ANNUAL REPORT ON LUNATIC ASYLUMS.
17
Garden produce.—In the three asylums the income under this head showed an
increase over last year. In Madras it was Rs. 863-15-3 against Rs. 215-12-9 in
1893. In Vizagapatam and Calicut the amounts were, respectively, Rs. 509-7-6
and Rs. 265-0-1 against Rs. 333-15-0 and Rs. 215-15-4. The soil of the Vizaga-
patam Asylum, being sandy and rocky, is not well adapted for such cultivation ; the
Hospital Assistant in charge, however, has, to his great credit, succeeded in improv-
ing some portions. The Superintendent considers that it will be to further advan-
tage if the Asylum well is fitted with a pump over it. He was accordingly asked
to submit an estimate which, when received, will be forwarded with my remarks.
17. Results of stock-taking and- report on inventory of valuable stores.—The
inventory of the valuable stock of the three asylums has been duly checked and
found correct.
18. Verification of service books.—The service books of all the servants of the-
asylums have been verified up to the period under report as required by G.O., No.
396, of 22nd February 1886.
19. GENERAL REMARKS.—The following remarks made by the Superintendents
of the respective asylums are here given in their own words :—
Vizagapatam Asylum.—" The asylum for the past two years and nine months
has been in charge of Hospital Assistant Y. Anantayya, No. 326, and I wish to
call attention to the excellent work he has done. He takes much interest in his
work and has succeeded in greatly reducing expenditure and increasing receipts.
At whatever hour I visit the asylum I find him busy among the inmates. I am
sorry to say he now wishes to get a dispensary and it is only natural, as the asy-
lum duties are anxious and require unceasing attention. There is no inducement
for an able man to hold such a charge for any length of time."
Calicut Asylum.—" There were no paying-patients during the year, the one
remaining from 1893 being transferred to the non-paying list on the representa-
tion of the Deputy Magistrate of Coimbatore, that the relatives of the insane
were unable to pay for her maintenance. Rs. 40-2-5 is part payment made for
the maintenance of a patient who was handed over to his relatives in 1893.
Printed notices embodying Rule 23 of Section II of the Asylum code were, with
reference to the Surgeon-General's orders in July 1894, sent to all Magistrates,
who commit insanes to this Asylum, requesting them to ascertain if insanes who
are sent by them in future have got private property that could be utilized for
their maintenance, or relatives able and legally bound to pay for their mainten-
ance. The Magistrates have invariably furnished the information."
Madras Asylum.—Surgeon-Major
Elcum writes: " The great difficulty in
adequate superintendence of the Madras Lunatic Asylum that I have experienced,
comes—
(a) from the large area, and scattered contents covering that area (67.89
acres),
(b) from the varied nature of details of the superintendence which occupy
too much time and should not come before the Superintendent at all in my opinion.
The difficulties of (a) are inseparable from any large establishment, but I
consider that the Superintendent is far too much of a steward and clerk and far
too little of a doctor to insane patients. If his professional work is to be ade-
quately done, he must devote four-fifths of his time to the patients, observing
them, their habits, peculiarities, histories, ailments and all the characteristics of
insanity in the native mind. This must be the main work of his superintendence,
but, as a fact, four-fifths of his time are taken up with steward's office work, large
and petty contracts over grain and other food, looking into accounts, examining
clothing details, how the cooks do their work, whether the toties cleaned the
rooms or not and such like details. If, therefore, the two are to be combined, and
both done efficiently, his time is far too much occupied and as his responsibility is
equally great both on the professional and steward-like side and the two aspects
are from their size and amplitude of details enough to crowd one another out,
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