NOTE
ON THE
LUNATIC ASYLUMS IN BURMA
FOR THE YEAR 1918.
Buildings, Accommodation and Population.—No additions were made during
the year under note to existing buildings, but improvements have been sought
to be effected at both the institutions. At Rangoon, a cottage was dismantled
and by internal adjustment of class of inmates to be accommodated modifications
have been secured by which the accommodation has to some extent been reduced.
But this is only an apparent and not a real reduction, for living space continues
to be calculated according to the scale of superficial area per head ; the conver-
sion of a building for Asiatics into one for Europeans or for hospital purposes
tends to reduce accommodation for purposes of returns, etc. To meet the
annual average influx of some 70 inmates at Rangoon, resort had to be had during
the year under note to accommodating all inmates for whom provision could not
be made in buildings as cottages, dormitories, etc., in the Day—and the Work—
sheds, while the quieter class of criminals were placed in buildings situated in the
civil and hospital sections of the asylum. It is hoped that on the completion of two
additional cottages already sanctioned, the congestion will be relieved to some
extent. The nearness of existing blocks of buildings, which are also large, to other
buildings militates against very noisy insanes being housed at some distance from
others. To reduce congestion, steps were taken to transfer no fewer than 28 non-
domiciled insanes to asylums in India and 7 quiet and healthy Burman criminals
to Minbu. These transfers were effected towards the close of the year 1918. It
is hoped in future to effect early transfers to India by instituting enquiries as to
residence soon after admission to the asylum.
2. The flooring of various buildings were repaired in both the asylums. The
asphalt floor of the main dormitory in the asylum at Minbu is difficult to clean by
reason of its unevenness. It may with advantage be replaced by a wooden floor,
as the inmates themselves evince a preference for such. A further improvement
to secure more light and better ventilation would be to open out the fixed walling
in the ground floor at convenient distances and by providing the openings with
sliding doors. It is satisfactory to note that electric lighting was installed over
the Rangoon asylum. His Honour the Lieutenant-Governor paid this asylum
a visit on the 28th January 1918 and issued a note on the results of his visit.
Statement I.
3. The aggregate accommodation available during the year in the two
asylums of the province was for 716 inmates as against 746 inmates in the year
previous, but the number actually accommodated on the last day of the year was
much larger, being 810 against 786 in 1917. The maximum number of inmates
accommodated on any one night in the Rangoon asylum was 728 against 658
of the year previous, while the corresponding figures in the other asylum
were 129 and 133, respectively.
The daily average strength during the year
points to a similar rise from 752.37 in the preceding year to 816.28.
Statements
I & II.
4. Admissions and Discharges.—Two hundred and forty-six lunatics were
admitted during the year including 34 cases of readmissions as against 227 in 1917.
About 30 per cent. of the admissions, viz. 75, were criminal lunatics, their number
in the preceding year being only 52. The number of discharges and deaths
among the criminal population of the Lunatic Asylums in Burma rose from 26
(23 males and 3 females) in 1917 to 51 (50 males and 1 female) in the year
under report. The daily average strength showed a similar increase, being
327.48 in 1917 as against 349.80 in 1918. The system of discharging criminals
charged with trivial offences or of non-dangerous lunatics of all classes to the
care of their relatives after recovery or improvement was encouraged, but relatives
willing to care for such are not easily found. It is gratifying to note that no fewer
than 86 cases were discharged during the year as cured as against 46 in 1917.
5. Water-supply.—Water in Rangoon is supplied from the Municipal pipe
system under high pressure and is available at all times. Wells are also in
existence for the requirements of garden, dhobies, cattle-shed and the staff. The
pumps attached to these wells have given much trouble on account of the fre-
quent necessity for their repairs. The Executive Engineer is said to be arranging
to give his early attention to this subject. The Minbu Asylum continues to
receive its water-supply from the Municipal pipes and the water is said to be
sufficient and good.
6. Escapes and Suicides.—-One criminal lunatic escaped from the Rangoon
Asylum by tampering with the lock of the latrine, while a Chinese insane com-
mitted suicide by hanging with a rope in a latrine, where owing to structural defect,