16 ANNUAL REPORT ON LUNATIC ASYLUMS.
Since I have been in charge of this asylum I have found the hospital accom-
modation provided for the males to be quite inadequate for the purpose, and have
been obliged to take over the general cottage nearest to the hospital for the
treatment of a portion of the sick, reserving the former hospital for the more
severe cases. I have also placed Second-class Warder Appavoo in charge of the
hospital. This man, an old sepoy, was one of the two warders mentioned by my
predecessor in his last report as trustworthy, and, as I found him employed as a
peon for carrying letters, I considered his services might be turned to better account
in hospital, and I am glad to say that the nursing and feeding of the sick, which
at one time gave me much cause for dissatisfaction, has under his supervision
greatly improved.
There have been 23 deaths, giving a percentage of 8.82 to average daily
strength and 6.25 to total treated. This is lower than in any year since 1872.
Percentage of Deaths to Average Daily Strength for the last Four Years.
|
1877-78. |
1878-79. |
1879-80. |
1880-81. |
|
|
Strength ... ... ... |
255½ |
231¾ |
246½ |
260½ |
|
Deaths ... ... ... |
25.83 |
20.28 |
12.98 |
8.82 |
The death-rates of the different classes differ much ; those of Europeans and
Native males (civil) are low ; those of Native females and of Native males (criminal)
are high.
Death-rate per cent. to Average Strength.
|
Europeans ... ... ... ... ... ... ... |
4.3 |
|
Native males (civil) ... ... ... ... ... ... ... |
7.28 |
|
Do. (criminal) ... ... ... ... ... ... ... |
16.32 |
|
Native females ... ... ... ... ... ... ... |
13.52 |
I will endeavor to explain the high death-rate of the two last when describing
the causes of death.
Causes of Death.
|
Number. |
Civil. |
Military. |
Criminal. |
|
|
Phthisis pulmonalis ... |
6 |
5 |
... |
1 |
|
Dysentery ... ... ... |
4 |
3 |
... |
1 |
|
Pleurisy ... ... ... |
1 |
1 |
... |
... |
|
Pneumonia ... ... ... |
1 |
1 |
... |
... |
|
Apoplexy ... ... ... |
2 |
1 |
... |
1 |
|
Epilepsy ... ... ... |
1 |
1 |
... |
... |
|
Valvular disease of heart ... |
1 |
... |
... |
1 |
|
Diarrhœa ... ... ... |
1 |
1 |
... |
... |
|
General debility ... ... |
2 |
2 |
... |
... |
|
Atrophy ... ... ... |
1 |
1 |
... |
... |
|
Exhaustion of mania ... |
1 |
... |
... |
1 |
|
Drowning ... ... ... |
1 |
1 |
... |
... |
|
Compound fracture of skull. |
1 |
... |
... |
1 |
|
Total ... |
23 |
17 |
... |
6 |
There were only 3 deaths this year from general debility and atrophy, as
compared with 9 last year and 20 the year before. Phthisis pulmonalis caused 6
deaths. One patient was suffering from the disease when admitted, and the other
5 had all been more than two years in the asylum, one of them over 10 years.
Dysentery caused 4 deaths. I made post mortem examination in every case and
found extensive ulceration, but nothing to lead me to suppose that it was other than
dysenteric. I mention this as I find that many deaths in former years have been
returned as from " ulceration of bowels."