( 2 )
Berhampore bowel-complaints and fever were more than usually common. The
diseases most prevalent in the asylums were anæmia and debility, diarrhœa,
dysentery, fever, pneumonia and phthisis. The Lieutenant-Governor is glad to
find that there was no epidemic visitation of cholera in any of the asylums,
although the disease was more or less prevalent in the towns where the
asylums are situated. There were 86 deaths against 85 in 1886. This gives
an annual death-rate of 9.11 per cent., which only slightly exceeds that of the
asylums in England.
6. There is a somewhat long catalogue of cases of injury. In the
Dullunda Asylum one criminal lunatic killed another by striking him with an iron
chopper while engaged in the kitchen. Another lunatic was severely injured by a
warder. At Dacca there were three cases of injuries of trivial character. There
was one case of suicide at Cuttack, and two at Berhampore. One lunatic
escaped from the Patna Asylum. The Lieutenant-Governor trusts that steps
will be taken to guard, as far as possible, against the recurrence of such
cases.
7. This year again the number of male lunatics confined in the Dacca and
Cuttack Asylums was in excess of the accommodation provided for them.
At Dullunda the space allotted for female lunatics has been found in-
sufficient for the number of patients admitted. The sanction of Govern-
ment has been accorded to the conversion of the jail hospital building
at Dacca into an asylum for female lunatics, and to certain additions and
alterations in the asylum buildings at Cuttack. It is hoped that the orders
under which fewer disticts are in future to send patients to Dullunda will afford
sufficient relief. There is not a sufficient number of separate cells in the
Dacca female asylum, but the defect is now being remedied. The
Lieutenant Governor agrees with the Inspector-General of Civil Hospitals
that the practice in some asylums of allowing harmless patients to
sleep in the verandahs is objectionable, and he is requested to report whether,
on the additional accommodation which it is proposed to provide being
completed, this will any longer be necessary.
8. The following table shows the receipts and expenditure in each asylum
during the year 1887 :—
Table showing the Receipts and Expenditure of each Asylum for the year 1887.
1
ASYLUMS.
Dullunda
...
...
Dacca
...
...
...
Patna
...
...
...
Cuttack ... ... ...
Beerbhoom ... ...
Total ...
2
Daily average strength.
265.39
221.56
234.73
52.38
169.05
943.11
3
Total expenditure.
Rs.
27,237
16,781
16,297
5,235
13,464
78,996
A.
4
11
15
11
1
11
P.
1
6
0
9
0
4
4
Realised from friends
of patients.
Rs.
988
114
215
A.
4
13
13
P.
8
6
0
......
......
1,318 15 2
5
Actual profit from
Manufacture Depart-
ment.
Rs.
1,713
1,417
1,559
158
724
5,573
A.
3
9
4
P.
8
0
2
13 10
12
11
9
5
6
Average cost of each
patient
as per
column 3.
Rs.
102
75
69
99
79
83
A.
10
10
6
15
10
12
P.
1
5
11
8
3
2
7
Average cost of each
patient deducting
columns 4 and 5.
Rs.
92
67
61
96
75
76
A.
7
8
13
14
5
7
P.
2
11
11
5
8
3
8
9
10
11
12
13
AVERAGE COST OF EACH PATIENT IN RELATION TO-
Establishment.
Rs.
40
36
36
63
46
41
A.
12
15
6
3
7
0
P.
5
8
0
6
2
9
Diet.
Rs.
39
31
26
27
27
31
A.
9
3
12
0
13
10
P.
9
1
4
0
10
1
Bazar medicines.
Rs.
0
0
0
0
0
0
A.
1
0
0
1
1
0
P.
5
8
3
5
0
11
Clothing.
Rs.
2
2
2
1
1
2
A.
7
14
6
15
11
6
P.
7
1
3
8
10
3
Contingencies.
Rs.
11
3
3
1
2
5
A.
5
15
13
13
9
10
P.
3
7
2
3
5
2
Other chargon.
Rs.
8
0
0
5
0
3
A.
5
9
0
13
15
0
9. The total expenditure on the asylums during the year was
Rs. 78,996-11.4 against Rs. 88,109-11-7 in 1886. The reduction of
Rs. 9,113-0-3 is due partly to the diminution in the Public Works
charges, and partly to the saving effected in the cost of diet. The aver-
age cost for each patient was Rs. 83-12-2 against Rs. 91-6-6 in the pre-
vious year. Dullunda continues to be the most costly of all the asylums.
The total expenditure on diet amounted to Rs. 19,137 against Rs. 22,061
in 1886, thus showing a reduction of Rs. 2,924, due partly to the
smaller number of lunatics dieted, and partly to the reduction in the price of
food-supplies. The value of articles of diet supplied from the manufacturing
departments amounted to Rs. 10,694 against Rs. 11,160 the year before. The
cost of establishment was Rs. 20,008, and of superintendence Rs. 18,704.