Insanity: Its Causes and PreventionStearns, Henry Putnam
Science
Insanity: Its Causes and Prevention
Stearns, Henry Putnam
Psychiatry -- Early works to 1900
By adding together the several sums of _increase_ which have occurred in
both classes, and the increase in the number of criminal lunatics, three
hundred and forty-two (342), who have been provided for, since 1864, in a
special asylum at Broadmoor; and deducting the sums of _decrease_ which
have occurred by removals and redistribution of patients among the several
asylums and registered houses, we have, as a grand total of _increase_
during the ten years, fourteen thousand two hundred and thirty-eight
(14,238).
I have presented the above statistics somewhat in detail, in order that it
may be more apparent among what classes of society this large increase has
mainly occurred. It will accordingly be observed that, while it has been
only seventeen (17) per cent. among the private patients, it has been
about seventy (70) per cent. among the pauper class.
It is apparent that the above statistics present only the total number of
increase, without relation to the increase of the population. To enable us
to appreciate their full significance, another statement, therefore,
becomes necessary.
The ratio of the insane to the sane, the total number of the population
being estimated at the middle of the year, for the several years of the
decade, was as follows:
In 1859 one in 535
" 1860 " " 523
" 1861 " " 507
" 1862 " " 495
" 1863 " " 478
" 1864 " " 466
" 1865 " " 460
" 1866 " " 449
" 1867 " " 441
" 1868 " " 430
exhibiting a higher ratio of the insane to the sane for every year of the
decade.
I now introduce the statistics of the second decade, viz., from 1869 to
1878 inclusive; and perhaps it is fair to assume that these will be more
nearly perfect than those of the former period, as the system employed had
been longer in operation, and the conditions of the problem somewhat
simplified, as the result of previous labors. For convenience, I shall
group together the private and pauper patients.
In 1869, there were of both private and pauper patients in the county and
borough asylums twenty-six thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven
(26,867); in 1878, there were of the same classes of persons, thirty-seven
thousand seven hundred and sixty-three (37,763): exhibiting an _increase_
of ten thousand eight hundred and ninety-six (10,896).
There were in registered hospitals, in 1869, of both private and pauper
patients, twenty-three hundred and fifty-two (2,352); and in 1878,
twenty-seven hundred and seventy-eight (2,778): showing an _increase_ of
four hundred and twenty-six (426).
In licensed houses, there were, in 1869, four thousand seven hundred and
ninety-six (4,796); and in 1878, there were four thousand two hundred and
two (4,202): exhibiting a _decrease_ of five hundred and ninety-four
(594).
In naval and military hospitals, in 1869, there were two hundred and nine
(209); and in 1878, three hundred and sixty (360): an _increase_ of one
hundred and fifty-one (151).
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