LUNATIC ASYLUMS IN BENGAL.
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61. The proportional cost of superintendence at Cuttack is exceptionally
high, owing to the small number of patients treated at that asylum. The
Dullunda Asylum stands next. The comparative high salary of the Deputy
Superintendent and other servants of the asylum, who necessarily receive higher
wages in Calcutta, explains the excess. In Dacca the establishment proper is
somewhat high for similar reasons. The other figures do not call for any
special remarks. On the whole there is a reduction of Rs. 2-11-5 in
the establishment charge per head in 1880, as compared with the preceding
year.
62. The cost of diet fell in all the asylums from Rs. 47-13-3 per head
in 1879 to Rs. 35-14-8 in 1880. The reduction is especially to be observed at
Dacca and Patna. In the former place the cost was reduced from Rs. 60-13-4
to Rs. 42-3-9, and in the latter from Rs. 45-3-8 to Rs. 26-13-1. These
reductions are chiefly due to the value of raw materials being only charged
in the accounts instead of the cost of manufactured articles at the market
value. The fall in the price of food articles in the outlying stations has also
had the effect of reducing the expenditure under this head considerably.
In Dacca the decrease is attributable to a change of diet in 1880, as well as
to the fall in the price of food articles. The value of articles made over as
diet from manufactures amounted to Rs. 503-2-9 only. In Dullunda the
general reduction of 1880 does not bear comparison with other asylums.
Here a change of diet, made for reasons above stated, led to increased expendi-
ture. The increase appears as cash expended, because the most costly
article, viz. meat, was purchased in the market. The reduction in 1879 is
therefore insignificant, although the articles of diet supplied from manufactures
were charged at the cost of production, and not at their market value.
The price of meat at Dullunda is Rs. 12-8 per maund, against Rs. 5 and
Rs. 10 per maund charged at Patna and Berhampore. Similarly the price of
paddy, husked into rice for asylum use, is considerably higher in Calcutta than
in the other asylums.
63. The cost of clothing in 1880 was Rs. 2,649-13-6, against Rs. 3,753-4
in 1879. The reduction was most marked in Patna and Dullunda, where
differences of Rs. 718-13-6 and Rs. 376-13-3 respectively, are to be observed.
Here again the charge for raw materials only materially influenced the
decrease. Almost the same expenditure as before was incurred at Dacca,
where clothing was locally purchased, and a slight increase at Cuttack and
Berhampore, the increase being due to a larger number of blankets purchased
during the year.
64. Bazar medicines on the whole exhibit a reduction of one pie per
head in 1879.
65. There was a total outlay of Rs. 4,459-10-11 in 1880, against
Rs. 4,882-3-9 in 1879, on account of contingent expenditure. At Dullunda there
was almost the same expenditure as in 1879—an excess of Rs. 40 only. The
charge, however, for contingencies proper fell from Rs. 1,649-7-9 in 1879 to
Rs. 1,254-12-3 in 1880. The difference in the total was caused by expenditure
on sundry work accomplished for the asylum, which would elsewhere have
been done by the Public Works Department. Gas-pipes were taken up and
relaid to effect some desirable changes in the distribution of light; water-
pipes were laid down in the female ward; the windows and doorways of
the male and female hospitals were fitted with screens of perforated zinc
to keep out flies, and the dining-room of the female ward was similarly
protected. All these, with the exception of gas-pipe work, were executed by
the asylum establishment, the materials only being charged. These items thus
cost Rs. 864-13 altogether. Rs. 343-2 was charged among contingencies on
account of uniform clothing for asylum servants. Dacca, Patna, and Cuttack
show reductions on the charges of 1879. Berhampore expended Rs. 146-3-3
more than 1879, and this was in consequence of servants' uniform being
charged among contingencies in 1880, which charge had not been previously
included under that head.