4
m
The cost per head was Rs. 203-4-3 in 1921, Rs. 184-13-0 in 1922 and Rs. 187-4 ft
in 1923 against Rs. 196-9-11, Rs. 196-14-7 and Rs. 281-5-6 in 1918, 1919 and
1920, respectively. Excluding the Public Works Department charges, repairs and
maintenance, rates and taxes, receipts from paying patients and profit on manufac-
tures, the average cost per inmate works out to Rs. 155-6-5 in 1921, Rs. 143-4-10 in
1922 and Rs. 145-9-9 in 1923 against Rs. 139-3-10, Rs. 147-12 10 and Rs. 161-15-5
in 1918, 1919 and 1920, respectively.
The principal item of expenditure was the cost of diet which amounted to
Rs. 42,645-1-2 in 1921, Rs. 44,909-2-0 in 1922 and Rs. 43,719-1-9 in 1923 against,
Rs. 30,034-4-9 in 1918, Rs. 42,770-4-11 in 1919 and Rs. 42,976-15-5 in 1920. The
average cost of diet per head was Rs. 99-15-4 in 1921, Rs. 101-3-0 in 1922 and
Rs. 98-5-1 in 1923 against Rs. 79-11-8 in 1918, Rs. 106-3-6 in 1919 and Rs. 107-13-0
in 1920. The fall in expenditure on diet in 1923 was due to decrease in prices
of certain articles of food.
The receipts from paying patients were Rs. 487-10-7 in 1921, Rs. 699-11-0
1922 and Rs. 727-8-0 in 1923 against Rs. 452-12-3, Rs. 490-1-10 and Rs. 4A0-5-9 in
1918, 1919 and 1920, respectively. The profits on manufacture were Rs. 10,627-U-O
in 1921, Rs. 13,314-9-2 in 1922 and Rs. 13,611-13-0 in 1923 against Rs. 5,975-12-5 in
1918, Rs. 9,110-13-5 in 1919 and Rs. 10,575-2-11 in 1920.
MISCELLANEOUS.
The male inmates are mainly employed on cultivation of vegetables, jut^, sugar-
Employments of Lunatics.
ca ?. e a }} d manufacture of gur, repairs to buildings and
palisading, carpentry, tailoring, mot and basket making.
Females were employed in paddy boiling, husking, preparation of turmeric and all
other spices.
The Mental Hospital garden continues to do well, bringing in a good profit and
relieves Government of some expenditure in the matter of dietary.
Fairly rational lunatics are trained and employed in hand sewing, machine sew-
ing and repairing cloth.
During the triennium under review one pucca barrack for 26 male inmates was
, .
constructed but the construction of the above barrack
caused the dismantling of a portion of a female temporary
barrack reducing the accommodation by 11. Both on the male and female sides one
cubical room in the male and female tubercle wards is set apart for keepers as guard
rooms. Thus at the end of triennium under report, accommodation available for
inmates including cells, hospitals and tubercle wards was for 356 males and 85
females against 331 males and 97 females in the preceding triennium.
The maximum number of lunatics confined on any one night during the trien-
nium was 363 males and 92 females, i.e., a total of 455.
There is already site crowding in the Mental Hospital and the population has
increased steadily and is still showing a tendency to go up. More accommodation is
urgently required both for males and females. Government have approved the pro-
posal for the erection of the female enclosure and revision of the scheme for re-
building of the Mental Hospital. Plans and estimates are under preparation. The lack
of accommodation makes itself felt in jails in most of which there are ncn-cnmi-
nal lunatics awaiting admission to the Mental Hospital,
Needless to say a jail is about the worst place in which a lunatic could be
detained, both in his own interests and in the interests of the other inmates.
Night-soil is trenched on a selected site on Mental Hospital land outside the
„ §J
, , . .
stockade regularly and infected stools are destroyed
ITanitary ana hospital arrangements 3 . .
.
.
° .
"
in an incinerator.
The water-supply is good but the municipal water-supply is insufficient am
iiregular. The food is good and sufficient. Extra allowance of milk, d(thh l u°J
eggs, fruits and mustard oil are given to inmates of poor health and to tuber^
cases. Eggs were supplied throughout the whole triennium from the Mental l
pital poultry. There is an ample supply of fresh vegetables grown in the Me jL t
Hospital garden. Great care is taken in the matter of personal cleanliness ana
of bedding and clothing which is regularly boiled and washed.
twice eaj
the flo»; ble
tal
During the triennium under report the Mental Hospital was visited twice
Inspection.
bv His Excellency the Governor of Assam, the & ou .
Judicial Member and the Hon'ble Minister of Educate