( 3 )
Endeavours were made to remove a great many more, but we failed because
no friends or relatives could be found or, if found, they were not in a position to
undertake the charge of them.
Causes of Insanity, Statement VII.—We are unable to obtain any satis-
factory information as to the causation of insanity in this country. In the case
of wandering coolies and adventurous Natives of India principally, a class which
supplies a good many inmates to the asylum, there is often no account whatever
of their previous history procurable ; while in regard to most others we have to
depend on the opinions of ignorant and superstitious relatives recorded by
Native officials, who accept them as quite satisfactory however absurd they may
be. Out of the 323 cases of insanity there are 79 in which it is alleged to be due
to physical causes, 100 in which it is alleged to be due to such moral causes as
grief, fear, &c., while in 144 no conjecture is given as to the cause.
Sickness and Mortality, Statement VIII.—The general health of the luna-
tics was on the whole good. The daily average sick, however, was high, being
12.39 per cent. against 8.03 of last year and 7.39 per cent. of the average for the
past ten years. It appears then that from these statistics the past year was the
unhealthiest of the series; but this was not really the case, and the high rate of
sick is accounted for by the fact of our having a very large number of incurables
admitted into the asylum and kept in hospital until they died.
The number of deaths during the year was 23, and the mortality to average
strength per cent. 10.28, the latter being 1.97 more than that of the previous
year and .37 more than the average of the past ten years. Of the 23 deaths
two committed suicide, seven were only in the asylum for short periods and were
admitted into the institution suffering from incurable diseases, five were admitted,
it may be said, in a moribund condition. Eleven deaths were due to general
debility, one to intermittent fever, four to epilepsy, three to diarrhœa, one to old
age, and one to phthisis pulmonalis. I need not point out that diseases are much
more fatal in the case of many lunatics than when they affect the sane, inasmuch
as the former are frequently in a weak and anæmic condition before they are
attacked, and after they are attacked they often obstinately refuse food, medicine,
&c. In the case of a good many, as we have seen, it is very evident on their
admission into the asylum that their death is but a question of days or weeks.
Cash Account, Statement IX, Finances.—During the year it will be seen
that the sum of Rs. 4,548-8-4 is shown as having been received on account of
paying patients.
Since the receipt of General Department No. 392-3M., dated the 19th April
1887, from the Junior Secretary to the Chief Commissioner, to Commissioners
of Divisions and President, Rangoon Municipality, on the subject of payment for
maintenance of pauper lunatics by Municipalities, the sum of Rs. 3,941-2-0 was
received from the following four Municipalities, namely, Rangoon, Henzada,
Akyab, and Toungoo. The following Municipalities against whom there are claims
have as yet taken no notice of the applications made to them, namely, Moulmein,
Thayetmyo, Pegu, Sandoway, Mergui, Tavoy, Prome, Shwegyin, Paungdè
Bassein, Allanmyo, Kyaukpyu, Tharrawaddy, and Pagan.*
Deducting the sum of Rs. 3,941-2-0 from the total sum received for paying
patients we get a balance of Rs. 607-6-4, the amount received from the friends
of patients in the asylum under treatment. Last year we received Rs. 544-12-10.
The expenditure on account of establishment was Rs. 9,740 against
Rs. 9,634, or a difference of Rs. 106, the pay of a peon which was in excess of
the establishment existing in the year 1886.
The expenditure on account of diet was Rs. 9,831-0-10 against Rs. 8,499-4-10
of last year, or an increase of Rs. 1,331-12-0. This was owing to there being a
larger daily average number of patients under treatment. Rs. 650 was spent on
clothing and bedding against Rs. 624-2-0 of last year, being an increase of
Rs. 25-14-0.
Bazaar medicines cost Rs. 87-8-7 as compared with Rs. 78-0-6, or an in-
crease of Rs. 9-8-1. Contingencies proper amounted to Rs. 737-0-3 against
* Not yet declared Municipalities.