LUNATIC ASYLUMS IN BENGAL.
9
4th May 1882, the Presidency Asylums passed into the hands of the 1st
Resident Surgeon, General Hospital, and a monthly sum of Rs. 273, hitherto
debited to the asylum, disappeared from the accounts after 7th June. The
higher salary of the Deputy Superintendent and matron add to the charge for
superintendence in this asylum. There was some reduction of establishment
proper in 1882. The reductions noted at the foot of statement No. X in 1881
were maintained and, in addition, a cook and a female warder were discharged.
Nevertheless, the average cost under this head shows a trifling increase, the balance
of the effect of smaller numbers over the amount saved. At Dacca the establish-
ment was revised in May 1882. The cost of superintendence rises slightly,
and some reduction in establishment proper is seen. Probably the latter will
not be maintained, as the pay of the warders has been found insufficient. At
Patna the trifling decrease was due to fines, &c. At Cuttack there was no
change worthy of notice. At Berhampore a slight decrease in superintendence
and increase in establishment proper resulted from some increase in the number
of lunatics requiring additional servants, the former being made less than it
would otherwise have been by increase of pay to the overseer. The charges
under both heads for the two years stand as follows :—
Dullunda
...
...
...
...
Dacca
...
...
...
...
Patna
...
...
...
...
Cuttack
...
...
...
...
Berhampore
...
...
...
...
Total ...
1882.
Superinten-
dence.
Rs.
5,019
4,200
4,500
2,100
4,065
19,884
A.
9
0
0
0
0
9
P.
7
0
0
0
0
7
Establishment
proper.
Rs.
6,651
4,496
3,945
1,160
3,565
19,817
A.
5
4
0
1
1
13
P.
0
7
10
7
3
3
Total.
Rs.
11,670
8,696
8,445
3,260
7,630
39,702
A.
14
4
0
1
1
6
P.
7
7
10
7
3
10
1881.
Superinten-
dence.
Rs.
6,876
3,800
4,500
2,100
4,020
21,296
A.
0
0
0
0
0
0
P.
0
0
0
0
0
0
Establishment
proper.
Rs.
7,147
4,814
3,992
1,163
3,311
20,429
A.
11
6
8
0
7
0
P.
0
0
4
0
5
9
Total.
Rs.
14,023
8,614
8,492
3,263
7,331
41,725
A.
11
6
8
0
7
0
P.
0
0
4
0
5
9
23. The reasons for inequality in the several establishments, which were
noticed by Government in Resolution on the report for 1880, were fully
explained in my last report. They have particular application to the Dullunda
Asylum.
24. Diet.—The subject of asylum diet in Bengal came under discussion
during the year. The Government of India, in letter, Home Department,
No. 281, dated 1st July 1882, called attention to the heavy cost of food in the
Dullunda and Dacca asylums, as compared with charges in the neighbouring
jails. This comparison had not been suggested before, and such rules and
orders as had been issued on asylum dietaries had indicated a policy which
would not admit of it. Without, however, reducing the scales of charges in
asylums to those of prisons, it has been found that some changes may be made in
both the asylums, and considerable change will follow at Dacca. The differences
of cost indicated by the Government of India were not in reality so large as
they appeared on the figures. There were differences in the method of reckon-
ing average cost in asylums and prisons, and other peculiarities which have
been explained in the correspondence. At Dullunda the diet scale had been
reduced as far as seemed prudent in 1881, and the mode of purchasing certain
articles had been altered with advantage. The old contract system had come
to an end, in respect of the articles of largest consumption, under the progress
of the asylum industries, as raw materials only were now purchased in the
manufacturing branch and the cost adjusted as a diet charge. A few remaining
articles, such as condiments, were still purchased, and it was found better to
obtain them at current prices than to maintain a contract. Purveyors did not
care to furnish small supplies at favourable rates. Open contract, moreover, is
open in appearance only. There is no genuine competition. A contractor
who obtains possession always manages to keep it, if it is worth keeping, and
monopoly is the consequence. This has been found true at Dacca as well as
at Dullunda. At the former place the diet scale is now assimilated to that
in use at Dullunda. It had been somewhat excessive. Still the comparison
of asylum dietaries will be with hospitals rather than with jails ; but it will
not be very close with either, for sick men do not labour, and lunatics are not
criminals.