expected to provide.