16
LUNATIC ASYLUMS IN BENGAL.
debits of Rs. 6,235, which sum is considered as the total profits of 1886. The
net profits, however, amounted to Rs. 5,941 distributed as follows:—
Dullunda
...
... ... ...
Dacca
...
...
...
...
Patna ... ... ... ...
Cuttack
...
...
...
...
Berhampore
...
...
...
...
Total ...
1886.
Rs.
594
1,827
2,037
555
928
5,941
1886.
Rs.
—1,040 loss
1,754
1,752
190
747
3,403
The above figures are taken from the table explaining column 19 of state-
ment XI, and it would appear that there was an increase of Rs. 2,538 in the
net profits as compared with the previous year. In the year under report all
the asylums showed profit.
37. General management, alterations, and Improvements.—The Superinten-
dent of Dullunda Asylum reports that the scheme for connecting the asylum,
latrines and lavatories with the Calcutta drainage system, which was referred to
in the report of 1885, has not yet been carried out. He hopes that the
work will be taken in hand and perfected during the year 1887. The
Superintendent remarks that ''it is true that the asylum is provided with a
plentiful supply of filtered water for drinking and cooking purposes, but
the process of obtaining, storing and distributing it is laborious and expensive.
So long as the nearest point of contact between the asylum and the muni-
cipal main was Chowringhee Road, a matter of three quarters of a mile, it
was not desirable on economic grounds to suggest any modification of the
existing system ; but now that there is a " main " conveying water to the
General Hospital and a disused pipe belonging to the late Ice manufacturing
Company, Alipore, running within a few yards of the east gate of the asylum,
it is very essential on economic and other grounds to convey the municipal
water into the institution especially so as the work could be executed at a very
moderate cost." It has been decided, as in the case of Presidency General
Hospital, that when the Suburbs are formed into a part of the Town, the restriction
on the use of the water will be removed, and the whole arrangements for the
supply will probably be altered. The Superintendent of Dacca Asylum reports
that municipal water was used for all purposes of drinking, cooking and bathing
throughout the year. A new and much needed latrine has been erected. The
work was done by asylum labour with old bricks, the only expenditure being for
lime and corrugated zinc roofing. The workmanship is said to be particularly
neat and good, and compares well with that done by the Public Works Depart-
ment. A new pucca masonry bridge has also been erected in the same way over
the nullah between the asylum buildings and the garden. The Superintendent
further reports that the abandoned jail hospital has been at last made
over to the asylum, and its conversion into a ward for female lunatics is
in progress. Godowns, workshed, drying platform, &c., are also in course
of erection. Owing to the overcrowded state of the male portion of the
asylum and the addition of the lunatics of Chittagong Division to this asylum
made by orders of Government, the Superintendent says he has proposed to
retain the present female ward (on completion of the new female quarters)
instead of making it over to the jail. This plan, if sanctioned, will, it is said,
relieve all overcrowding and give ample room for some years to come in
spite of the additional division to the asylum. The proposal has, however,
not been sanctioned by Government. The water-supply at Patna continues the
same. The Superintendent says that during the year, the municipality have tried
to improve the insanitary condition of the land outside the asylum, but
their efforts have not been attended with much success.
38. Superintendence.—-The management of the Dullunda Asylum was under
Dr. R. D. Murray from 1st January to the 18th July 1886, and from 19th
July till the end of the year under Dr. J. Clarke.