CUTTACK ASYLUM.
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7. The situation of the asylum is unfortunate, being in the centre of the town, and with
insufficient enclosure for the recreation and diversion of the patients. The wards, however, are
very well built, and provide sufficient and good accommodation for the inmates. At the
beginning of the year eight lunatics were transferred to Dullunda. This has been the means
of preventing overcrowding; the transfer was occasioned also by the want of separate room for
the reception of dangerous insanes.
8. The rule in the asylum is to let each man move about the grounds as freely as
possible; encouragement is given to employment, but no force whatever is used. The chief
amusement of the weak and recovering is to move about the garden grounds, weeding or
watering it. It is found very difficult to keep the noisy and turbulent from harassing those
who are better disposed; hence, for want of special accommodation for this class, they are from
time to time transferred to Dullunda.
9. The chief occupation of the lunatics disposed and able to work is weaving, spinning
twine and thread, tailoring, cooking and occasional soorkee pounding. The actual sale
proceeds of manufactured goods are Rs. 220-6-1; the estimated cost of labor during the year
is Rs. 593-15-3. This is calculated by fixing a rate on the kind of work engaged in; but as
task work is never exacted, the outturn is very much less to what would be the case if the
lunatics were pressed to work.
10. The average annual cost of each patient for establishment is Rs. 83-6-0; for diets,
Rs. 26-14-2; bazar medicines, As. 3-6; contingencies, Rs. 3-6-10; clothing, Rs. 2-9-2; making
the total cost of each, excluding income and estimated profit of labor, Rs. 116-8-0. This large
amount is mainly due to establishment, which is very nearly the same as required for a
large asylum, where among a larger number of patients the average cost appears much less.
The average expense of diet of each inmate during the year is less by Rs. 4-10-4 to what it
was in 1869.
11. Cleanliness and perfect conservancy of the asylum are strictly maintained. Dry
earth conservancy is carried out, and disinfectants, such as sulphate of iron and burning
sulphur, used in cells which become soiled by weakly patients.
12. The asylum was inspected by the Deputy Inspector-General of Hospitals on the
10th September, and again on the 15th. On the former date the commission appointed to
inquire into the advisability of releasing two criminal lunatics was convened. These men, Soobur
Naik and Uchub Naik, were in the asylum for six and three years respectively, and were
charged with committing murder and causing grievous hurt, but were acquitted on the ground
of insanity. In the inquiry it was elicited that both these men indulged in the use of gunja
previous to committing the offence, a habit which doubtless had some connection with the
origin and development of their mental aberration. Both men were pronounced as being
perfectly sane and fit for discharge; the proviso, however, was added, that except they refrained
from indulgence in gunja or other intoxicating agent, they were liable to a return of the
dangerous excitement which led to their admission into the asylum. They were discharged
from the asylum on the 18th October, and made over to the care of their friends by the
Superintendent, Tributary Mehals.
13. Criminal Lunatics.—At the close of last year there remained 13 criminal lunatics;
during the year 7 were admitted. These patients are divided in two classes—those known to
be insane or pleading insanity at the time of trial, and those transferred from jails on account
of lunacy appearing while undergoing sentence of imprisonment. These, on the expiration
of their term of imprisonment, are transferred to the non-criminal list of insanes. Of the 20
R