2
11. On the statistical statements appended at the end of the report I beg
to make the following remarks :—
Statement No. I shows that the total population of the asylums during
the year under review was 1,114, showing an increase of 71 over the previous
year. Of these, 902 were males and 212 females against 842 males and 201
females in 1898. On 1st January 1899 there remained 644 males and 167
females. During the year 241 males and 41 females were admitted and 17
males and 4 females readmitted ; 72 males and 17 females were discharged cured ;
121 males and 12 females were transferred to the care of friends (106 males
and 8 females improved and 15 males and 4 females not improved), and two
males discharged otherwise (1 escaped and 1 transferred from the non-crim-
inal to the criminal class). The deaths comprised 77 males and 9 females as
compared with 43 males and 12 females in the previous year. At the close of
the year 1899 there remained 630 males and 174 females, total 804, against
811 (males 644 and females 167) in 1898. The daily average strength was 622.0
males and 173.0 females = 795.0, as compared with 786.9 (males 627.3 and
females 159.6) in the preceding year.
The percentages of cures and deaths to the daily average strength were —
Cured ...
Died ...
Males ... ...
Females ... ...
Males ... ...
Females
...
...
11.6
9.8
12.4
5.2
Total ...
Total ...
11.2
10.8
The percentages to admissions were —
Cured ...
Died ...
Males ... ...
Females ... ...
Males ... ...
Females ... ...
27.9
37.8
29.8
20.0
Total ...
Total ...
29.4
28.4
There was one case of escape from the Colába Lunatic Asylum on the
night of 17th July 1899. This man was a criminal lunatic who was sent on
27th June 1899 from the Ahmedabad Central Prison under sentence of trans-
portation for life for murder. He was remarkable for the obstinacy with
which he refused food, and had to be forcibly fed. He was from the very
commencement under lock and key in a barred and bolted cell and gallery, and
was never allowed into the grounds. It appears that, by leverage, he bent the
bolt of the lock of his cell, reaching it easily through the bars of his door. He
was thus free to enter the gallery where there are eight windows, all closed by
vertical iron bars an inch in diameter. He bent one of these iron bars
sufficiently to wrench it from its socket, and, once in the grounds, escape was
easy owing to constructional facilities. A police investigation of the circum-
stances was made, but without any avail. Two night watchmen make the round
of every part of the asylum every two hours—one for the European and the
other for the native sides. Just outside the gallery where this insane was
confined, and commanding a full view of it, are stationed nightly five warders
who take it in turn to be on guard for two hours each, to give water, help
epileptic insanes, keep order, and generally to exercise supervision. These
men, it should be observed, have to take their turn of night watching in ad-
dition to duty by day.
On the night of 23rd August 1899 a criminal lunatic escaped from the
Ahmedabad Lunatic Asylum, but was recaptured on the following day. The
escape was traced to the insecurity of the door of his cell and the carelessness
of the warder on duty ; the former was remedied by the Public Works
Department, and the warder was punished with a fine.
A non-criminal lunatic who escaped from the Hyderabad Lunatic Asylum
on the 22nd October 1899 was recaptured on the 28th idem. After taking his
meals at about 7 P.M. he was walking about in the open space near the ward.
Finding a corner of the enclosure wall, which was about 7 feet high, easy of
access, he climbed over it. The warders on duty were at the time engaged in
distributing bedding, &c., to the patients.
Statement No. II gives details of criminal lunatics. On 1st January 1899
there remained 110 males and 9 females ; 20 males and 2 females were admit-
ted and 1 males was readmitted, making a total of 137 males and 11 females—a
grand total of 148 in all confined, as compared with 142 (males 133 and females
9) in 1898. Of these, 20 males were discharged, transferred, &c., and 12 males