ANNUAL REPORT ON LUNATIC ASYLUMS.
17
The Superintendent of the Vizagapatam Asylum reports as follows :—
" The credit of this satisfactory condition of the asylum is due to Hospital
Assistant Anantayya, No. 326, in charge. I have on previous occasions brought
his good work to notice. I selected him to the post three and a half years ago,
-when th9 condition of the asylum was most unsatisfactory. Since taking over
charge of the asylum, he has never been a day oft" duty, and at whatever hour I
visit the asylum, I find him busy among the patients; the figures given above
shows the saving he has effected in diet by the timely purchase of grains and other
articles, often at considerable personal trouble. The asylum grounds have been
greatly improved and a considerable portion brought under cultivation."
The Superintendent further states that the three and a half years' experience in
the asylum has made this man a very valuable assistant, and suggests that Govern-
ment would be pleased to make a note of their approval of his services and
sanction a special allowance for him. The fact is that by long service in the
asylum he is losing touch with the profession and the income from private practice
which a man of his energy and zeal is sure to have if he were to be put in charge
of a hospital or dispensary.
MADRAS ASYLUM.—Surgeon-Captain Palk writes : " I find that the duties of my
position are too numerous and too responsible for me to be able to say that things
are in every way satisfactory. I thoroughly agree in all my predecessors have said
and whose reports I have read. The tremendous variety of details is more than
one man can really work efficiently, and I find one has to go on a certain amount
of trust, otherwise one's work would take up the whole twenty-four hours. In this
asylum one has to spend all his time in office work in supervising the duties of the
staffs generally in their work of looking after the feeding, clothing, employment
and amusement of the insanes ; in looking to the sanitation, repair and cleanliness
of the buildings; in checking, condemning and renewal of stock ; in buying grain,
&c, and supervising the storekeeper's department, in constantly looking into the
manufactures of the asylum and the sale of saleable articles, in examining and
checking the financial transactions connected with this large institution and many
other duties too many to be detailed here. In addition to these, the Superintendent
has to attend to his professional and strictly medical duties in attendance on
a daily average of from 80 to 100 sick men and women in hospital and their many
requirements. As a result, the medical duties being less urgent have of necessity
to be delegated to a large extent to the junior apothecary, and the Superintendent
has to almost forget his position as a medical man and become to all intents
and purposes a steward and clerk. One of the easiest ways of overcoming this
difficulty would be to have an additional commissioned medical officer as an
assistant to the Superintendent, whom I propose should be selected from the new
drafts of Indian Medical officers who come out from England, twice yearly and who
could hold the appointment for six months while he is preparing for his Hindu-
stani examination. By this means, the Government would be put to no extra
expense, and the distaste and monotony of the appointment of Superintendents
would be materially reduced."
This would be an admirable plan if the services of an officer who had
completed his two years' military duty could be spared, but would scarcely be
satisfactory to the officer concerned, who w r ould spend his time on his grade
rate of pay, learning administrative work in a line in which there were no prospects
for him. The only way I see to relieve the medical Superintendent of such duties
is to give him more efficient non-professional subordinates as already proposed
by me.
Surgeon-Captain Palk has done admirable work since he was appointed to the
charge of the asylum.
The Superintendent writes concerning—
Military Assistant Surgeon Judge,—" This officer has been of inestimable help
and value to me : the burden of the office work falls on his shoulders. His staunch-
ness to the sense of duty, his firmness of will and his courtesy have made his
presence here invaluable."
The Steward,—" He has performed his duties satisfactorily in every way
aa far as he himself is concerned, but his department I consider unsatisfactory