4
No. 619, PUBLIC, 22ND MAY 1897.
The cost per head in the Vizagapatam asylum was again the lowest on record in
spite of the increased establishment charges which occurred during the year. The rise
in the cost per head in the Madras establishment arises almost entirely under " Estab-
lishment " ; the Government is glad to note that slight reductions have been effected
under diet and clothing. There was a satisfactory reduction, as compared with 1895
in the cost per head of patients in the Calicut asylum, economies having been effected
mainly under clothing and bedding. The serious attention of the Surgeon-General
was last year called to the high expenditure upon diets in the Madras and Calicut
asylums. The Surgeon-General attributes the high rate in Madras to the cost of
dieting Europeans and to the high local prices of the articles consumed, and shows that
the diet of paying patients, which is included in the totals, raises apparently—though
not in reality— the cost of each patient to the State. Admitting these explanations, the
Government considers that there is still scope for economy and trusts that the Surgeon-
General will continue to give his best care to the matter. The Surgeon-General's
attention will also in this connection be drawn to the instructions in G.O., No. 201,
Public, dated 8th February 1896. The high expenditure on diets in the Calicut
asylum is reported to be due to the provision there of rice in place of ragi, the staple
food in Vizagapatam. There are, no doubt, difficulties in the use of ragi at Calicut,
and the proposal to give cholum a trial is a good one. The Surgeon-General should
continue to make every effort to reduce the cost to Government of this institution.
From the statistics of manufactures given in section iii, paragraph 3, it appears
that the best results were again obtained at Vizagapatam, where not only was the per-
centage of patients employed on remunerative labour greatest, but the profit realized
per head of those so employed was highest, amounting to Rs. 44-5-8. The average
number of those engaged on remunerative labour in the Calicut asylum shows a
satisfactory rise since last year (from 26 to 34), though the profit per head fell consider-
ably. The reasons given for this decline are not convincing. As soon as one market
for bedding and clothing is supplied, it should be possible with a little energy to
discover another. The number of patients fit to work who were employed on remunera-
tive labour in the Madras asylum was very small—only 75 out of a total of 318. The
attention of the Surgeon-General is called to the remarks on this subject in the con-
cluding portion of paragraph 5 of G.O., No. 983, Judicial, dated 8th June 1896. If the
industries carried on are not sufficient to provide employment for the patients, steps
should be taken to introduce and develop others. The figure 356 in column 9 of the
second statement on page 15 of the report appears to be a printer's error for 365, in
which case the working days at the Madras Lunatic Asylum in the past triennium
comprised the whole year. If this is so, the Surgeon-General should explain the
matter.
5. General—The various proposals made by the Surgeon-General under this
heading call for no action on the part of Government. It should be borne in mind that
such suggestions, involving as they do increased expenditure, should invariably be laid
separately before Government with the fullest details; a brief reference in the
annual report to the fact that recommendations have been, or will be, submitted for
consideration, will then be sufficient. The Government observes with much satis-
faction that the administration of the Madras and Calicut asylums shows a decided
improvement. Surgeon-Captain Leet-Palk at Madras has worked with commendable
zeal, and must be congratulated on the results of his efforts. The good work done by
Assistant Surgeon Judge is likewise noted. The admirable management by Surgeon-
Lieutenant-Colonel A. H. Leapingwell, of the Vizagapatam asylum, in which he was,
as in previous years, efficiently aided by the hospital assistant in charge, has resulted,
as has been already shown, in placing that institution in advance of the other two
asylums in almost all respects. The thanks of His Excellency the Governor in
Council are again due to that officer for his very efficient administration.
(True Extract.)
F. PRICE,
Chief Secretary.