16
LUNATIC ASYLUMS OF BENGAL.
cows, and the profits are put at Rs. 399-4-6 as the arithmetical difference
between the total expenditure and the value of milk sold and issued to luna-
tics. The public demand for milk was, however, limited; during some months
there were no purchasers, so it had to be issued to the lunatics. At market
rates the quantity thus issued was valued at Rs. 1,186-14-3. The cost of diet,
as has been seen, rose from Rs. 40-13-2 to Rs. 44-11-6, and the lunatics were
given much unnecessary milk to save wasting it, so that the profit by the dairy
was somewhat problematical. The idea of starting a dairy at Patna has been
abandoned, there being no room for one on the asylum premises, and unlimited
supplies of pure milk being available in the local market at 18 seers per rupee.
At Berhampore a very ambitious scheme for a model dairy with all the latest
improvements was submitted. A shed for 40 cows was to cost Rs. 6,536. This
was objected to by Government as extravagant. Surgeon-Colonel Pilcher thought
Rs. 2,500 should suffice, and the Superintendent of the Asylum now says that he
can construct one for 20 cows for less than Rs. 2,000. He considers that good
milk and butter would find a ready sale, and that the scheme would pay.
He has been asked to submit a plan and estimate for his proposed cowshed, and
the matter rests there at present. Meantime Cuttack has commenced operations,
and has built a perfectly sufficient and satisfactory, if rough and unorna-
mental, cowshed, large enough to accommodate 12 cows, on the same scale
as Berhampore, viz., 54 superficial feet each, for Rs. 100. Four cows were
purchased for Rs. 97. These cost Rs. 123.7 to feed, exclusive of some damaged
grain made over to them. The milk sold realized Rs. 127-8, of which only
Rs. 5-11-6 worth was consumed by the lunatics, and the net profit is put
at Rs. 4-1. As, however, the value of the damaged grain was not included in
the cost, and no allowance has been made for depreciation either on the value
of the cows or the cowshed, it seems to me that the net result is a considerable
loss. Cows dry up, thatched sheds deteriorate, and 20 per cent. would probably
not be too much to allow for depreciation, so that the Rs. 4 of profit becomes
Rs. 35 of loss, if this is taken into account. I doubt if it is worth while
to incur this for the sake of the small quantity of milk supplied to the lunatics,
but as the Superintendent says he expects better results this year, the experiment
might perhaps be continued for another year. If Cuttack fails as a commer-
cial speculation, I cannot see how Berhampore is to pay; but as the quantity
of milk used in that asylum comes to Rs. 28 a month, there is some justification
for carrying on a dairy, even at a loss, since it is a great advantage to be
certain that the milk is pure.
34. Sanitation has been carried on chiefly on the old lines, and there
are few changes to note. At Berhampore the source of the water-supply was
changed on the recommendation of the Sanitary Commissioner. A diminution
in the number of bowel complaints has resulted. At Patna the provision of
a tap to the reservoir of filtered water has enabled the very objectionable
practice of dipping buckets into it to be done away with. The dry-earth system
of conservancy is everywhere in use, and constant attention is paid to cleanliness.
35. The following medical officers were in charge of the asylums during
the year:—
Dullunda.—Surgeon-Captain J. H. T. Walsh from 1st January to 31st
December.
Dacca.— Surgeon-Major R. Cobb throughout the year.
Patna.—Surgeon-Lieutenant-Colonel F. C. Nicholson from 1st January
to 11th February. Surgeon-Lieutenant-Colonel E. Bovill from 12th February
to 31st December.
Cuttack—Surgeon-Lieutenant-Colonel J. M. Zorab throughout the year.
Berhampore. — Surgeon-Lieutenant-Colonel C. J. W. Meadows throughout
the year.
The Superintendents report favourably on the whole of the subordinate
establishments. At Berhampore complaint is made of constant changes of
warders, owing to lowness of pay—they enter the police and jail service
when possible: also of excessive office work interfering with the duties of the
overseer. There has been a great increase of office work in all the asylums,
in consequence of the investigations by the Hemp Drugs Commission, the