ANNUAL REPORT ON LUNATIC ASYLUMS.
21
—
Medical Officer's salary
...
...
Medical Subordinates' salary ... ...
Servants' wages ... ... ...
European medicines
...
...
...
Clothing and bedding ... ...
Dieting sick ... ... ... ...
Wines and Spirits ... ... ...
perishable articles and contingencies...
Total ...
1877-78.
RS.
7,211
3,714
11,692
281
1,064
29,938
2,374
5,723
62,001
A.
11
8
8
11
5
0
10
10
1
P.
8
8
0
2
8
5
0
1
8
1878-79.
RS.
9,520
3,900
10,253
333
221
31,582
1,960
5,770
63,543
A.
15
7
9
12
9
0
6
5
3
P.
1
6
5
10
10
5
8
3
0
Increase.
RS.
2,309
185
A.
3
14
P.
5
10
...
52 1 8
...
1,644 0 0
...
46
4,237
11
15
2
1
Decrease.
RS. A. P.
...
...
1,438 14 7
...
842 11 10
...
414 3 4
...
2,695 13 9
The financial statement for the year 1878-79 is highly satisfactory, not
exceeding the average of the last two years, although the number of admissions has
considerably increased. Amongst the items of increase, the most considerable,
Rupees 2,300, is due to the difference in the Superintendent's pay on promotion
to the rank of Surgeon-Major, and therefore unconnected with the actual asylum
expenditure.
The next most important item of increase is naturally in the dieting of the sick,
Rupees 1,644, owing to the number of fresh admissions. The diets being furnished
at contract rates accepted by the Surgeon-General, must rise and fall with the
number of inmates. The utmost care is exercised with respect to the diets, the
Assistant Steward superintending personally the issues of all articles of diet and
one or other of the Medical Subordinates in addition to the Serjeant on duty is
present at the distribution of food to the patients at every meal, so that no portion
is left to the charge of native warders; I am also frequently present myself.
A small item of increase, Rupees 185, is due to compensation for inferior
quarters drawn by the Assistant Apothecary.
The remaining item of increase, Rupees 52 on European medicines, has been
rendered necessary owing to the number of sick and weakly patients. Extra
medicines, such as bromide of potassium and laudanum, were urgently needed
for epileptics and patients suffering from diarrhœa. Amongst the deaths this year
have been many aged people, chiefly from atrophy, which usually terminates in
diarrhœa, and for these cases laudanum is largely used.
The item of Rupees 46 on perishable articles is only an apparent increase, since
the thread used in the weaving is included under this heading, amounting to Rupees
778-3-6, otherwise a decided decrease could have been shown. There is a decrease
of Rupees 1,438 in the servants' wages, the batta given during the famine having
been discontinued. There is a decrease of Rupees 414 on wines and spirits, of which
a larger quantity was required last year. Owing to the high death-rate, every effort
was made to support the feeble and more stimulants were used. A decrease of
Rupees 842-11-10 on the clothing and bedding requires explanation. The saving
effected under this head has been so large that no further reduction can be made to
any extent. The clothing is now manufactured and made by the patients, causing a
considerable actual saving to Government as may be seen from the following
statement:—
—
Clothing and bedding
Manufacture of clothing
Total ...
1876-77.
Rs.
4,195
A.
10
P.
8
Not commenced.
4,195 10 8
1877-78.
RS.
1,064
508
1,572
A.
5
6
12
P.
8
8
4
1878-79.
RS.
221
788
1,009
A.
9
3
13
P.
10
6
4
In the first of these three years the clothing and bedding was supplied by the
contractor, in the second year it was partly made in the asylum, and in the present
year all the cotton articles were made, and only blankets, cumblies, flannel banians,
6