18TH MAY 1894, Nos. 1190, 1191, JUDICIAL.

                                        GOVERNMENT OF MADRAS.

                                          JUDICIAL DEPARTMENT.

READ—the following paper:—

From the Surgeon-General, dated 14th April 1894, No. 329.

ORDER—dated 18th May 1894, No. 1190, Judicial.

The report on the administration of Lunatic Asylums during 1893 calls for the
following remarks.

2. Particulars regarding the population of the three asylums appear below:—

The great decrease in the death-rate is the most noticeable feature of this state-
ment ; but, satisfactory as this decrease is, a mortality amounting to nearly 12 per cent.
must be regarded as unduly high in a year during which not a single death from
cholera occurred. The death-rate varied between 2.43 per cent, at Waltair and
17.79 per cent. at Calicut, Madras showing 11.38 per cent. At Madras there were
no deaths from dysentery against 13 in 1892—a somewhat remarkable fact for
which no reason has been assigned. On the other hand, there were nine deaths from
diarrhœa and no fewer than 18 from debility. The Government desires to have
the Surgeon-General's opinion as to the probable cause of the large number of deaths
under this last head. The sanitary condition of the Vizagapatam Asylum seems to be
most satisfactory, only one death having taken place and that being due to no pre-
ventible disease. The death-rate at Calicut was high and there is reason to suspect
a lack of promptitude in dealing with cases of sickness. Deducting two accidental
deaths, the mortality at Calicut amounted to 15.4 per cent. of the average daily
strength, while the sick rate was only 9.6 per cent. In the Madras Asylum, on the
other hand, the death-rate and sick-rate were, respectively, 11.38 and 21.2 per cent.
The Surgeon-General will report on this point. If deaths from dysentery, debility,
pneumonia and diarrhœa only be taken into account, the mortality in all the asylums
taken together amounted to 6-9 per cent, of the daily average strength—a rate which,
though still high, compares favorably with the corresponding figures for 1892
(8.3 per cent.) and 1891 (13.1 per cent.). The occurrence of two cases of suicide at
the Madras Asylum does not seem to have been previously reported to Government.
A remarkable feature of the year under review is the daily average sick-rate, which