74
REPORT ON THE
Those who are in the habit of working outside generally take to it quietly and give no
trouble whatever. Others resist at first, but a little gentle persuasion and careful tact seldom
fail to bring them round, and after the first few days we seldom have any difficulty in
inducing the lunatics to work.
Nature of
employment.
The different kinds of industry in which the inmates are employed are the following:—
Garden work.
Morah-making.
Grinding wheat.
Jute-spinning.
Weaving gunny.
Assisting the cook.
Water-carrying.
Masonry and other miscellaneous works.
The females spin jute, husk dâll, and one criminal lunatic, who has been sane since her
admission, assists the female keepers in looking after the inmates during the day.
Good many lunatics were employed in gardening, which no doubt is a most excellent
occupation for some of them; but on the whole, a Jess proportion of the inmates were
employed in this work than in the previous year. In 1872 a good portion of the compound
had to be cleared of jungle and rank grass eradicated, which required the services of a good
number. In 1873 there was no work of this kind to be done: all that the lunatics had to do
was to keep the place clean and attend to the cultivation of vegetables and grain. The
garden was prolific throughout the year, and produced vegetables and fruits so abundantly
that after supplyiug the wants of the institution some were sold to the people of the neigh-
bourhood.
Wheat-grinding was increased considerably during the year. It is an occupation which
rather amuses the lunatics, and is much safer than most of the other occupations, as it does
not necessitate any kind of dangerous instruments being placed in the hands of the lunatics.
Masonry was introduced for the first time during the year, and was found very useful in
doing petty repairs to the asylum buildings.
The implements of manufacture are very crude and primitive; and the asylum being
situated some distance from the station, and in a locality not well populated, considerable
difficulty is experienced in the disposal of the manufactured articles at present. When the
new asylum now in course of completion at the station is finished, the different branches of
industry will not only be increased, but improved.
There was no instance of lunatics injuring one another, although most of the men are
in possession of some kind or other of implement during working hours.
Establishment.
Table No. XVIII.—The cost of establishment stands at a higher figure than last year.
This has been in consequence of the following causes : 1st, in the returns of previous
years the allowance of the superintendent was not included under this head. In the
returns of the present year that item of charge has been included among the establishment;
2nd, a considerable increase in the number of inmates, necessitating the entertainment of
additional keepers, male as well as female ; 3rd, the pay of the darogah having received a slight
annual increment, besides which the sum of Rs. 10 a month has been allowed him as
accountant. All these items have combined to swell the amount of cost under this head.
Dieting.—There has also been an increase in the cost of dieting; the average per man
being Rs. 26-7, against Rs. 21-1-7 during 1872. This has been chiefly owing to the high prices
that have prevailed in this district during a portion of the year. In ordinary times rice was
purchased from 20 to 25 seers for the rupee, whereas during the last four months of the
present year no more than 12 to 13 seers could be obtained for the same money. The prices
of the other articles of diet, dâlls, wheats, oil, &c, were also proportionately high. Then,
again, the introduction of the new diet scale in the month of September added considerably
to the cost, the articles contained being more expensive and more liberal than before.
Previous to the introduction of the new scale, lunatics were allowed meat twice a month
only, and fish once a week, whereas they get now either fish or meat daily, that is to say,
these are allowed on alternate days. The allowance of rice has been increased by a chittack,
and that of oil by a cutcha, and such nutritious articles as ghee, flour, &c, have been added.
Contingencies.—The charge of contingencies is also higher than of last year by
Rs. 36-6-11. This must be attributed to the transfer of a lunatic to the Delhi asylum, the
cost of whose railway fare and diet during the journey amounted to Rs. 15-9-3 ; to the
purchase of padlocks that were much needed, and to some petty constructions and repairs
done by ourselves. The Public Works Department formerly supplied the padlocks and did
all the repairs, but in consequence of the new asylum beiug in the course of completion it is
not thought desirable to spend any money on the present asylum, which will shortly be
abandoned.
Clothing.—Clothing was formerly provided from the manufacture profit fund, and did
not appear among the charges; but this year it had to be charged to Government.
Average cost per man.—The average of this is Rs. 83-6-1, or nearly double of that of
last year; but this is entirely owing to the circumstance of the superintendent's allowance