4 ANNUAL REPORT ON LUNATIC ASYLUMS.
|
No. |
|
|
Madras space for Europeans and Eurasians ... ... ... |
145 |
|
Do. for Natives ... ... ... ... ... |
402 |
|
Total... |
547 |
|
Vizagapatam space for Natives ... ... ... ... ... |
57 |
|
Calicut do. do. ... ... ... ... ... |
137 |
4. The following table shows the caste and nationality to which the several
individuals who were admitted during the year belonged :—
|
Caste or creed. |
Males. |
Females. |
Total. |
|
Europeans and East Indians ... |
23 |
7 |
30 |
|
Hindus ... ... ... ... |
76 |
24 |
100 |
|
Muhammadans ... ... ... |
20 |
3 |
23 |
|
Native Christians ... ... |
9 |
5 |
14 |
|
Other castes ... ... ... |
1 |
... |
1 |
|
Total ... |
129 |
39 |
168 |
5. The following abstract shows the ages of the insanes who were admitted:—
|
— |
Under |
20 to 40. |
40 to 60. |
Over 60 |
Total. |
|
Males ... ... ... |
4 |
103 |
20 |
2 |
129 |
|
Females ... ... ... |
6 |
23 |
10 |
... |
39 |
|
Total ... |
10 |
126 |
30 |
2 |
168 |
As usual the greatest number of admissions of both sexes took place between
the ages of 20 and 40.
6. CAUSES OF INSANITY.—The number of cases, in which the causes of the
attack could be ascertained, increased from 337 in 1887 to 378 this year. This
increase, considering that the total population of the asylums was practically
speaking the same as in 1887, shows that some advance was made in the endeavour
to trace the origin of insanity; great difficulties exist in this country to an investi-
gation of this nature, owing to the impossibility of obtaining reliable information
as to the previous history of lunatics.
The following abstract shows the several ascertained causes which were
believed to have caused madness :—
|
Moral. |
Males. |
Females. |
Total. |
Physical. |
Males. |
Females. |
Total. |
|
Grief ... ... ... |
22 |
12 |
34 |
Congenital ... ... |
16 |
6 |
22 |
|
Family quarrels... |
11 |
3 |
14 |
Concussion of brain ... |
2 |
... |
2 |
|
Religion ... ... |
5 |
3 |
8 |
Epilepsy ... ... |
17 |
6 |
23 |
|
Infidelity... .. |
4 |
... |
4 |
Narcotic drugs ... ... |
67 |
2 |
69 |
|
Love and jealousy... |
2 |
1 |
3 |
Intemperance ... ... |
1 |
... |
1 |
|
Loss of property... |
10 |
... |
10 |
Puerperal state ... |
... |
5 |
5 |
|
Overstudy ... .. |
3 |
... |
3 |
Privation ... ... |
9 |
2 |
11 |
|
Dissipation ... .. |
2 |
... |
2 |
Syphilis ... ... ... |
5 |
2 |
7 |
|
Satyriasis ... ... |
1 |
... |
1 |
Fever ... ... ... |
8 |
... |
8 |
|
Foreign service... |
7 |
... |
7 |
Confinement in jail ... |
2 |
... |
2 |
|
Fright or shook... |
8 |
... |
8 |
Hereditary influence ... |
21 |
15 |
36 |
|
Mental anxiety... |
5 |
2 |
7 |
Masturbation ... ... |
3 |
... |
3 |
|
Disappointment... |
3 |
... |
3 |
Injury to head ... ... |
4 |
2 |
6 |
|
Disgrace... .. |
1 |
1 |
2 |
Ill-treatment ... ... |
... |
1 |
1 |
|
Desertion of husband ... |
... |
1 |
1 |
Phthisis ... ... |
... |
1 |
1 |
|
False belief ...... |
1 |
1 |
2 |
Starvation ... ... |
11 |
2 |
13 |
|
Fear ... ... .. |
6 |
1 |
7 |
Previous attack ... |
2 |
... |
2 |
|
Vicious habits ... .. |
... |
1 |
1 |
Old age ... ... |
6 |
2 |
8 |
|
Misfortune ... .. |
5 |
1 |
6 |
Irregular habits ... |
... |
1 |
1 |
|
Other diseases ... ... |
24 |
10 |
34 |
||||
|
Total ... |
96 |
27 |
123 |
Total ... |
198 |
57 |
255 |