Insanity and Alcoholism. 



the most prevalent predisposing causes, while 

 drink and domestic and business troubles are the 

 most common exciting causes. 



Later statistics show that the case is getting 

 worse. Lunacy continues to be on the increase 

 in England and Wales. On January ist, 1903, 

 there were 113,964 notified lunatics, being an 

 increase of 3,251 on last year's number. The 

 ratio of insane to population is a little more 

 than 34 to 10,000 ; that is to say, one in every 

 293 persons is insane. This ratio has steadily 

 increased from the year 1859, when the propor- 

 tion was 18*67 per 10,000, or one in 536. 



What do these figures mean ? Almost a cent, 

 per cent, increase in lunacy during a little over 

 40 years ; and the worst feature in the case is 

 that the greater increase has taken place within 

 the last twelve years ! 



Does not this mean decline ? Who can view 

 with indifference these indications of deteriora- 

 tion? 



Yet very little is done to check the evil. We 

 build asylums (and they are filled almost as soon 

 as they are complete), we appoint proper atten- 

 dants, and provide the patients with every 

 nourishment. At the same time the real cause 

 of the calamity is allowed to remain unchal- 

 lenged. There are few that dare do more than 

 hint at what might be the cause. 



More than sixty years ago, Sir W. C. Ellis, 

 then resident physician at Hanwell Asylum, 

 cautioned the medical profession that a certain 

 vice was a " fertile source of insanity." He said, 

 " I have no hesitation in saying that in a very 



