4
The following table shows the ratio of deaths per mille of the average daily
strength, and the total population of each of the asylums, as compared with
that of the previous year :—
Colába ... ... ...
Ratnágiri ... ... ...
Poona ... ... ...
Dhánwár ... ... ...
Ahmedabad ...
...
...
Hyderabad
(Sir
Cowasji
Jehangir).
Total ...
1898 ...
1897 ...
1898 ...
1897 ...
1898 ...
1897 ...
1898 ...
1897 ...
1898 ...
1897 ...
1898 ...
1897 ...
1898 ...
1897 ...
Average
Daily
Strength.
311.3
285.1
94.8
98.7
105.7
99.8
60.0
61.8
107.1
109.3
108.0
110.0
786.9
764.7
Total
Popula-
tion.
459
441
109
110
142
141
73
70
121
120
139
147
1,043
1,029
Number
of
Deaths.
27
48
4
5
10
12
5
6
2
2
7
8
55
81
Ratio of Deaths
per mille to
Arerage
Daily
Strength.
147.4
168.4
42.2
50.7
94.6
120.2
83.3
97.1
18.7
18.3
64.8
72.7
69.9
105.9
Total
Popula-
tion.
58.8
108.8
36.7
45.5
70.4
85.1
68.5
85.7
16.5
16.7
50.4
54.4
52.7
78.7
It will be seen from the above table that the death-rate in 1898 was much
less in all the asylums, excepting at Ahmedabad, where it continued low and
the ratios per mille were practically unchanged.
At Colába there were 27 deaths (2 Europeans and 25 Natives), or 21 less
than in the previous year, making a death-rate of 58.8 per mille of the total
population as compared with 108.8 in 1897. Among the Europeans the
number of deaths was 2, or a half of that of the previous year, and the mortality
was at the rate of 26.3 per mille of the total population against 58.8 in 1897.
The two European patients who died during the year were cases of paralysis and
Bright's disease. Both of these inmates had been suffering for a considerable
time from secondary dementia and succumbed subsequently to the physical
ailments mentioned after lengthened periods of confinement in the asylum.
The mortality among the natives gave a ratio of 65.3 per mille of the total
population as compared with 118.0 in 1897, being chiefly under the heads of
dysentery, chronic phthisis, Bright's disease, paralysis and epilepsy. Four of
these cases were brought in by the Police and were found on admission to be
suffering from various diseases, or from the effects of privation. There was one
death by asphyxia from hanging (suicidal). The patient was a criminal lunatic
confined for voluntarily causing grievous hurt. He was subject to epileptic fits
followed by much excitement. He contrived, during his confinement in the
cell, to make a rope out of threads taken from a blanket; this he tied to the lattice
ironwork of the window of his cell and so hanged himself. An inquest was
held on the body about 5 hours after death, and the jury returned an open
verdict. The remaining fatal cases were old residents of the asylum who had
been suffering from anæmia and debility for some time. All such cases succumbed
to one or other of the prevailing diseases.
At Ratnágiri there were 4 deaths against 5 in 1897, giving a death-rate
of 36.7 per mille of the total population as compared with 45.5 in the previous
year. The causes of death were remittent fever, old age, diarrhœa and con-
cussion of the brain. The case of remittent fever was a male, aged 43, whose
health, on admission into the asylum on 7th April 1891, was noted as "fair."