iv
largely controllable. In 1860 the establishment was bad at all points. It was numerous
and ill paid. There were five Europeans and 74 natives, and not one of the whole number
was fit to approach a lunatic. Reduction of inmates admitted of reduction of attendants,
and further reductions were made with the object of improving the pay and efficiency of
the remainder. This process ended when the European subordinates had come down to
two overseers and a matron, and the natives to 43 in number. At one time retrenchment
under pressure was carried too far, and we had to retrace our steps. After this all wages
rose rapidly in Calcutta, and our subordinates and servants left us for better pay elsewhere.
Increase was inevitable now; numbers could not be diminished, for there was now but one
European warder for the constant service of all the male wards, and one for the women, who
also had matron's charge of the whole asylum. One native attendant entertained for three
European lunatics, allowed only one for every six in constant attendance, a force made ade-
quate only by freely using the servants of paying-patients.
27. This is the condition of the establishment at the present time. The resident
officer or Deputy Superintendent, though his position has been somewhat improved, is, after
long and good service, paid less than the head subordinates of either jail, and less than his
juniors in the police, or the marine service which he quitted to come here. The matron has
four mehtranees for the whole duties of the female ward for watch and menial work together,
a merely nominal staff which can only be kept together by the aid of private servants. The
native male warder is paid only Rs. 9 per mensem and gets many a rough knock in the
course of his day's work. It often happens that a patient is removed by his friends, who
carry away our best men to their home, with Rs. 12 or Rs. 15 a month as wages.
28. Therefore, though the cost of establishment is nearly as high as ever it was, the
warder staff is numerically a mere nucleus, enabled by adventitious aid to carry on the work
of watch and ward. It is, however, a nucleus of good men quick to make new-comers useful
by their own example of activity and forbearance; and in this we have greatly gained on
former years.
29. The figures in the establishment columns do not include the pay of the Superin-
tendent, which is a large item not under asylum control. Formerly, a staff salary of Rs. 1,000
per mensem in addition to pay of rank was attached to the appointment. This allowance
was reduced to Rs. 500 in 1865, and subsequently abolished under the new warrant for
departmental pay. The Superintendent now receives the pay of his rank only, with house
rent; but the charge distributed in average makes a heavy addition to the single lunatic's
cost, although half is debited to the native asylum.
30. The next column shows the cost of sundries, items which vary little from year to
year or with number or quality of inmates. Lighting charges, assessed rates, and petty
miscellaneous items make up the amount.
31. In clothing it was necessary in the earlier years to increase rather than diminish
expenditure. It had been customary for lunatics to pass the day with very scanty covering,
and maniacs were commonly suffered to go naked. This system worked to economy of
clothing, but there were technical reasons against it, the influence of which raised the clothing
bills even though numbers fell. The uniformly high figures of the later years is due in some
degree to the practice of giving half-worn clothes, as part of sea outfit, to lunatics embarking
for Europe, and replacing them by new ones. The charge for sea outfits falls therefore,
and that for asylum clothing rises. It must be observed, at the same time, that the sums
entered in this column include money paid for clothing of paying-patients and recovered
from their friends. The later amounts, therefore, are even larger and more uniform than the
first consideration would make them.
32. When there no longer appeared to be avoidable outlay in the asylum, and the
conveyance of all lunatics to Europe had been cheapened to the utmost, it still seemed that
the State was more heavily taxed than it ought to be by reason of the very small charges
made for the maintenance of persons who could afford to pay. The next step, therefore, was
directed to the reduction of net cost by recovering a fair proportion from those who benefited
by the institution. Something was done in respect of existing inmates by searching out
the means of relatives; and something more by stringent orders of Government to Magis-
trates. Finally, in 1876, an opportunity was taken of setting forth the insignificant amounts
charged by Government for asylum care, even to the highest classes, and the want of a rate
of payment intermediate between that and the lowest class. An experiment was ordered,
and, as it proved perfectly successful, the change was made permanent at the end of the
year. The amounts received in successive years are stated in the 15th column of the table,
which shows improvement for the last six years and a very great advance in 1876. I may
mention that the receipts of 1877 will exceed Rs. 16,000, and the net cost of the asylum,
excluding Superintendent's pay, will be about Rs. 9,352.
33. In the earlier years, when the asylum population was larger and the laboring
classes well represented, an attempt was made to introduce profitable industry into
the asylum under the encouragement of great success in the native institution. The
population was, however, too unstable for useful results, and its quality also soon
changed in a manner unfavourable to industry. It could nearly be pushed as an idea, not
to the practical advantage of any one concerned, and was accordingly abandoned. Needle-
work has been always carried on in the female ward.
34. The table ends with a statement of the net annual charges of the asylum, includ-
ing cost of despatching lunatics to Europe, and excluding only the Superintendent's pay
and house rent.