LUNATIC ASYLUMS IN BENGAL.
19
Water-supply.—Till August the water was brought from the river and filtered in the
asylum. From September the water supplied by the newly-opened waterworks was used.
It is not yet laid on to the asylum, and it is brought from an adjoining hydrant by a party
of lunatics. It seems to be now of good quality, and is free of smell, which it was not when
the works were first opened.
One well in the male part of the asylum, and one in the female, are set apart for bathing
purposes, and there are two wells in the garden used for watering vegetables.
It will be noticed that there were only five cases admitted on account of intestinal worms
during the year, and I think I can say they were the only inmates who suffered in that way,
for I gave each inmate santonine to ascertain if they existed, and expel the worms if they
did. I think I do not exaggerate (judging by what I see in the post-mortem room) when
I say that every third native out of the asylum suffers from round worms in this district.
Conservancy.—Ten mehters on Rs. 6 a month, assisted by seven lunatics under the super-
vision of one asylum jemadar, constitute the conservancy staff, and I do not think the asylum
could be kept clean with a smaller number. The work is increased by the scattered plan of
the buildings; and the arrangements on the cells are of the most primitive kind, and
necessitate a great deal of daily scrubbing with dry-earth to make them free of smell.
Two kutcha latrines in the male part of the asylum were reconstructed by the lunatics
this year. The dry-earth system is carried out, but not very perfectly. All night-soil is at
once removed and buried in the garden.
Accommodation.—There is now accommodation in the asylum for 167 males and 50
females; total 217. The largest number confined on any one night was 174 males and
34 females; total 208. The whole of this space was available throughout the year, the
leaking roof of ward No. 11—two having been dismantled and entirely reconstructed before
the rains set in.
I believe I am justified in claiming, as I did last year, part at least of the improvement
in the health of the inmates of this asylum as due to the greater attention which has been
given to the quantity and quality of the food issued as a consequence of the frauds detected
in the end of 1876. This opinion is supported by the displacement downwards in the list
in order of frequency of such diseases as dyspepsia, colic, diarrhœa, dysentery, anæmia,
and debility, diseases attributable to defective or disordered nutrition.
Cash account.—Exclusive of the sums drawn for the purchase of raw materials and of
the sale proceeds remitted to the treasury, the amount received from paying patients was
Rs. 132-7-6, as compared with Rs. 27-12-3 in 1877 and Rs. 329-5-6 in 1876. This sum
though better than that for the previous year, is still below what it ought to be. I endea-
voured to bring a good deal of pressure to bear on the relatives of many of the inmates for
the purpose of realizing more money under this heading, but it seems the executive has no
power to compel the relatives of a lunatic to pay for him, even though they are well-off.
In one instance the brother of a lunatic, a well-to-do cotton merchant, stated his willingness
to pay for the maintenance of his brother “ on condition his brother (the lunatic) is cured
and capable of managing his business in the trade.” The Magistrate adds—“I do not
think the brother can be compelled to pay under these circumstances.” In other instances
the relatives were too poor, or the police reported that they could not be found.
Expenditure.—The amount drawn on account of establishment was Rs. 156-6-10 more
than in 1877, but was Rs. 739-13-9 below the estimate. The saving was effected chiefly
by employing only two instead of four hired cooks, by the salary of the native doctor
being Rs. 25 instead of Rs. 30, and the remainder by fines, &c., deducted from the salary
bills. The cost of establishment for each patient was Rs. 45-13-1¼ as compared with
Rs. 43-2-11 in 1877 and Rs. 44-4-0½ in 1876. The reduction of the average number of
inmates, while the establishment remains the same, must necessarily increase the cost of
each patient. The reduction of the daily average number must be considerable before
the establishment can be reduced, otherwise great difficulty in awarding duties and guard-
ing the different buildings would arise.
Diet.—The expenditure on account of diet was larger than in any previous year
since the present diet scale was fixed, simply on account of the almost famine prices of
provisions ruling in the local market. The following table shews the cost of each inmate's
diet and the average price of rice in the local market during the past quinquennial
period:—
1874 ... ... ...
1875 ... ... ...
1876 ... ... ...
1877 ... ... ...
1878 ...
...
...
Cost of each
lunatic's diet.
Rs.
60
57
54
56
65
A.
1
4
3
10
1
P.
11
0
7
9
3
Average price of bazar
rice per maund.
Rs.
3
2
2
2
3
A.
6
6
4
14
4
P.
5
8
4
8
9
Every other article on the diet scale was proportionately dearer than in previous years.
An attempt was made to lessen the expenditure under this heading by substituting fish
for mutton three times a fortnight (i.e. giving mutton only twice a week instead of every
alternate day) and reducing the quantity of dâl given on mutton days. The diet scale