Part I. ]
RANGOON LUNATIC ASYLUM.
31
control they are subjected to is the supervision of warders and being locked up in their
barrack at night.
The general appearance of the lunatics is healthy, and they are well nourished.
*
*
*
*
*
Considering the unfurnished state of the asylum, I can report most favorably on the
order that is maintained, and to the care and attention that is paid to the welfare and comfort
of the patients.
RANGOON ASYLUM.
Charge.
Surgeon-Major H. Griffith, of the Madras medical service, was the Su-
perintendent.
This also is a new asylum, having been opened in June 1871. The
following statement exhibits the statistics of the two years of its existence.
The daily population has increased by 12. The death-rate is moderate. The
percentage of admissions (of which there were 52) has increased. Of criminal
lunatics there was a daily strength of 38.
Statistics.
STATEMENT No. XXVI.
Per cent. of average
strength.
Daily average number
...
...
... ...
Admitted
...
...
... ... ...
Discharged
...
Cured ... ... ...
Improved ... ... ...
Otherwise ... ... ...
Deaths
...
...
...
...
...
Total discharges and deaths
... ... ...
1872.
117
35.9
12.8
5.9
2.5
5.1
26.5
1873.
129
40.31
11.6
9.3
1.6
8.5
31.6
Addition to building.
During the year, twelve additional cells, each measuring 8' x 10', were built
for the accommodation of criminal insanes.
Capacity of the asy-
lum.
The capacity of the asylum, as it now exists, is as follows:—
No. of cells.
8
1
1
1
26
How occupied.
Civil Insanes ...
For Europeans ...
„ Females ...
Hospital ...
Criminals ...
MEASUREMENTS.
LENGTH.
Ft.
36
36
36
36
10
In.
...
...
...
...
...
BREADTH.
Ft.
18
18
18
18
8
In.
...
...
...
...
...
HEIGHT.
Ft.
15
15
15
17
16
In.
...
...
...
6
...
Superficial area.
5,184
648
648
648
2,080
Cubic measurements.
77,760
9,720
9,720
11,340
32,480
Number to be accom-
modated at 54 su-
perficial feet.
96
12
12
12
39
Number occupied 31st
December 1873.
72
3
16
3
38
Cubic space per man.
1,080
3,240
607
3,780
854
Superficial space per
man.
72
216
40
218
55
Mortality.
Of the 11 who died no less than 9 were in a bad state of health at the time
of their admission, so that it is rather a matter of surprise that the mortality
rate was not higher.
Restraint.
Restraint and seclusion have been resorted to in but little more than name.
Finances.
The total cost of the asylum for the year, excluding the cost of building,
was Rs. 11,483. Each patient cost Rs. 89-0-2, a slight increase upon the pre-
vious year, because the native doctor's salary was included in the account; but
if the amount received from friends of patients for maintenance (Rs. 583) and
the net profits of industrial labour (Rs. 1,151) be deducted, the cost per
patient is reduced to Rs. 75-9-1. The monthly cost of diet for Europeans
was Rs. 11,483 and for natives Rs. 2-8-1.
Employment.
A daily average of 120 lunatics were constantly employed,—a result
highly creditable to the management.
Causation of insanity
of Burmans contrasted
with that of natives
of India.
Dr. Griffiths considers that the Burmans are much more liable to insanity
from emotional causes than are the natives of India. They are, too, he con-
siders, a much more intractable class of patients, and that at some time or other
of their residence in the asylum violence is a marked feature of their insanity.