( 3 )
9. The decrease of Rs. 4,486 in the total expenditure occurred chiefly
under the heads of "Diet," "Rates and Taxes," and "Public Works Charges,"
and is attributed in the case of diet to lower price of food-grains; in that of rates
and taxes to a reduction of Rs. 1,469, which occurred at Dullunda owing to
there being no arrears to pay in 1899.
10. The gross cost of each lunatic in the different asylums for the past
two years, and the cost per head of average strength, are given in the following
table:—
Dullunda ... ... ...
Dacca ... ... ...
Patna
...
...
...
Cuttack ... ... ...
Berhampore ... ... ...
Details of cost—
Establishment ... ... ...
Diet
...
...
...
Clothing and bedding ... ...
Medicines ... ... ...
Contingencies ... ...
Public Works Department charges ...
Rates and taxes ... ...
Forms and stationery ... ...
Total ...
1898.
Rs.
122
105
89
128
104
37
42
2
1
8
7
6
0
106
A.
4
7
5
15
7
7
3
13
2
9
7
4
2
1
P.
3
1
9
4
2
4
2
2
6
3
3
9
0
5
1899.
Rs.
119
113
87
121
88
36
40
4
1
9
5
5
0
103
A.
0
11
15
0
12
14
15
0
2
11
3
4
2
6
P.
5
3
9
6
10
2
4
6
4
6
3
11
1
1
11. The number of admissions to the European asylum at Bhawanipur
increased from 13 to 17, while the re-admissions fell from 5 to 2. Including 35
patients who remained at the close of last year, the total number of inmates
was 54 against 53 in 1898. Of these 5 were discharged cured, 7 made over
to friends, 1 despatched to Europe, and 4 died, leaving 37 in confinement at
the close of the year. Two of the persons admitted and one of those re-admitted
were criminal lunatics. The daily average strength was 36.49 against 37 in
the previous year, and the number of admissions to hospital was 6 against 5 in
1898. The rate of mortality on the daily average strength rose from 5.40 to
10.96. It is, however, said that two of the patients who died were over fifty years
of age, and that one of them had been in the asylum for sixteen years. The total
expenditure decreased from Rs. 20,884 to Rs. 20,452, while the receipts from
paying patients rose from Rs. 12,446 to Rs. 14,585.
12. The question of establishing a Central Lunatic Asylum in Bengal,
which has been under consideration for the last five years, has now been
definitely settled. It has been decided that the asylum should be located at
Berhampore, which is the best situation available in point of health and conve-
nience, and that only the asylums at Dullunda, Patna and Berhampore should
be combined, leaving those at Bhawanipur, Dacca and Cuttack where they are.
The necessary alterations in the Berhampore Asylum will be commenced this
year. Arrangements will also be made for training Civil Hospital Assistants
recruited for Government service in the treatment of mental diseases. It is
proposed to send these men immediately on recruitment to the asylums to undergo
a training for two months in the treatment of insanity. The Hospital Assistants
recruited from the Campbell Medical School at Sealdah and Temple Medical
School at Patna will be sent to the Central Asylum at Berhampore, and those
recruited from the Dacca and Cuttack Schools to the asylums at those places.
13. The thanks of the Lieutenant-Governor are due to Colonel Hendley
for his interesting report and to the Superintendents for their efficient manage-
ment of the asylums during the year.
By order of the Lieutenant-Governor of Bengal,
E. N. BAKER,
Secretary to the Govt. of Bengal.