5
From the above table it will be seen that, excepting at Colába and Ahmeda-
bad, the death-rate was higher in all the asylums during the year under report.
At Colába there were 48 deaths (4 Europeans and 44 natives) as compared with
51 (3 Europeans and 48 natives) in 1896, giving a ratio of 108.8 deaths per
mille of the total population against 118.1 in the previous year. The mortality
among the Europeans was at the rate of 58.8 per mille of the total population as
compared with 41.1 in 1896, and was due to dysentery 2, fatty degeneration of
heart 1 and chronic phthisis 1. The two cases of dysentery and one of chronic
phthisis were long under confinement in this institution suffering from chronic
dementia, and their health being much impaired by the incarceration for 14
years, they succumbed to the prevailing diseases. The case of fatty degeneration
of heart occurred in a British soldier who had been suffering from melancholia.
The man was ailing from anæmia and extreme debility some time prior to his
confinement in the asylum and died in 10 days, in a state of syncope, after ad-
mission. Among the natives there was a death-rate of 118.0 per mille of the
total population against 133.7 in the preceding year. The principal causes were
dysentery, chronic phthisis and Bright's disease. Seven of these cases were
brought in by the Police and were found on admission to be suffering from an
advanced stage of the disease, chiefly from chronic phthisis and dysentery. The
others were more or less old residents of the asylum who had been suffering
from anæmia and debility for some time, and all such cases succumbed inevitably
to the prevailing diseases.
At Ratnágiri the number of deaths was 5 against 4 in 1896, and the ratio
per mille of the total population was 45.5 as compared with 36.0 of the previous
year. The causes of deaths were diarrhœa 3 and dysentery and anæmia 1 each.
The case of anæmia was a male whose bodily condition on admission into the
asylum on 20th December 1894 was shown as " indifferent." He was anæmic
and of dirty habits. He was admitted into the hospital for anæmia on 4th
July 1896. Tonics, stimulants, liberal diets, &c., were given, but his condition,
physical and mental, continued the same, and he succumbed to chronic diarrhœa
on 15th May 1897. The male who died of acute dysentery was of dirty habits
and unmanageable since his admission into the asylum on 17th January 1896.
He suffered from the disease, and was admitted into hospital on 14th Novem-
ber 1897. He refused nourishment, and medicine had to be forcibly given. He
died on the 19th idem. The three cases of diarrhœa were all females, whose
health on admission into the asylum was poor or indifferent. One of them was
subject to frequent epileptic fits, and very dirty in her habits. She constantly
suffered from fever. On 3rd July 1897 diarrhœa set in. She refused food and
medicine, and resisted all treatment, and died on 21st July 1897. The other
was turbulent, indecent and dirty in her habits. She was admitted into the
Asylum Hospital for diarrhœa on 23rd July 1897, and died on the 5th of the
following month. The third was dirty and had delusions. She became ema-
ciated, and was admitted into the hospital for diarrhœa on 3rd October 1897,
and died on the 8th of the same month.
At Poona there were 12 deaths, or 3 more than in the previous year. The
ratio of deaths per mille of the total population was 85.1 as compared with 62.1
in 1896. The mortality was due to albuminuria 4, general paralysis and anæ-
mia 2 each, and debility, apoplexy, chronic diarrhœa and chronic splenitis 1 each.
The case of anæmia with general debility was admitted into the asylum from the
Yerrowda Central Prison on 16th November 1896, and at once transferred to
the sick list, being in a very weak and emaciated condition, and unable to walk or
stand. He continued in this state from the date of admission, and gradually
died from exhaustion on 18th May 1897. The post-mortem examination showed
that the membranes of his brain were somewhat thickened and injected. The
cavity of the arachnoid contained about 2 ounces of thickish fluid of a reddish
colour. There were some deposits of granular lymph on each side of the longi-
tudinal fissure. The brain presented a pale and anæmic appearance. There was
no fluid in the ventricles. The choroid plexuses were very anæmic. No abnor-
mal growth of any sort was found in the brain. The other organs of the body
were found to be very anæmic. The brain weighed 39 ounces. The female, who
died of anæmia associated with chronic dysentery was admitted into the asylum
B 2316-2