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The whole grounds are well laid out and well kept, the walks always clean
and tidy, Mr. Goodwin, the Deputy Superintendent, paying great attention to
this and the garden, so that the premises have a cheerful appearance.
2. Water-supply.—This is good and fairly sufficient unless in the hot .
weather, when the wells get very low. Another well is greatly needed for gar-
den purposes. At present the water has to be carried far and much loss of time
occurs.
It would also be a great boon if a good pump was put into the principal
and best well; it would save much time, heavy labour, and also risk to the insanes
jumping in, as has "been done "before.
It requires a long time to draw by a large bucket all the water required and
the lunatics might be more profitably employed otherwise.
The raising of the wall and the putting in of a pump will be laid before the
Committee of Visitors for their opinion.
The increased number of lunatics requires an increased supply of vegetables
and increased garden, and therefore increased facility and means of watering the
garden are required, otherwise there is a loss of time and labour.
3. Conservancy.—This has been carried out as before, namely, the dry-earth
system, and afterwards buried in trenches in some secluded portion of the grounds
of the Asylum; and, though the grounds are fairly large for that purpose, I would
prefer to see it joined on to the Shone and Ault system, which is now carried out
in Rangoon. If the Rangoon Central Jail were joined on to it, as it should be,
the extension of it to the Asylum would not be difficult.
4. Drainage.—This is the same as has been described before. The natural
slope of the ground, together with kutcha drains, has been found sufficient, and
even during the monsoon I have never seen stagnant water within the grounds.
5. Cleanliness.—Great care has always been given to this, both as regards
the lunatics' cottages and criminal cells. The cottages are washed out daily and
disinfected.
It is a necessity to have this done, for though we endeavour to put the most
filthy cases by themselves it is impossible to always do so, and it is no easy task
to keep them sweet and clean.
The cells also are washed and disinfected daily in the criminal enclosure, and
the frequent use of tar and whitewash keeps them always clean and healthy.
The lunatics are also regularly bathed and examined to detect skin diseases and
hidden sores.
6. Labour.—The lunatics are put to various employments, the criminal
lunatics to coir-pounding, basket and broom making; and they also have to keep
the enclosure and latrines clean. The civil lunatics have to look after the
grounds and walks, attend to the garden all the year round, so as to supply both
Native and European vegetables at all seasons. They are also employed in extra-
mural labour to any who may employ them in such as cleaning compounds of over-
vegetation, gardening, grass-cutting, and road-making into private houses.
These occupations are light and easy and, in my opinion, are certainly con-
ducive to the health of the inmates, both bodily and mentally, and I believe good
diet, healthy employment, both for body and mind, are more conducive towards
their cure than all the medicines that can be given them. I may also state that
all the labour within the Lunatic Asylum is carried out by the lunatics them-
selves with the exception of lamp-lighting. The grounds, walks, and gardens
are always kept in exceedingly good order.
7. Clothing and bedding.—This has been good in quality and suitable for
the season as far as I have been as yet able to judge. The greater part of the
clothing was got from and made in the jails, and it is apparently of good stuff
and wears well. Part of it was made in the Asylum. The blankets were got
from the contractor, and are of a fairly good quality and seem to be sufficient to
keep them warm. It certainly is rather difficult to keep the inmates clean and
tidy since, if they do not tear their clothing, they dirty it very soon.
8. Diet.—This is very good and special care is taken as regards the quality.
The inmates get meat four times a week, fish twice, and dhall once. For 2½