3
class on the expiry of their sentences. At the end of the year, there were
left 451 lunatics of this class in the asylums (416 males and 35 females)
classified as under :—
Under-trial (criminal I) ... ... ...
Tried and acquitted (criminal II) ... ...
Convicts (criminal III)
...
...
...
Total ...
233
154
64
451
The principal offences with which they were charged are murder (203
cases), culpable homicide not amounting to murder (45 cases), grievous hurt
(60 cases), theft (38 cases), house trespass (24 cases), attempt to commit
murder (12 cases), attempt to commit suicide (7 cases), criminal trespass
(6 cases).
Finance.—The total receipts of the asylums amounted to Rs. 3,09,562, of
which a sum of Rs. 30,774 was received from sources other than Government,
viz., Rs. 7,468 from fees of paying-patients and Rs. 23,306 from value of
manufactured articles, dairy and garden produce sold to the public or used
in the asylums, as compared with a total income of Rs. 2,33,910 in 1918, of
which Rs. 16.037 were fees from paying-patients and Rs. 22,214, value of
manufactured articles.
The decrease under fees is due to the entire absence of an asylum at
Bhowanipur during the year under report, the temporary observation ward
opened in its place yielding only Rs. 218 on account of fees against Rs. 12,358
realised from the paying-patients of the regular asylum during 8½ months of
the previous year for which it was in operation. The total expenditure
for the upkeep of the asylums was Rs. 2,94,551 against Rs. 2,11,120 in 1918.
Deducting from it the above-mentioned income from other sources the actual
cost to Government was Rs. 2,63,777 against Rs. 1,72,869 in 1918. The
increased cost of diet and the charge for the re-construction of the buildings
at Bhowanipur are responsible for the increased expenditure.
The average annual cost to Government per patient was Rs. 265-7-11
against Rs. 161-9-8 in 1918.
The expenditure for running the temporary observation ward at
Bhowanipur amounted to Rs. 9,722 (excluding Public Works Department
charges), of which a sum of Rs. 218 only was received from paying-patients.
The balance, viz.. Rs. 9,504, was met from provincial revenues.
Establishment.—A proposal was submitted to Government for the
entertainment of a second Sub-Assistant Surgeon for the Dacca Lunatic
Asylum, as the present Sub-Assistant Surgeon with the combined duties of
Deputy Supeiintendent and Medical Officer was not considered sufficient
to work the asylum efficiently. Government, however, did not see their way
to sanction it. The daily average strength of the asylum was 306.33
during the year under report. I still consider that this asylum is exces-
sively weak in supervising staff and that there is a necessity for this
additional appointment. While 4 whole-time officers, viz., a Superintendent,
a Deputy Superintendent and 2 Sub-Assistant Surgeons are required to work
the Berhampur Asylum with a daily average strength of 687.77, it does not
seem desirable for the sake of efficiency that the Dacca Asylum should be
left to be managed by one Sub-Assistant Surgeon practically single-handed,
the Superintendent being a part-time officer who has many other duties to
attend to.
Manufacture.—At. Berhampur 402.66 lunatics were on an average
employed on industrial work, viz., 61.85 on weaving, 43.33 on gardening and
297.48 in dairy, bakery, looms and oil mills, etc., against 452.57 in 1918.
The bakery and the looms continued to be useful and profitable. There was
a profit of Rs. 7,032 from manufacture against Rs. 11,739 in 1918.
The daily average number so employed at Dacca was 72.38 as com-
pared with 91.02 in 1918, and the profit there was Rs. 6,410 against Rs. 4.096
in 1918. Weaving, tailoring, cane-work, oil mill and carpentry are the
regular useful industries in this asylum.