MEDICAL & MUNICIPAL DEPT.
MEDICAL.
CALCUTTA, THE 26TH JANUARY 1880.
RESOLUTION.
READ—
Report on the Lunatic Asylums in Bengal by the Committee appointed to enquire
into Medical Expenditure in Bengal.
THE Committee appointed to investigate the subject of medical expendi-
ture in Bengal have now completed another branch of their enquiry, and submit
a report on the lunatic asylums of the province. In drawing this up they
have only been able personally to inspect the asylums at the Presidency; but
they have gone carefully into the working of the other asylums, as shown in
the annual reports, and have been in direct correspondence with the Superin-
tendents in all matters of doubt or difficulty.
2. The Committee had at first intended to take a comparative view of
the general working and expenditure of the different institutions from the year
1862 up to date; but they very soon discovered that the annual returns upon
which the head of the Medical Department and the Government itself have for
years past been basing inferences, orders, and resolutions, are in fact, though
arithmetically correct, practically only misleading. In spite of the orders of
Government and of the general rules introduced in 1872, the system of accounts
and the mode of filling up the returns have been found to differ in each asylum,
while conclusions unfavourable to the management of some institutions that
had apparently a safe basis to rest upon in the tabulated results, have proved
on closer investigation to admit of the most full and satisfactory explanation.
3. Under these circumstances the Committee have acted wisely in taking
up in detail only the accounts for 1877 and 1878, and analysing these so as to
bring out and explain the differences and variations, real or apparent, in the
working of the different asylums.
4. Taking first the item of establishment, the cost per patient in each insti-
tution (omitting Bhowanipore) is shown in the following table :—
Dullunda ... ... ...
Dacca ... ... ...
Patna ... ... ...
Cuttack ... ... ...
Berhampore ... ... ...
Hazareebagh ... ... ...
1877.
Cost per patient.
Rs.
94
43
40
71
43
37
A.
2
2
4
4
5
9
P.
7
11
5
3
4
1
1878.
Cost per patient.
Rs.
92
45
42
67
37
41
A.
6
13
11
11
0
9
P.
4
1
4
3
8
5
When these figures come to be analysed, much of the difference of cost is found to
be accounted for by the constitution of the management, which has in each case
been fixed by Government with reference to local circumstances and other con-
siderations. At four asylums—Dacca, Patna, Berhampore, and Hazareebagh,—
where the average strength is nearly equal, the cost assimilates very fairly.
The Superintendent at each receives Rs. 250 a month, and the Deputy Superin-
tendents Rs. 100 at Dacca, Patna and Hazareebagh, and Rs. 70 at Berhampore.
Local differences of pay among the establishments account for part of the
remaining differences. As to Dullunda and Cuttack, the Committee observe—
" 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 Superintendent, 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 Hazareebagh 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