LUNATIC ASYLUMS IN BENGAL.
19
compared with Rs. 56-15-9 in 1876; and " the economy in this respect is due
to the carefulness and honesty of the native doctor, Bepin Behary Datta."
Contingencies amounted to Rs. 609-14-3 (inclusive of the value of articles
received from the manufacture department for asylum purposes), as against
Rs. 1,128-10-6 in 1876, or at the rate of Rs. 2-15-7 per head as compared with
Rs. 5-7-3 in 1876.
" The great reduction which obtains in all those headings as compared
with former years is no doubt in great part due to the organized system of
fraud which was then carried on and only detected last year.
" The total cost of each lunatic in 1877 was therefore Rs. 104-5-10 as
compared with Rs. 110-5-6¾ in 1876, Rs. 107-2-8 in 1875, and Rs. 108-4-6
in 1874."
Manufacture.
17. From the sale proceeds of manufactures during 1877 Rs. 4,929-8
were remitted to the treasury, as compared with Rs. 3,847-6-4 in 1876. Adding
together the profit from the manufactures and the amount realized from
patients, which makes up Rs. 3,596-5-5, and deducting this sum from the
total expenditure, or Rs. 21,149-3-5, we get a balance of Rs. 17,822-14 as
the actual loss to Government on account of the asylum during the year,
and the average cost of each inmate as Rs. 86-14-11. Taking into account
the money received from relatives for the maintenance of patients and the
money value of the labour of the inmates, Dr. Crombie calculates that each
lunatic on an average contributed Rs. 2-1-11 to the asylum during 1877.
He is further of opinion that a " little more pressure than was brought to bear
last year on the relatives of the confined lunatics may increase the amount
paid by them."
Assam lunatics.
18. On the 1st January there were 46 Assam lunatics. During the year
14 were admitted, making a total of 60, of which number two were discharged
cured, four died, one escaped, and 53 remained on the 31st December 1877:
daily average strength 49.20. These lunatics are chargeable to the Assam
administration at the rate of Rs. 90 each per annum. During the year the
experiment of boarding out a few of the inmates was tried, the rate being
Rs. 5 a month. Dr. Crombie does not approve of this plan.
Defalcation of
Overseer J. B.
Brock.
19. Dr. Crombie gives full datails of the defalcation, trial, deposition
from office, reinstatement, absconding, and capture of Overseer J. B. Brock,
who was subsequently tried by the High Court in Calcutta, on the 7th August,
on a charge of criminal breach of trust, and convicted and sentenced to three
years' rigorous imprisonment. Dr. Crombie adds—" As I held myself to have
been personally responsible for the money with which Mr. Brock absconded,
which had been drawn from the treasury in my name, I made good to
the asylum from my own purse the whole amount taken by him, namely
Rs. 717-4-10½, with the exception of the natch money. On his being found
guilty, I applied for and obtained possession of the sum found in his posses-
sion when he was arrested, and with this I recouped myself except in the
balance of Rs. 47-9-7½. In letter No. 2332, dated the 14th October 1877,
from the Officiating Secretary to the Government of Bengal to the Com-
missioner of Dacca, the Lieutenant-Governor exonerated me from all blame
in connection with Mr. Brock's embezzlement, and directed the difference
between the amount embezzled and the sum recovered to be written off to
profit and loss."
" It had always been the custom in this asylum for the Overseer to pay the
contractor's bill, but since Mr. Brock's embezzlement I have made all pay-
ments direct to the contractors. This also meets with the Lieutenant-Gover-
nor's approval."
Appointment of
Overseer J. C.
Liebenhals.
On the 23rd June Mr. J. C. Liebenhals was appointed Overseer, giving a
security bond for Rs. 1,000 for good conduct for two years. He, however,
resigned his appointment in the beginning of the present year, but applied to
cancel his resignation in February, and is therefore still Overseer. The pay of
the office is Rs. 100, and Dr. Crombie thinks that it would be a good plan to
offer a bonus should the outturn of the manufactures show satisfactory results
during the present year. The writer, Romesh Chunder Sil, and the native
doctor, Bepin Behary Datta, are favourably mentioned as attentive to their
respective duties.
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