II
The value of Asylum produce sold to the public, and sums remitted into the
treasury on this account, were—
Vegetables
Plantains
Baskets
Paddy
Sweet potatoes
Gur
Bricks and surki
Mustard seeds
Jack fruits
Pine-apples
Planks
Total
Lunatics' labour supplied to the Public Works Department ...
Maintenance received from paying patients
Grand total ...
...
,..
Ks. a. p.
138
62
5
4
3
9
2 10 0
89 13 0
14 11 0
405
55
12
8
8
8
0
0
0
9 8 3
0 H 0
2 0 0
793 10 3
173
288
8
7
0
8
», 2 55 9 'i
The sum of Rs. 288-7-8 is shown as received from paying patients. Out of thi s
amount, Rs. 60-15-9 was realised from the relatives of two patients ; Rs. 22-2-7 was
found on the person of two lunatics on admission, and the rest was realised from the
managers of tea gardens for their coolies, who were under agreement under Act I of 1882,
and were cured and returned to the garden after discharge from the Asylum.
25. Visits. — During the year under report, the Asylum was visited twice by the Chief
Commissioner and once by the Principal Medical Officer and Sanitary Commissioner
Six meetings of the committee of visitors were held, and copies of their proceedings sent
in all cases to the Principal Medical Officer and Sanitary Commissioner for transmis-
sion to the Local Government.
26. Amusements.—As in last year, the lunatics were provided with books and
papers, musical instruments, cards, and were periodically entertained with magic lantern
exhibitions. Sweetmeats and fruits are distributed on festival days. Also selected
patients were sent under proper escort to the race-course when races take place, and to
the river ghat to see the vashan ceremony of Durga Puja. They are also allowed to
go to the bazar now and then. This year we propose to purchase a gramophone for
the lunatics with records of Bengali and Hindustani music.
27. General remarks.—About an acre of land was planted with castor-oil seeds,
but unfortunately all the plants were destroyed by the unusually heavy rains.
Sixty good KaghaziXxme plants were planted this vear according to the suggestion
of Color.el Carr-Calthrop, the Principal Medical Officer and Sanitary Commissioner
of Assam, and we will try to increase the number this year.
With reference to paragraph 20 of Notes by the Director General, Indian Medical
Service, on Asylum Reports for 1898, I would point out that the sanctioned pay for
larders is not such as to attract really suitable men. A warder gets Rs. 10 per
Mensem, while the wages of the coolies working in the town amount to annas 6 per day,
or roughly Rs. 12 per mensem. The work is also very hard ; the warders remain
present day and night, and have only 4 hours off duty in 24.
No dairy has been started as yet. Cattle-disease has been very prevalent for the
' as t three years in Tezpur, and a dairy, if commenced, would probably, on account of
Mortality, not be a financial success.
Second-grade Hospital Assistant Giris Chandra Das has, as usual, worked most
satisfactorily during the year: he has great tact with patients, maintains authority
an( l discipline efficiently, looks most carefully into every detail of management, and is
"tost attentive to the sick. I have recommended during the year that, as a reward for his
exc ellent work, he may be promoted to the first grade before he finishes his seven
^e ar s in the second grade.
Tezpur;
*he 24th January, 1900.
E. A. W. HALL, M.B., CM., I.M.S., Major,
Superintendent, Tezpur Lunatic Asyium.