3
The mortality from all causes at each asylum, as well as in the whole provinces
was in 1908 greater than in 1906, but less than in 1907. The causes of the higher death-
rate in 1907 were explained in my predecessor's notes on the statistical returns for that
year. Tuberculosis accounted for 38 deaths during the triennium—29 at Dacca and 9
at Tezpur. Tuberculosis has been a prominent cause of death at the Dacca Asylum for
years, and this being the case, it is gratifying to note that in 1908 the number of
deaths under this head was only 8, against 14 in 1907. There is now a separate tubercle
ward (constructed in 1907) and all tubercular cases among males are carefully segregat-
ed. It is under consideration to provide a separate tubercle ward at the Tezpur Asylum
also. The other chief causes of deaths during the triennium were dysentery and
diarrhoea (3), anaemia (6), epilepsy (5), exhaustion of mania (7), cholera (6) and remit-
tent fever (5). All the 6 deaths from cholera occurred in 1907,—3 at Tezpur and 3 at
Dacca. The cases of cholera were sporadic and the origin of the infection could not
be traced. All the deaths from exhaustion of mania and remittent fever occurred at the
Dacca Asylum. There were 3 deaths from suicidal hanging,—all at Dacca. One of
these took place in 1907, and the warder through whose carelessness this occurred was
dismissed. The other two occurred in 1908,—one of them, a blind man, had been
over 22 years in the Asylum and there was no cause to suspect any tendency this
way. No blame could be laid on the staff, as every possible care was taken. The number
of deaths among criminal lunatics was respectively 13, 18 and 17 in the 1st, 2nd and 3rd
year of the triennium. The percentage of deaths to daily average strength amongst the
criminal lunatics and criminal and non-criminal lunatics taken together, was in 1908
greater than in 1906, but less than in 1907.
For 1908 the Dacca Asylum mortality was 107 per mille; that of the Dacca Central
Prison 38; and that of the Dacca Municipality 27; chat of the Tezpur Asylum 55 ; that
of the Tezpur Jail 19 ; and that of the Tezpur Municipality 57.
The ratios of deaths per 100 of average strength among the lunatics in the different
provinces of India in 1908 were as follows :—
Burma ... ... ... ... ...
Bengal ... ... ... ... ...
Eastern Bengal and Assam ... ... ... ...
Bombay ... ... ... ... ...
Madras ... ... ... ... ...
Punjab ... ... ... ... ...
United Provinces ... ... ... ...
Central Provinces ... ... ... ...
7.41
7.63
8.54
8.90
9.11
11.64
12.62
12.84
The rate of mortality in 1908 was lower in Eastern Bengal and Assam than in
Bombay, Madras, the Punjab, the United Provinces and the Central Provinces, but higher
than in Burma and Bengal. At Dacca there were 7 cases of injury, 2 fractures of ulna,
2 scalp-wounds, and one a wound of the neck inflicted by other lunatics ; and two cases of
fractures (femur and radius) from accidental fall. None of the injuries proved fatal.
There were some accidents at Tezpur, most of them unimportant and some cases of
injury either self-inflicted or caused by other lunatics. One case which occurred in
1906 and ended fatally was a case of drowning. A male lunatic who was pulling logs of
drift wood on the river bank, got into the river to have a swim and was drowned in spite
of the keeper's efforts to save him.
FINANCE.
Expenditure and cost per inmate.
5. The total expenditure, deducting receipts from paying patients, on both asylums
was Rs. 48, 772-8-4 in 1906, Rs. 61,809-3-10 in 1907, and
Rs. 56,682-9-4 in 1908, the average expenditure for the three
years being Rs. 55,754-12-6 against Rs. 42,254-3-6 in the previous triennium. The
cost per lunatic per annum on the total expenditure was Rs. 107-4-3 in 1906,
Rs. 129-14-0 in 1907, and Rs. 118-0-1 in 1908. The gross cost was higher in 1907 and
1908, and is accounted for by an increased expenditure under the heads "Charges on
account of works done by the Public Works Department," "Diet", "Establishment'' and
"Rates and taxes." Excluding the Public Works Department charges, the average cost
per head works out to Rs. 105-2-4 in 1906, Rs. 112-14-5 in 1907, and Rs. 113-11-3 in
1908. Again, if we exclude the charges on public works, maintenance and repairs, rates
and taxes, and profits on manufactures, the average cost per inmate works out to
Rs. 90-4-11 in 1906, Rs. 99-15-2 in 1907, and Rs. 96-8-4 in 1908. The diet charges have,
as usual, been the heaviest, Rs. 26,205-11-9 in 1906, Rs. 31,618-1-1 in 1907, and
Rs. 31,305-0-4 in 1908. The increase during the past three years is chiefly due to the rise
in the prices of food stuffs, and partly to an increase in the number of inmates, the
daily average strength of both asylums during the three years being 454.68 in 1906,
475.91 in 1907 and 480.33 in 1908. The average cost per lunatic on account of diet
was Rs. 57-10-1 in 1906, Rs. 66-6-11 in 1907, and Rs. 65-2-9 in 1908. Food stuffs were