6
The cost of diet was the principal item of expenditure, viz., Rs. 26,027-6-0
in 1915, Rs. 13,722-9-6 in 1916 and Rs. 15,127-6-9 in 1917, the cost per head
being Rs. 82-9-3, Rs. 44-7-10 and Rs. 50-14-0, respectively. The large increase
in the year 1915 was mainly due to the fact that the cost of some food-stuffs
purchased in 1914 was paid for in 1915 owing to late receipt of Government
allotments. Another reason for the increase was the larger daily number of
lunatics and higher rates of some food-stuffs. As there was a large stock of
food-stuffs from previous year and the average strength was also less the expen-
diture in the year 1916 was much less. In the year 1917 only such expenditure
was allowed as could not reasonably be avoided.
The cost of superintendence was Rs. 4,500 in 1915, Rs. 4,472-15-10 in 1916
and Rs. 5,868-3-8 in 1917. The appointment of an Assistant Surgeon as a
whole-time Deputy Superintendent on grade pay and an allowance of Rs. 50
per month from May 1917 was chiefly responsible for the excess expenditure of
Rs. 1,395-3-10 during the year 1917.
The cost of establishment was Rs. 7,773-13-3 or Rs. 24 11-1 per head in
1915, Rs. 8,161-8-0 or Rs. 26-7-4 per head in 1916 and Rs. 9,243-12-6 or
Rs. 30-14-6 per head in 1917. The increased expenditure of Rs. 387-10-9 in
1916 was due to annual increments of the staff and the appointment of 2 more
male ward attendants and 5 more sweepers. The large expenditure of
Rs. 1,082-4-6 in 1917 was chiefly due to enhancement of pay of the matron and
keeper staff from March 1917 [vide Government of Bihar and Orissa, Munici-
pal Department (Medical Branch), letter No. 4580-M. of 26th March 1917.]
The cost of clothing and bedding amounted to Rs. 2,916-11-9 in 1915,
Rs. 2,434-4-0 in 1916 and Rs. 3,174-8-0 in 1917. The increased expenditure in
1915 was due to the fact that the price of clothing and blankets purchased in
1914 was paid for in 1915. The decrease in 1916 was due to not having been
paid the cost of blanket kurtas. The increased expenditure of Rs. 740-4-0 in
the year 1917 was chiefly due to war prices of clothing.
The total charges on account of Europe and bazar medicines were Rs. 723-8-0
in 1915, Rs. 750-8-0 in 1916 and Rs. 1,445-3-7 in 1917. The gradual increase
of the price of medical stores during the years under review is chiefly attri-
butable to the war. Local purchase of certain medicines to carry out the
investigation of Ankylostoma was partly responsible for the increase during the
year 1917.
The total expenditure on account of contingencies was Rs. 5,487-2-2 in
1915, Rs. 2,240-11-8 in 1916 and Rs. 2,123-6-0 in 1917; the cost per head being
Rs. 17-6-6, Rs. 7-4-3 and Rs. 7-1-7 respectively. The manufacture of cloth was
started in the year 1915 when a Hatterslee's loom was purchased. Purchase
of yarns and threads for the manufacture of durries and cloth, cost of repairs
and maintenance of Asylum roads and culverts, and construction of some
drains are also responsible for the increased expenditure in the year 1915.
Only such expenditure as could not be avoided was allowed in 1916, hence
the decrease. The stoppage of the manufacture of durries and cotton stuffs
and wood work owing to high price of raw materials explains the decrease
in the year 1917.
For rates and taxes Rs. 136 was paid in the year 1915, Rs. 102 in
the year 1916 and Rs. 996-6-0 in the year 1917. The decrease in the year
1916 was due to non-payment of house-tax for the quarter ending December
1916. The enormous increase during the year 1917 was due to the fact that
the amount paid for rates and taxes rose from Rs. 34 to Rs. 86 in 1917
owing to revised municipal assessment of the buildings. Another reason for
the increase was that formerly night-soil was trenched in the Asylum grounds
but the available area for trenching night-soil being built over it is now
removed in municipal carts for which the Municipality assessed Rs. 400
annually as latrine tax.
Public Works charges amounted to Rs. 15,311-5-10 in 1915, Rs. 3,200-13-0
in 1916 and Rs. 3,057-4-0 in 1917. Construction of a male criminal ward
with 40 beds, a female ward with 10 cells, a male tuberculosis ward, a