( 3 )
medicines so much less freely than others. In future reports the earnings of
the asylums and expenditure from the industrial funds will be brought into
the general account, so as to exhibit more correctly the actual cost of these
institutions to Government. Meantime it is satisfactory to know that
Rs. 27,635 were realized by sale of articles, while the value of lunatic labor
rendered to the asylums was Rs. 14,703. Dullunda is still far ahead of
other asylums in industrial management.
11. (Paras. 35-36).—The early completion of the Asylum at Tezpore
in Assam is very desirable as a means of relieving Dacca.
12. (Paras. 38-47).—Turning now to the reports of the several
asylums, we find that in—
Dullunda the daily average number of patients was 354, as against 335
last year, the admissions being 61.9 per cent. of average strength, and
the discharges and deaths 47.2 per cent. The asylum is said to be able
to hold only 293 lunatics, and if they were all confined at night, no doubt
this would be the case, but the large covered verandahs of the new building
being used for harmless patients at night, there is less positive overcrowding than
at first sight appears. The number of cures were only 19.8 per cent. against
an average of 31.5, and the mortality was 12.4 against an average of 16.6. The
actual number of deaths was 44,19 of which were due to dysentery, one to
cholera, and one to fracture of the ribs. This last death was, the Lieutenant-
Governor hopes, carefully inquired into. It is said to have been accidental,
but such cases should be most jealously investigated by the visitors. The
dysentery is hardly accounted for satisfactorily. As the Surgeon-General
remarks, the lowered death-rate of Dullunda corresponds with the results
shown in the Calcutta hospitals and town statistics of the last few years.
13. The Lieutenant-Governor observes from the table at page 46, that
rather free recourse has been had to restraint by means of ligatures and
woollen bags. In many of the cases this is said to have been rendered
necessary by surgical operations to prevent, it is assumed, interference with
the dressings, but in other asylums mechanical restriction for mere excitement
is entirely dispensed with, and His Honor is glad to learn that the practice
is to be stopped in Dullunda. Care must, however, be taken that seclusion
in a specially prepared room (which it is proposed to substitute) does not
become in fact a species of prolonged solitary confinement. His Honor
can hardly credit the statement on page 46, that restraint was in any case
maintained for 1,938 hours, or over 80 days, and solitary confinement for 436
hours, or over 18 days. He desires to have special report on this subject.
14. The Lieutenant-Governor has sanctioned the cost of improving
the water-supply of the asylum, and of placing the establishment on an
adequate footing.
15. The accounts have, during the year, been brought under an improved
system, and it is hoped that no misunderstanding can now exist as to the
actual financial working of the institution.
16. Mr. Bancroft, the overseer, and Mrs. Monteiro, the matron, are
again very highly spoken of, but the account given of the subordinate establish-
ment is not very satisfactory. The overseer should consider it the most
important part of his duty to look after the keepers themselves.
17. Dacca (Paras. 48 to 55).—The daily average of this asylum was
218 against 213 in 1871, and has not varied much of late years, but the
percentage of admissions was high—57.3 against an ordinary average of
41.5 ; and in the latter months of the year the number of residents rose to
between 240 and 250.