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asylum control. The several establishments have been fixed by Government after
due consideration. It will be seen that at four asylums—Dacca, Patna, Berham-
pore, and Hazaribagh—which have a nearly equal average strength they assimi-
late pretty closely. The Superintendent at each receives an allowance of Rs. 250
a month, the Deputy Superintendents Rs. 100 at Dacca, Patna, and Hazaribagh,
and Rs. 70 at Berhampore. Berhampore appears to advantage in this table as
well as in its comparative average. Part of this is due to a slightly smaller
establishment, but the greater portion is due to the fact that lower wages are
paid than elsewhere. The difference in the pay of the overseer and the writer,
and the smaller wages of the keepers, gives it an advantage to the extent of
about Rs. 3-4 per patient as compared with other asylums, quite independent of
any question of economy.
The establishment at Dullunda is altogether exceptional. It has (with
Bhowanipore) a Superintendent to itself, and is weighted with half of his pay
as a Surgeon-Major of more than 25 years' service. It has a Deputy Superin-
tendent who, beginning on Rs. 100 a month as in the other asylums, has by
long and approved service had his pay gradually increased to Rs. 250. It has
a matron on Rs. 50, whereas Patna and Hazaribagh pay only Rs. 25, and the
others have no matron; and being situated at Calcutta, where prices are much
higher than in the provinces, it has to give larger wages to almost every servant
it employs; while as most of its servants have been in the asylum for years, their
wages have been increased with length of service. Its keepers are trained men
of an exceptionally good type, and it is absolutely necessary to pay them fairly
to retain their services. So well have they done their work that there has not been
a single case of violence during the last two years. At Dacca there have been
constant complaints of the inefficiency of the keepers and the insufficiency of the
pay given. Cases of violence are not uncommon, and the same may be said of
Hazaribagh. These considerations go far to account for the high average at
Dullunda. Deducting the excess in the Superintendent and Deputy Superin-
tendent's pay over the similar items elsewhere, reduces the cost Rs. 30 per
patient, and the difference in wages reduces it Rs. 11 more. There are several
servants rendered necessary by conditions not apparently obtaining in other
asylums—a gasman, four door-keepers, and two bakers. These cost Rs. 3-6 per
patient. Allowing for all these items, the net cost is reduced to about Rs. 47-12
per patient in 1878, and it is only on this figure that comparison with the
other asylums (excluding Cuttack) is possible. In the absence of the necessary
local knowledge as to the details of plan, buildings, office work, and watch-and-
ward, the Committee cannot explain the comparatively small variations which
now remain; but they probably chiefly result from variations in numbers not met
by corresponding reduction of establishment. A certain establishment is
necessary, entirely independent of average strength. Extra keepers must be
engaged as numbers rise, but a great proportion of the establishment is fixed and
would remain the same whether the numbers were halved or doubled. In all
the asylums there has been a considerable fall in numbers within the last few
years, but this is especially the case in Dullunda. In 1873 the daily average
strength was 369; last year it was 204. At Dacca in 1873 it was 244; last
year 196. The cost per patient at Dullunda was Rs. 52 in 1873 and Rs. 92 in
1878 in spite of large reductions in the subordinate establishment. At Dacca the
figures are Rs. 35 and Rs. 46. The subordinate establishment at both asylums
has been reduced; but the fall in numbers has more than kept pace with the
reductions; the fixed establishment has remained the same, and the average
cost per patient has risen greatly, entirely apart from any asylum control.
This example is sufficient to show the very deceptive nature of averages per
patient. The point is, however, even more conspicuously illustrated in the
case of Cuttack. Reference to Table II will show that in its establishment
and its rates of pay it compares most favourably with other asylums. Its
Superintendent receives only Rs. 150 instead of Rs. 250, as at the other
provincial asylums, or Rs. 609 at Dullunda. It has a native overseer on
Rs. 25 in place of a European at Rs. 100 or Rs. 250. Its writer receives
only Rs. 10 against Rs. 34 to Rs. 60, and its native doctor Rs. 10
instead of Rs. 25 or Rs. 30; yet it has always occupied the second or
third place in the order of comparative costliness. The combined pay of
the Superintendent and Overseer is less than half what it is at Patna,