LUNATIC ASYLUMS IN BENGAL.
15
there are 17." This last number included the female warders at Dullunda.
These females are employed mainly on watch and ward duties, the cleansing of
the female ward and compound being done by the mehters, which explains the
larger number of mehters employed. The designation has been changed in
the statement for 1881, and the females shown under the head of female-
keepers.
33. Diet.—The total cost of diet amounted to Rs. 27,915 in 1881, inclusive
of Rs.8,761, the value of articles made over from manufactures, against
Rs. 31,669 in 1880. The price of raw materials only has been charged and
not the market value of manufactured goods. The cost per head was Rs. 32-1-3,
against Rs. 35-14-8 in 1880. The reduction is to be observed in all the
asylums, and is due to comparative cheapness of food in the past year. In
Dullunda the charges are the highest. The high price of meat and raw
materials in Calcutta, as explained in my report for 1880, accounts for this
excess. Dacca stands next. Here the reasons assigned for Dullunda charges
partially exist; moreover, the manufactured articles are chiefly sold outside the
asylum at an advantageous price, and only a few articles of diet manufactured are
made over for its use at cost price. Thus, while a large industrial profit is
secured at Dacca, there is a corresponding increase in the cost of articles of diet
purchased. The amount expended for the purchase of dieting articles was
Rs. 7,063, against Rs. 3,407 at Dullunda, Rs. 3,836 and Rs. 3,873 at Patna
and Berhampore; and the value of the articles obtained from manufactures
was Rs. 793 at Dacca, Rs. 5,244 at Dullunda, Rs. 1,373 and Rs. 1,345 at Patna
and Berhampore. The Cuttack Asylum obtains its food by local purchase,
nevertheless it shows the smallest cost per head, owing apparently to the
absence of meat and other costly articles. At Patna, where meat is sold at Rs. 5
a maund, against Rs. 12-8 and Rs. 10 at Dullunda and Berhampore, the cost on
diet was Rs. 23-11 against Rs. 26-13-1 in 1880. The price of meat at Dacca
was Rs. 11-15-8 per maund. Berhampore shows a higher cost than Patna.
The average cost of diet per man in 1881, as compared with the preceding year,
is given below—
Dullunda ... ...
Dacca ... ...
Patana
... ...
Cuttack ... ...
Berhampore ... ...
Total ...
1881.
Rs.
41
37
23
18
28
32
A.
13
7
11
15
9
1
P.
5
8
0
10
10
3
1880.
Rs.
45
42
26
22
33
35
A.
1
3
13
5
8
14
P.
5
9
1
6
10
8
34. Clothing and bedding.—The cost of clothing in 1881 was Rs. 2,664,
against Rs. 2,649 in the preceding year. An increase of Re. 0-14-1 per head is
to be observed at Dullunda, though no clothing or bedding was purchased from
outside, all the articles being manufactured at the asylum and valued at the cost
of production. Dacca and Berhampore show a decrease and the cost at Patna was
slightly in excess of that of 1880. The expenditure on clothing and bedding
varies according to periodical requirements.
35. Bazar medicines.—The cost on the whole was the same as in 1880,
viz. 9 pie per man.
36. Contingencies.—The charges for contingencies amounted to Rs. 4,915,
against Rs. 4,459 in 1880. These items at Dullunda show a total increase of
Rs. 612 on the year 1880, and the superintendent states that "the heading
of contingencies shows a considerable increase, but examination of details will
show that this was mainly due to expenditure on work which elsewhere would
be done by the Department of Public Works. The ordinary contingent
expenses of the asylum were small in 1881." In Dacca, the cost exceeded
slightly that of 1880, though no expenses were incurred for warders' clothing
in 1881. At Patna, the charges advanced by Rs. 93. At Berhampore the
cost was the same as in 1880. The total cost per head in the year under
report was Rs. 5-10-4, against Rs. 5-0-11 in 1880.