( 9 )
to be of the best quality only, an order which has been interpreted in so
liberal a spirit that most of the patients have always been fed far better than
they had been accustomed to at home, a statement borne out by numerous
references in the reports.
Another source of variation is the want of uniformity in the diet scales.
These vary in each asylum according to the nature of the food in common use in
the district. They are given below in a table taken from the Surgeon-General's
report for 1878 :—
Table showing the Diet Scales in use in the Lunatic Asylums of Bengal, from the Surgeon-
General's Report, 1878.
Meat diet.
Dullunda
...
...
Dacca
...
...
Patna
...
...
Berhampore ... ...
Haiaribagh ... ...
Fish dist.
Dullunda
...
...
Dacca
...
...
Patna
...
...
Berhampore ... ...
Hazaribagh ... ...
Sunday
...
...
Milk diet.
Dullunda
...
...
Dacca ... ...
Patna
...
...
Berhampore ... ...
Haiaribagh ... ...
Soup diet.
Dullunda
...
...
Dacca
...
...
Patna
...
...
Berhampore ... ...
Hazaribagh ... ...
Spoon diet.
Dullunda
... ...
Dacca
...
...
Patna
...
...
Berhampore ... ...
Hazaribagh ... ...
Attah.
Ch.
5
...
...
5
...
...
...
Dâl.
Ch.
1
2
2
1
2
...
1
Rice.
Ch.
4
11
9½
6
8½
8
11
Mutton.
Ch.
2
2
2
2
2
...
...
Ghee.
Ch.
½
½
...
½
...
½
¼
Oil.
Ch.
½
½
...
½
½
½ ¼
Vegetables.
Ch.
2
7
1½
2
3
2
7
Massala.
Ch.
½
½
½
½
½
½
¼
Salt.
Ch.
½
2/16 ½
¼
2/16
½
2/16
Bread.
Ch.
...
1½
...
...
...
...
1½
Betelnut.
Ch.
...
1/22
...
...
...
...
1/22
Tobacco.
Ch.
...
½ ...
...
...
...
½
Fuel.
Ch.
7½
12
Not
stated.
16
12
7½
12
Pân.
Ch.
...
1
...
...
...
...
1
Fish.
Ch.
...
...
...
...
...
2
...
Milk.
Ch.
...
...
...
...
2.18
...
...
Nil.
...
7
...
...
2
2
2
...
11
3½ 8½
8
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
½
½
4
...
2
4
4
...
½
½ ½
...
½
2/16
2/16
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
16
12
12
7½
...
...
...
...
2
...
...
...
...
2.18
2.18
32
Nil.
Nil.
...
...
...
...
...
...
8
2.18
6
...
...
8
... ... ...
... ... ... ... ...
chittacks of milk given every day
irrespective of other articles of
diet.
... ... ...
½ ½ ... ... ...
16
12
7½
...
...
...
...
...
...
32
...
...
Nil.
Nil.
... ...
6
6 ... ... ... ½ ½ ... ... ...
Nil.
16
12
...
...
...
...
...
...
Two chittacks of sago allowed with one chittack of sugar.
Nil.
Nil.
2 chittacks of soojee and sago allowed with 8 chittacks of milk and one chit-
tack of sugar.
Nil.
REMARKS.
On Mondays, Wednesdays,
and Fridays. On Tuesdays,
Thursdays, and Saturdays 7
chittacks of attah is given
with 4½ chittacks of rice. On
Sundays 9½ chittacks of rice
is given with 2 chittacks of
dâl and the other articles.
On Mondays. Wednesdays, and
Fridays; but 2.18 chittacks of
milk allowed every day. On
Tuesdays, Thursdays, and
Saturdays 7 chittacks of attah
is given with 3½ of rice. The
other articles of diet do not
vary.
This diet is Riven instead of
fish on Tuesdays, Thursdays,
and Saturdays.
One chittack of sugar is also
supplied.
One chittack of sugar.
Half chittack of barley and
chittack of pepper are also
allowed.
It will be seen that Dullunda, Berhampore, and Hazaribagh give a
mixed diet of flour and rice, while Dacca and Patna give rice only. Some part
of the greater cost for food in Dacca is also seen to be due to a larger
ration; why this should be necessary is not apparent, since the lunatics are
amply fed in all the other asylums; but, as already stated, a reduction was
found impossible.
The price of dietary articles and the usual diet of the people vary so
much in each district that there are great difficulties in the way of a uniform
dietary. This was proposed by the Committee of 1871, but was objected to by
the Superintendents on the above grounds, which the present Committee think
are unassailable.
The question of diet is of such importance that the Committee have care-
fully traced it through the whole history of the Dullunda Asylum, and here
give the result of their enquiries.