7
2 .215 lbs.
2 30i >>
13 inmates.
6
>i
4
21
>>
lbs.
16 it
at of the
1891 and
nd dysen-
n May to
ad by the
um for the
the year
liance with
:d the 13th
and bedding.
Cost per head
of average
strength.
1
P-
O
R». a. p.
6 2 1
0
O
6
0
0
520
362
4 8 1
3*5 8
2 15 4
■ and total.
t.
Co't per head
of average
strength-
is
a. p
0 t
5 2
8 7
0 i
2 t
2 I
Rs. a- P'
95 n w
101 4 9
101 13 4
» 81 8 10
) 113 »4 B
i 81 9 7
Of those admitted during the year, the aggregate weight was:
On admission
On 31st December 1900
Gained weight
Lost weight
Remained the. same
...
...
Greatest gain
Greatest loss
Of those discharged, the weight on admission and discharge was:
On admission
...
...
...
...
... 1,324 lbs.
On discharge
...
...
...
...
... 1,417 ,,
Gained weight ...
...
...
...
...
11 inmates.
Lost weight
...
...
...
...
...
2 ,,
Remained the same
...
...
...
...
3 ,,
Greatest gain
...
...
...
...
...
27 lbs.
Greatest loss
...
...
...
...
...
7 ,,
21. Sanctioned establishment.—The establishment remained the same as it was
in the previous year. The post of one female-keeper remained vacant for some months
of the year, as female-keepers are not always available. The post is still vacant. The
number of sweepers is small, and one should be added to the number already entertained.
22. Manufactures.—Statement No. XI.—The net profit from the Manufacturing
Department was Rs. 1,416-15-3, against Rs. 1,482-4-0 in the previous year, a falling-off
of Rs. 65-4-9.
Out of Rs. 116, which were received from paying patients, Rs. 45-14 were realised
from the relatives of four patients, Rs. 15-10-9 were found on the person of one lunatic
on admission, and Rs. 54-7-3 were realised from the managers of the tea gardens for the
maintenance of coolies, who were under agreement under Act I of 1882, and were
cured and returned to the gardens after recovery.
23. Vis-its.—During the year under report, the Asylum was visited twice by the
Hon'ble the Chief Commissioner, once by the Principal Medical Officer and Sanitary
Commissioner of Assam, twice by the Chief Engineer, and once by the Commission-
er of the Assam Valley Districts. 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 transmission to the Local Government.
24. Amusement.—As in last year, the lunatics were provided with books and
papers, musical instruments, cards, etc., and were periodically entertained with magic
lantern exhibitions. Sweetmeats and fruits were distributed on festival days. Selected
patients were sent under proper escort to the race-course when races took place and
to the river ghat to see the vashan ceremony during the Durga Puja holidays. A
Gramophone with records of English and Hindustani music was purchased for the
entertainment of the lunatics during the year.
25. General remarks.—A second attempt was made during the year to grow
castor-oil seed, but the plants all died off in the rains. The Asylum soil is apparently
not suitable. It is rich enough, but it is clayey, while castor require a loose soil to
let moisture through. We have had the same experience in planting potatoes. Since
the Principal Medical Officer's suggestion to try castor-oil seeds, we made two attempts
in view of the greatly increased value of the cake as a manure for tea bushes and the
ready sale for the cake which was practically unsaleable before.
A hundred Kaghazi lime plants were put out during the year to enable us to raise
our own limes for pickling. Of the 60 plants put out in 1899, 20 died. This year's
plants are doing well. A nursery of betel-nut palms promises well. These trees
should hereafter save us Rs. 35 a year, and are ornamental as well as useful. Owing
to scanty rainfall, we had only a 4-anna crop of paddy, which was a disappointment,
and our vegetable garden this cold season is not doing well. On the other hand, 5
acres of sugarcane realised Rs. 430-9, besides Rs. 114-6 worth consumed by the
Asylum inmates.
There should be a dhobie entertained, as many of the patients can't wash their own
clothes.
The high mortality is the most painful feature in the year's working. Putting
aside the case of a man who hanged himself with a bit of cane at night, there were
'6 deaths out of an average population of i£2"57 or over 12 per cent. All the
jjeaths occurred between June and December. There was no death before 7th June,
bl, t _ between that date and 14th September, there were 9 deaths including the case of
suicide. I foretold a heavy death list when I resumed charge, as we had several