42
CUTTACK ASYLUM.
Post-mortem examination.—Brain congested and its lateral ventricles filled with serum ;
there was also a considerable quantity of serous effusion in the pericardium; the aortic
valves were partly ossified, the ossification extending upwards into the aorta; lungs congested,
but otherwise healthy.
6. The diet for the healthy insanes has been good and sufficiently nutritious. It is the
same as that ordered by the Inspector-General of Jails for prisoners, but varied in cases of
sickness and debility. Several lunatics on admission have required more nourishing food,
having been sent to the asylum in a miserably starved condition.
7. Of the admissions during the year, 5 have been criminal lunatics—4 males and
1 female ; 3 have been sent from Cuttack Jail, and 2 by the magistrate of Cuttack ; of which
3 have been admitted for the first, and 2 for the second time.
8. It will be observed in paragraph 2 that the increase in the number of patients at
the end of this year has been considerable. On the 31st December 1868, 36 remained under
treatment, whereas at the close of this year 46 remain.
The present sleeping accommodation is scarcely sufficient, and the enclosure is by far
too limited. There is very little space for garden ground; the lunatics when working are
consequently too much crowded together. And as there are several of them of most violent
and dangerous dispositions, who have committed murder or seriously injured others before
being sent to the asylum, it will be at once seen that the crowding together in a small space
of so many insanes cannot be otherwise than dangerous. Mr. Nowlan, European overseer,
sanctioned by Government on 16th June 1869, and who joined his appointment on 22nd
July 1869, has, I am sorry to say, been removed to a larger asylum. He has attended to his
duties, and has been most careful to observe the slightest tendency to excitement or violence.
He has done much to improve the comfort of the lunatics, and has also been most useful in
selecting for them such employment as they were best able to perform. Nearly all the clothing
now in use has been manufactured under his superintendence by the lunatics themselves.
His pay will, however, cause a very considerable increase to the average expense of each
lunatic for the past year; nevertheless, I am of opinion that European supervision is most
urgently required in an asylum with so little ground attached to it, and where the patients
are yearly increasing in numbers. I sincerely trust that Government will see the necessity
of sanctioning another European overseer to the Cuttack Asylum, as during an emergency
or a violent and sudden outburst of passion amongst lunatics, native supervision is not to
be depended on. Ground has been selected and plans forwarded to Government for a new
lunatic asylum on a much larger scale than the present one. I therefore hope that sufficient
space and accommodation will ere long be provided.
9. The average annual expense for diet alone has been Rs. 31-8-6, and when all
other expenses are added, such as clothing, bedding, contingencies, and bazaar medicines, the
total for each patient, excluding establishment, has been Rs. 36-13-8 ; but to this must be
added the pay of the establishment, which alone is Rs. 103-3-8. This added to the above
makes the yearly cost of each patient to be Rs. 140-1-0. As has been already stated in
paragraph 8, a European overseer was appointed by Government on 16th June 1869 ; he
joined his appointment on 22nd July 1869, and has received pay to the amount of
Rs. 532-4-1. This added to the very expensive establishment required for so small an asylum,
has increased the average yearly expenditure compared with last year by Rs. 4-11-0; whereas
had a European overseer not been appointed, the average cost of each patient would have been
about Rs. 125, or about Rs. 10 less than the average cost for 1868, and about Rs. 22-8-0 less
than for 1867. The cost of the establishment alone amounts to Rs. 3,742-6-11, which has to
be divided among 36.26. In the Patna Asylum, as shown by the report of the Inspector-
General of Hospitals, for 1868 the cost of establishment was Rs. 4,558-3-9 ; this was divided
among a daily average of 162.4. It will be at once seen therefore that the great difference