16
LUNATIC ASYLUMS OF BENGAL.
The amount drawn from the Treasury, inclusive of the amount received from
paying patients, shows a decrease of Rs. 3,587-9-4. The value of articles
received from the Manufacturing Department, less cost of raw materials,
increased by Rs. 1,442-13-9, while the book account with the Public Works
Department, Stationery Office, and the Medical Store Depôt, shows a reduction
of Rs. 2,341-14-4, as compared with the previous year.
22 Superintendence—Cost Rs. 15,111-9-3, or Rs. 729-10-9 less than in the
previous year. The decrease took place at Dullunda, and was mainly due to
the fact that Mr. T. H. Lawton, the Officiating Deputy Superintendent, had to
refund Rs. 527-6-5 previously drawn by him on account of exchange compen-
sation allowance, to which it was held he was not entitled, since his emoluments
were increased by the allowance given to him for the Dullunda Asylum. A
portion of the decrease is also attributable to the Acting Matron not having
drawn the full pay of the post for six months. There was no change in the
cost in the other asylums.
23. Establishment proper.—There was a saving of Rs. 507-14-1 under
this heading, the figures having been Rs. 18,189-4-9, against Rs. 18,697-2-10
in the previous year. The decrease occurred at Dullunda, Patna, and Berham-
pore, because no compensation allowance on account of dearness of provisions
was drawn by certain menial servants of the asylums throughout the year. At
Cuttack the cost remained unchanged. There was an increase of Rs. 239-8-1
at Dacca, which is accounted for by the revision of pay of the establishment,
which was referred to in paragraph 35 of my
report for last year. The usual table showing the
average cost per head on account of Establishment
and Supervision is given in the margin. At Dacca
the cost per head shows an increase, owing to the
reason mentioned above and to the daily average
number having been less than in the previous year.
At Cuttack the total cost was the same as in last
year, but the rate per head decreased from Rs. 55-9-5 to Rs. 50-4-4 in 1899, as
the cost was distributed over a larger number of lunatics in 1899. At Berham-
pore, although the gross expenditure was less than in last year, the cost per
head rose from Rs. 38-15-4 to Rs. 41-4-8 in 1899, as the cost was divided among
a smaller average number of inmates.
TABLE XII.
Dullunda ...
Dacca ...
Patna ...
Cuttack ...
Berhampore
1898.
Rs.
35
34
37
55
38
A.
3
12
13
9
15
P.
9
5
2
5
4
1899.
Rs.
31
36
35
50
41
A.
12
15
8
4
4
P.
8
2
2
4
8
24. Diet.—The cost of diet, including food-supplies from the Manufac-
turing Department, was Rs. 36,980-13-1, against
Rs. 38,907-14-1 in the previous year. There was
a decrease at Dullunda, Patna, and Berhampore, due
to cheaper food-grains. At Dacca there was a
small increase, which, again, was more apparent
than real, as a large stock of rice purchased in 1899
was left unexpended at the end of the year, so
that it is expected that the cost for the current
year will show a decrease. At Cuttack the increase was caused by a
larger number of lunatics. The incidence of cost per head is shown in the
marginal table.
TABLE XIII.
Dullunda ...
Dacca
...
Patna ...
Cuttack ...
Berhampore
1898.
Rs.
48
47
36
48
35
A.
3
4
1
4
15
P.
10
3
1
1
11
1899.
Rs.
47
49
35
49
29
A.
3
7
2
2
6
P.
2
5
3
8
1
25. Clothing and bedding.—The expenditure under this heading was more
by Rs. 1,035-9-6, the increase occurring in all the asylums except Cuttack. At
Dullunda a large number of blankets was purchased, for making coats for the
sick and the weakly. This accounts for the increase of Rs. 441-10 in that
asylum. Dacca spent Rs. 52-3 more than in last year by purchasing blankets
of superior quality from the Bhagalpur Jail, to which the Superintendent
credited the smaller number of chest affections in
the year under report. Patna shows an increase of
Rs. 476-14, due to the purchase of a large number
of blankets, but cases of pneumonia and phthisis
were, as I stated before, more common than in the
previous year. At Berhampore the increase of
Rs. 76-10 is attributed to the issue of new clothing
to the lunatics. The cost per head in each asylum
is shown in the table in the margin.
TABLE XIV.
Dullunda ...
Dacca ...
Patna
...
Cuttack ...
Berhampore
1898.
Rs.
3
3
2
4
2
A.
0
0
7
11
6
P.
5
10
11
2
0
1899.
Rs.
5
3
4
3
2
A.
2
6
8
15
15
P.
0
2
1
8
4