LUNATIC ASYLUMS IN BENGAL.
9
21. The cost of establishment, including superintendence, was
Rs. 38,711-12-6, and in the previous year Rs. 38,461-6-7, the difference being
accounted for by the employment at Dacca in 1886 of an Assistant Surgeon as
Overseer who did not draw his pay from the asylum.
22. A reference to the following table giving the cost per head in relation
to establishment is instructive, inasmuch as it shows the great variations which
occur in this item of expenditure at the different asylums:—
Dullunda
...
...
...
...
Dacca
...
...
...
...
Patna
...
...
...
...
Cuttack
...
...
...
...
Berhampore ... ... ...
ANNUAL COST PER HEAD.
1887.
Superintendence.
Rs.
13
19
19
40
24
A.
12
2
2
1
13
P.
11
2
9
5
6
Establishment.
Rs.
26
17
17
23
21
A.
15
13
3
2
9
P.
6
1
3
1
8
Total.
Rs.
40
36
36
63
46
A.
12
15
6
3
7
P.
5
3
0
6
2
1886.
Superintendence.
Rs.
14
16
18
38
23
A.
7
11
10
5
13
P.
3
2
1
9
11
Establishment.
Rs.
27
16
16
21
21
A.
3
15
5
3
12
P.
10
1
5
6
3
Total.
Rs.
41
33
34
59
45
A.
11
10
15
9
10
P.
1
3
6
3
2
The cost per head at an asylum as regards establishment usually stands
in an inverse ratio to the number of lunatics in confinement; but at Dullunda,
where the population is the largest, the expenditure is not by any means the
smallest, and this is accounted for in a great measure by larger salaries and by the
greater number of persons other than keepers who are engaged at this asylum
in attending to the wants of the inmates. Local circumstances, such as the
confinement of the majority of the lunatics in separate cells instead of in
barracks, the large area of the grounds, &c., &c., also contribute to raise the
expenditure. It is noticeable that at Patna, where the daily average strength is
not much less than at Dullunda, the cost per head on account of establishment is
least.
23. The charges for bazar medicines and clothing do not vary much from
those of the previous year, and are moderate at all the asylums. The expendi-
ture under the head of contingencies is not excessive, except at the Dullunda
Asylum, which is heavily burdened with water and gas rates. The items under
the heading of other charges vary much from year to year, as they include the
cost of new buildings.
24. The total average annual cost to Government of each lunatic, after
deducting income received from paying patients and profits from manufactures,
is highest at Cuttack and lowest at Patna. At the latter the large amount
received from these sources makes the maintenance of the asylum the least
costly when the number in confinement is taken into consideration. At the
former the cost of establishment per lunatic is necessarily large on account of
the small number of inmates, while the profit accruing from labour is inconsider-
able.
25. Income.—This is mainly derived from two sources, viz. the contribu-
tions of the relatives of the patients, and the earnings of the manufacturing
department. It can never reach any considerable sum owing to the poverty of
the class to which most of the lunatics belong, and to the small amount of work
that can be exacted from them. The sum received from paying patients was
smaller than in the previous year by Rs. 353-15-8, the figures being
Rs. 1,672-14-10 for 1886 and Rs. 1,318-15-2 for 1887. The largest amount
under this head is shown at Dullunda, where Rs. 988-4-8 was credited, while
the returns from Cuttack and Berhampore are blank.
26. Manufactures in an asylum can never be very profitable, and must be
regarded chiefly as a means of giving light and healthy occupation to the
lunatics, and thus conducing to their recovery. The net profits obtained from
them was Rs. 5,573-11-5 as against Rs. 5,941-8-6 in 1886—a considerable falling
off which is accounted for to some extent by the diminished number of lunatics
who were employed in profitable occupations.
27. Improvements. New buildings, &c.—At Dullunda a night-soil depôt has
been constructed by the Public Works Department, but has not yet been
brought into use. It is situated near the public road and not far from the