2
(c) Previous occupation and ages.
Statements Nos. IV and V.
The largest numbers admitted were, as in previous years, of the cultivating and
labouring classes, 5 were reported to have had no occupa-
tion, and in the cases of 12 their occupations could not be
ascertained. Of the lunatics admitted, 132 were between
20 and 40 years of age, 26 were between 40 and 60 and only 7 under 20.
(d) Causes and types of insanity.
Statements Nos. VI and VII.
As in previous years, mania accounted for the greatest number of admissions, i.e.,
111, melancholia came next with 41, while there was only
1 case of dementia, 1 of delusional insanity, and 8 cases
remained undiagnosed. Recoveries and deaths among the
lunatics confined for mania were 27 and 51, respectively, and those for melancholia
7 and 14.
The causes of insanity could be ascertained in only 62 cases, i. e., 37 per cent. of
the total admissions, against 48 cases, or 40.41 per cent., the year before. Fifteen cases
were reported to have been due to ganja smoking, 11 to hereditary influences and 12
to epilepsy.
VITAL.
Sickness and mortality.
4. The number of admissions to hospitals was 315 against 468 in 1908 in which
year, as stated in the last triennial report, there was an
outbreak of epidemic dropsy in the Dacca Asylum, and
271 in 1907. The number of daily average sick was much less at Dacca, i. e., 22.93
against 29.49, and a little more at Tezpur, i. e., 11.03 against 10.87. The percentages
of deaths to daily average strength were greater in both asylums. At Dacca there
were 51 deaths against 30 in 1908, and at Tezpur 18 against 11. At Dacca, 13 deaths
were due to bowel complaints, 11 to tubercle (6 tubercle of lungs, 5 tubercle of
other organs) and 4 to old age. The chief causes of deaths at Tezpur were tubercle
of the lungs and intestines (10), anæmia (3), dysentery (3). In the Dacca Asylum
there were 15 deaths amongst new admissions who were admitted into the Asylum
in bad health, 7 died after a residence of upwards of 20 years in the asylum, 5
between 10 and 20 years and 6 between 5 and 10 years. There were also 2 sudden
deaths, 1 from pachymeningitis and 1 from suffocation due to a round worm in the
larynx.
Dacca reports 3 cases of injuries and 2 accidents, none of these were serious.
In the Tezpur Asylum, there were several cases of slight injuries inflicted by other
lunatics. One case in which a lunatic suddenly became violent and struck another
lunatic on the head and fractured the base of the skull, was serious, but the injured
lunatic fortunately recovered under prompt and careful treatment.
The ratios of deaths per 100 of average strength among the lunatics in the
different provinces of India in 1909 were as follows :—
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Eastern Bengal and Assam
...
...
...
...
Punjab ... ... ... ... ... ...
Bombay ... ... ... ... ...
Central Provinces ...
...
...
...
...
United Provinces ...
...
... ... ...
Burma ...
...
...
...
...
...
Madras ...
...
...
...
...
...
Bengal ...
...
...
... ... ...
13.51
13.43
13.10
10.68
9.41
8.10
7.09
5.30
FINANCE.
Expenditure and cost per inmate.
Statements is Nos. VIII, IX and
X.
5. The total expenditure on the Dacca Asylum was less and on the Tezpur
Asylum a little more than in the previous year ; in both,
the average cost per lunatic was less, being Rs. 107-4-3
against Rs. 117-1-10 at Dacca and Rs. 111-12-6 against
Rs. 119-4-2 at Tezpur. If from the total expenditure
" charges on account of work done by the Public Works Department," "repairs and
maintenance," and " rates and taxes " be excluded the average cost per lunatic works
out to Rs. 97-10-1 for Dacca and Rs. 111-2-3 for Tezpur against Rs. 107-1-11 and
Rs. 116-1-5 respectively, in the previous year.
The average cost of diet per lunatic was much less in both asylums being
Rs. 57-13-7 against Rs. 64-2-2 at Dacca and Rs. 58-7-4 against Rs. 66-10-2 at Tezpur.
At Dacca there was a slight increase under establishment proper owing to the
appointment of a civil medical assistant of a higher grade. The charge for Super-
intendence increased from Rs. 1,200 to Rs. 1 ,800 at Tezpur as the Superintendent's
allowance was rated from Rs. 100 to Rs. 150, the capacity of the Asylum having
risen from 108 to 166.