NOTE
ON THE
LUNATIC ASYLUMS IN BURMA
FOR THE YEAR 1921.
1. Buildings, Accommodation and Population.—No changes were made in
the buildings during the past year. The aggregate accommodation of the two
asylums remained unaltered, i.e., 768, but the total population (excluding observa-
tion cases who numbered 123 during the year), was 871,a slight rise as compared
with 1920.
In both asylums, there has been overcrowding. In Rangoon with a total
accommodation of 632 the daily average was 753. In Minbu, although nominally
there was no overcrowding, the space allotted to each inmate is so small, 36
square feet, that in reality overcrowding did exist. Accommodation for 170
inmates at Kokine is now ready, except for the water-supply and sewage connec-
tions. Although this is eventually intended for females, it is proposed as soon as
possible to utilize it temporarily for well conducted and harmless male lunatics,
who will not require much expert supervision, and who can be usefully employed
in road-making and other necessary work. I hope this long delayed relief for
overcrowding in the Rangoon Asylum will soon be ready.
2. Admissions and Discharges.—Two hundred and nine lunatics were
admitted during the year, a slight fall from 220 in 1920. This fall is however only
apparent, because 21 cases have now been shown separately in Statement 1A
(observation cases), which after admission were released, died and remained at the
end of the year. In former years these were included in total admissions to the
asylum, and would have brought this year's total up to 230, had it not been for
the introduction of a change in the form of the statistics.
The discharges were 138, of which 87 are described as " cured " These
figures show a steady improvement on previous years, 63 in 1919 and 74 in 1920,
and is attributed to early treatment.
The number of criminal lunatics continues to increase, the average was 380
as compared with 361 in 1920.
3. Sickness and Mortality.—The death rate was 7.74 as compared with 6.77
in 1920 There were no deaths in Minbu, the increase was confined to Rangoon,
and took place in the last two months of the year when 20 deaths occurred out of
a total for the year of 69. Tuberculosis as usual exacted a heavy toll, 21 deaths
as compared with 18 last year. The death rate in Indian asylums varied from 5.63
in Assam to 14.0 in the United Provinces. Burma stands third on the list, being
surpassed only by Bengal and Assam. There was no epidemic disease in either
asylum. In Rangoon, 1,596 Pathological examinations were made of stools,
urine, blood, sputum, etc. In 31 cases only were anchylostome ova detected.
This is much below what is known to occur in prisoners and I am inclined to think
the figure should be higher.
4. Sanitation.—No new departure was made in sanitary matters. Disinfec-
tants continue to be freely used for scrubbing out all occupied premises. The
latrines in Rangoon were worked on the bucket, in Minbu on the aerobic filter pit
system. The latter method is not suitable for Rangoon.
Both asylums used the Municipal water-supply, but in Rangoon this has
been supplemented by well water.
5. Diet.—No change has been made, the diet authorized is a good and liberal
one. Superintendents are permitted to vary it within the authorized scale, and