GREAT INCREASE OF INSANITY.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 30, 30 October 1907, Page 11

GREAT INCREASE OF INSANITY.

SOME REMARKABLE STATISTICS. A COMFORTING THEORY. The remarkable fact is mentioned in the annual report of the British Lunacy Commissioners, says tho London "Standard," that the ratio of insanity in tho population of England and Wales has increased by 90 per cent, since 1859. The total number of certified insane persons in the country on the first day of this year was 123,983 ,an increase jf 1:009 on the number certified a year previously. This increase is less by 453 than the average increaso of the last 10 years. The total figure given above means that one person out of every 282 of the estimated population is known to bo under care as insane. The ratio has increased in ten years by 11.3 per cent., as in 1897 tho proportion of insane to the wliolo population was 1 to 314. .

A differentiation of the classes of insane persons shows: — While the highest ratio among "private" patient's was reached in 1879,' when it was s 2.97 pßi- 10,000 of the population, as against i 2.83 now, tho ratio of pauper insane has r gone continuously upward from 18.67 in 1559 to 32.3.' \ , The actual increase in the whole population r iiitho last ten years has been 12.1 pel" cent.;' 3 among insane persons it has been 24.8 per ' cent, 'i. ' • • An analysis of the'figures contained in tho - various tables of-the report is interesting. ; It shows that in 25.3 per cent., or just over ) a quarter, of all tho female cases of insanity^ - during the five years, 1901 to 1905,' hereditary ) influence ,was ascertained. Among males 'the proportion was 19.S per cent. In 17 per cent. . of males and-15,'per cent, of fomalos the - cause' of insanity was unknown. Litem-': ) perancc in drink accounted for 8.9 per cent. l of tho cases among females and 22.1 among i males. On this I :ad it is shown that tho percentage of private cases was 16.5 among i males and S.l among females, and of paupor , eases 22.8 males'and 9.1 females. ~ ! Tho total number of criminal lunatics was 963, of whom'736'Wore males and' 227 females. Of these 904 were ' being detained "during . the King's pleasure," or by tho Secretary of State's warrant'; 407 had been .guilty of. murder. .■■'''. ' ( ■ SEX AND AGE. . V ■I'lio proportion of .males'and females in the insane community,'as respects at least those who wore known to be" undereare on January 1, 1907, was .precisely-the same as that obtaining in -.tho previous years' ■'-. , returns, namoly, males, 46.1; fomalos, 53.9 per cent. But the average annuali ! admission rate (1901 to 1905) gives 49.0 and 51.0 per cent, as the male and female distribution. The latter figures closely approximate' to tlie 'relative distribution of tho sexes in-tho general community, and the explanation of the ''disproportionate excess of females" among the total * msauo under care is doubtless in great measure diio to the lower '''.'death. rate, of/ tho female . ihsaiio as coriipared ■■ with males, namely,..males 11.55,,fema1e5,8.63,.being the average death rates for th'c.past ton years. _Tho returns show that below the' ago of 35 years' tho males" preponderatb over the' females, the luimbors;under.care,on December 31; .1905, giving a proportion of the former to the latter sex..at; those ages of 53 to 47.Between .35 and i 65'\this proportion is-re-versed,, nnmoly;, males 45.4.t0 fomalos 54:4'; while at 65 and 'upwards there is a still greater disproportion;- viz., males 38.7 to fomalos 61.3. From the same sionrco wo learn that about one-fourth of both' sexes were below tho ago, of 35, and nearly oneeighth Above that of 65, the actual, percentage of those Over 65 who were, under care' on' that date being males v 11.0,'knd ,'foraales 14.8 per cent.'l/Tiije "avo'rago'admissions for tho years 1901 to 1905 :;of, persons of thoso advanced , years, was.,for. both sexes 15.2 per 10,000,0f population, which is. in advanco of the rate on the preceding five''years. / '■■■. . , THE- SCIENTIFIC .'\;IEW. '~... Stress is laid in the report on the 'authorita-tive-statement that the "only proper test of the 'increase of mental disease is .tho proportion of first attacks to the population dur-. iiig different periods"; and it is pointed out that the data at command are insufficient for accurate iufurenco on this head. There are factors to bo considered (tho report goes on) which render it impossible to' determine whether the actual proportion of "occurring" insanity is really increasing in the community, and if it be so, to what extent? It is''probable that far more care is taken to segregate persons suffering-from the milder .form's.,pf insanity than used to bo the case, fitnoss'for such detention being.considered to :!mply tho need for treatment of a disease quito as much as the fact that the. .insane person requires protection from himself,; or that'' tho : community has ,to be protected from him 7 ; and, again, .in, the ease of the aged, whose numbers lw to swell' tho list of "fi"st attacks," • removal to asylums is well known to bo on tlie increase. Hence it happens that without any actual marked increaso in the prevalence of mental disorder many such dofeotives aro now being notified who a generation or two ago would have been left outside tho palo of official recognition. Such statistics, then, as are alone obtainable,'which seem to point to an increase of insanity in the community, are too open to qualification to Justify, such a conclusion. .They deal only with those who have boon certified as insane and proper suojocts for detention,' and, their'numbers Irani year to year are influenced by factors, the extent of which cannot bo estimated. Lastly,,says the report:— \ • - .;' The riso.in proportion of'."first attack" cases encourages tho belief- that tho early' treatment of; tho-insane-is-more fully carried out than in former days; whilo 'the corresponding diminution of not first attacks, points to tho efficacy of such treatment in preventing recurrence of'the disorder. this would appoar'to" convoy"the suggestion that persons are now certified as insane who would not have been so certified in earlier days, and that tho widening of tho classification may account for a ratio of increase which is more apparent than real.