6
STATISTICAL RETURNS OF THE LUNATIC ASYLUMS
under report as against Rs. 5,94,336-1-9 in the previous triennium. The excess
of Rs. 21,403-4-10 was chiefly due to charges on account of work done by the
Public Works Department.
37. Establishment Proper.—The total expenditure under this heading for the
present triennium was Rs. 1,64,151-10-1, the figures for the last triennium being
Rs. 1,42,715-6-11. Of this increase Rs. 11,151-11-0 was due to the appointment
of a superintendent of a higher rank in the Madras Asylum and the rest was
due to increments earned in their pay by the warders in Vizagapatam and to
increment of pay granted to the deserving European and Indian attendants in the
Madras Asylum.
38. Diet charges including Book charges shown in column 19, statement VIII,
for the present triennium was Rs. 2,29,793-13-9. The corresponding charges for
the previous triennium were Rs. 2,48,531-10-2. The decrease of Rs. 18,737-12-5
in spite of the increase in the number of inmates admitted during the period
was due to the improved health of the inmates, rigid supervision of food-supply
and the substitution of vegetables for mutton in the diet of the Indians.
39. Clothing and bedding cost Rs. 31,979-2-10 as against Rs. 31,466-10-6
in the previous triennium with the difference of Rs. 532-8-4 in excess. The
increase in this heading is chiefly due to considerable increase in the market prices
of yarn and the consequent rise in the cost of cloths made for Asylum purposes
and also partly due to the increase in the population.
40. Buildings.—The amount expended on original works for the triennium
under report was Rs. 76,092-12-10 the excess over the expenditure of the
previous triennium being Rs. 456-7-11.
41. Repair and maintenance.—Charges for the present triennium was Rs.
4,927-1-5 as contrasted with Rs. 4,563 of the previous triennium.
42. Rates and taxes for the present triennium were Rs. 11,209-6-1 as com-
pared with Rs. 7,054-3-0 of the previous triennium, the increase is mianly due to
the extra consumption of Red Hills water.
43. Contingencies Proper shown in column 13, statement VIII, for the cur-
rent triennium, was Rs. 31,722-0-9 as against Rs. 29,707-6-5 for the previous
triennium. The increase of Rs. 2,014-10-4 was partly due to enhanced railway
fare incurred on behalf of recovered pauper patients who after their discharge
had to proceed to their native places and partly due to ' office expenses '.
44. General administration.—Captain P. Heffernan, I.M.S., held charge of the
Madras Lunatic Asylum from the 1st January to 23rd April 1915 when he
reverted to military duty. From that date to the end of the triennium Major
C. H. L. Palk, I.M.S. (Retired), was in charge except for a month in 1916 and 29
days in 1917 when the Deputy Superintendent acted. Lieut.-Col. E. M. Illington,
I.M.S., the District Medical and Sanitary Officer, was in charge of the Vizagapatam
Lunatic Asylum from the commencement to the 8th June 1917 of the present
triennium when he was relieved by Civil Assistant Surgeon U. Ganapati Rao
who held charge temporarily till the 27th June 1917. Since that date Civil Surgeon
Rao Bahadur S. Chandrasekhara Mudaliyar Avargal was the Superintendent of the
Asylum Dr. W. Stokes, M.B. & C.M., was in charge of Calicut Asylum throughout
the triennium with the exception of a short period of two months when Civil
Assistant Surgeons M. L. Kamath and P. Krishna Warriar acted. The Rev.
C. H. Browne, Chaplain, Perambore, held services in the Madras Asylum for the
Church of England patients and the Reverend Father O'Carroll, Roman Catholic
Priest, visited the patients whenever necessity arose.
45. Establishment.—In the Madras Asylum two additional nurses were
sanctioned during the year 1917, the pay of the European and Indian attendants
was increased. Superannuated and inefficient men were discharged from the
service. The subordinate medical staff have worked satisfactorily in all the
Asylums. Senior Grade Sub-Assistant Surgeon Rao Sahib A. Gopalan, No. 422,
was in subordinate charge of Calicut throughout the triennium and in recog-
nition of his good work, the Government have been pleased to confer on him the
title of " Rao Sahib ".