LUNATIC ASYLUMS IN BENGAL.
23
lunatics being smaller for the same year. The saving in outlay in establishment was made
by reduction, a sweeper and a jemadar having been discharged at the latter end of the year.
In the following table the receipts and expenditure of the asylum, with the average cost
of each patient, is shown :—
ASYLUM.
Patna ...
1
Daily
average
strength.
202.26
2
Total expenditure.
Rs.
22,674
A.
15
P.
3
3
Realized from the
friends of patients.
Rs.
194
A.
10
P.
6
4
Actual profit from
manufacture de-
partment.
Rs.
3,218
A.
8
P.
7
5
Average cost of
each patient, as
per column 2.
Rs.
112
A.
1
P.
9
6
Average cost of
each patient, de-
ducting columns
3 and 4.
Rs.
95
A.
3
P.
8
7
8
9
10
11
AVERAGE COST OF EACH PATIENT IN RELATION TO
Establish-
ment.
Rs.
42
A.
11
P.
4
Diet.
Rs.
54
A.
12
P.
2
Bazar medi-
cines.
Rs.
0
A.
2
P.
4
Contingen-
cies.
Rs.
8
A.
0
P.
11
Clothing.
Rs.
6
A.
6
P.
11
The profit of the manufacture department during the year was Rs. 3,218-8-7 against
Rs. 2,180-9-2.
The value of manufactured stock in hand on the 1st of January 1879 was Rs. 1,501-3-3
as against Rs. 1,822-2.
The value of manufactured goods made over to asylum purposes was for the year
Rs. 3,808-15-3.
No lunatic escaped during the year. One patient only assaulted another, inflicting a
slight wound on his lip. One cook and one keeper were fined, and three keepers dismissed
for assaulting patients. The assaults were all of a mild nature not necessitating medical
treatment.
Establishment—Mr. Nowlan as Overseer and Mrs. Nowlan as Matron worked steadily
and faithfully throughout the year, and I have much pleasure in commending them to the
Surgeon-General. Hospital Assistant Ahmed Khan and writer Chundee Churn Ghose also
worked well. Three jemadars, eleven keepers, and two mehters were fined for petty offences,
one jemadar resigned, one washerwoman and one carpenter were dismissed for neglect of
duty, while one jemadar and one mehter were discharged on account of reduction.
Improvements.—The asylum buildings were repaired and lime-washed during the year,
and a more perfect dry-earth system was introduced.
The official visitors met in committee on the following dates:—
29th January.
28th February.
30th April.
29th June.
9th July.
2nd September.
29th October.
29th November.
28th December.
The asylum was inspected by Dr. Lethbridge, Inspector-General of Jails, on the
27th February last, and by Dr. Coates, Sanitary Commissioner, on the 21st December ; also
by Dr. Irving, Surgeon-General for Bengal, on the 20th January 1879.
Cuttack Lunatic
Asylum.
Cuttack.—This asylum was under the superintendence of Surgeon-Major W. D. Stewart
during the year.
Forty-seven lunatics remained at the close of last year, 16 were admitted and three
re-admitted during the year, making a total of 66 as the asylum population. The average
daily strength was 47.8 against 49.8 of previous year.
Of the three re-admitted, two are paying patients, and one (a female) received from
Khoordah, who was formerly in the asylum in 1873.
There were 19 admissions during the year, nine criminal and ten non-criminal. This is
five in excess of last year. Care is taken to admit only those who, having no friends or
belongings, require to be taken into custody for their own safety or that of others. The cost
of maintenance is always realized when relatives or friends are able to pay.
Discharges.—The number discharged during the year was 13—nine being cured and four
improved and made over to their friends. Of the 13, seven were in the asylum under six
months and four under one year, showing that most of the recoveries were in acute and recent
cases; only two were in men who had been in the asylum from six to eight years. Most of
the acute cases are caused by the excessive use of ganja, opium, and other narcotics; the dis-
continuance of the drug and the regularity of living imposed in the asylum soon brings
about an improvement in the case.
There has been no change in the asylum buildings during the year. The male compart-
ment consists of two divisions with two separate enclosures, in one of which the more
dangerous cases are kept. Both compartments consist of 4 wards and 12 cells; at 50
superficial feet 43 patients can be accommodated in the wards and cells, but as each cell can
hold two men at 42 superficial feet, the asylum can with facility accommodate 60 patients.
Many of the quieter patients prefer sleeping in the verandah, and are permitted to do so. It
is a healthier practice, and one that tends to remove the feeling of restraint that is felt when
they sleep together in a closed room. There was no overcrowding during the year.
The general health of the asylum during the year has been good. Only one case of
cholera occurred; it proved fatal. The disease did not spread; it prevailed in the town, and
was also present in the jail at the same time.