( 6 )
again tied by the ankle to the bars of the door to prevent him injuring himself. Up till
3 A.M. in the morning nothing happened, the tell-tale clock shewed that the night-watch-
man had been on his rounds, and at 3 A.M. it was reported that all was well, and that the
night-watchmen had just come from the cells. He then visited the rest of the Asylum, the
civil male cottages and the female, and went back at 4 A.M., when he heard a noise in the
cells, immediately rushed to the cell, and found one of the Burmese on the top of Lookoo,
kneading him with his knees and elbows. He called the other two peons and separated
them, and the Native Doctor and the Overseer, Mr. Robinson, were informed, and both
lunatics were taken to the hospital. I saw both patients about 6 A.M., and I found Lookoo
in a dying state, and the Burman all swollen and cut about the face. Lookoo died very
soon, and the post-mortem revealed fracture of the ribs, rupture of the liver, and the cavity
of the abdomen filled with blood. Tsan Doon, the Burman, had his face much swollen and
his hands torn ; but he recovered in a few days, and has since been perfectly harmless and
quiet. The other Burman who was in the cell, and who can talk pretty rationally at times,
by name Shwe Gone, says that Lookoo was always climbing up the gate, and that Tsan
Doon pulled him down, and that Tsan Doon persisted on lying on the top of Lookoo ; a quar-
rel then ensued, and they fought, and Tsan Doon got Lookoo down and pounded him with
his elbows and knees.
I immediately sent for the Assistant Magistrate, Mr. Batten, who examined into the
whole affair. He states in his remarks that he thinks the night-watchman delayed too
long in not returning from 3A.M. till 4 A.M., as it would only take 15 or 20 minutes to go
his rounds. At the same time, he states that he does not think it right that these three men
should be shut up together in one cell, as Tsan Doon's case was only under observation,
and that the night-watchman should be continually on his rounds. The Assistant Magis-
trate says, in conclusion :—" I find, therefore, that Lookoo came by his death from the vio-
lence of Tsan Doon's attacks ; and that, as the state of Tsan Doon has not yet been reported
on, the report of the Civil Surgeon as to his sanity or insanity must be made before further
steps can be taken in the case."
The matter was laid before the Committee of Visitors.
Extract from the Proceedings:—" The Committee also enquired into the circumstances
connected with the fight between two lunatics, Lookoo and Tsan Doon, which resulted in
the death of Lookoo. The Committee on former occasions expressed their opinion that not
more than one criminal lunatic should be confined in a cell. Dr. Johnstone, the Superin-
tendent, explained that up to the present date it was impossible to carry out the wishes of
the Committee thoroughly, but that he has placed men with violent tendencies in separate
cells, and the quiet characters together. Dr. Johnstone also informs the Committee that
additional accommodation for criminal lunatics has been sanctioned by the local Govern-
ment. The Committee consider the local Government should be moved to expedite the
construction of the additional accommodation, and that great care should be exercised in
future to guard against any criminal, whose state is unknown to the Superintendent, being
placed in a cell with any other criminals. At the same time, they do not think that the
night-watchman was properly attentive to his work, and recommend his discharge."
I hope that these additional cells will be proceeded with; otherwise, with every care
and vigilance, it is very difficult to prevent accidents when more than one lunatic is put
in a cell. Every attention has been given to putting the harmless and quiet together, but,
with only 26 cells for 49 criminals, and several dangerous civil lunatics, without any sepa-
rate accommodation for those under observation, it is no easy task. Neither of the two
who were in the cell at the time of the accident have ever shewn since that occasion the
least violence or signs of excitement.
Statement No. 7 shews the causes of insanity in those under treatment. It is very
difficult to obtain accurate information as to the causes of insanity : the causes given in
the admission orders are very often not reliable, and, as already stated, few relatives visit
the lunatics in the Asylum, so as to obtain more accurate information; out of the 60
admissions, only in 27 cases were causes given. The chief causes given during the year
were gunja and opium among the physical causes; loss of property, grief, and fright among
the moral causes. From the state of health in which most of them are admitted into
hospital, one may say that want of proper nourishment in already debilitated subjects
is the chief predisposing cause ; but of the 60 admissions, 18 were in good health, 22 in
indifferent, and 20 in bad health.
Statement No. 8 shews the hospital statistics. This year has been a very fatal one
among the lunatics,—more so than any previous year since it opened. This year generally
has been an unhealthy one, both in Rangoon and the district: cholera has been prevalent
in epidemic form, and also dysentery and diarrhœa. No cholera has occurred in the Lunatic
Asylum, but dysentery and diarrhœa has been very prevalent and fatal; many of those
seized with it were in a wretched state of debility, and fell victims to it rapidly. Debility,
dysentery, and diarrhœa caused 18 deaths out of the 23. Last year there were only
6 admissions from dysentery, and this year 12 ; and during last year, 17 from diarrhœa, and
2