2
RESOLUTION ON THE REPORT ON THE RANGOON LUNATIC ASYLUM FOR THE YEAR 1895.
*Letter No. 44, dated 28th Jan-
uary 1876, to the Government of
Bengal.
† Letter No. 179 dated 25th
March 1876, to the Government of
Bengal.
observance of the Bengal rules for the prolonged detention on probation of re-
covered criminal lunatics will prevent any considerable decrease in the number of
criminal lunatics, but the desirability of keeping down the Asylum population should
be kept constantly in view, and the Superintendent, in consultation with the Com-
mittee of Visitors, should be prompt in submitting proposals for releasing recovered
criminal lunatics as the prescribed periods of probation expire. Steps should also
be taken for the transfer to Indian Asylums of lunatics who belong to other prov-
inces. Statement No. III attached to the Report and the statement in paragraph
33 show that the population of the Asylum is considerably augmented by the ad-
mission of vagrant Indians arrested by the Rangoon police. The greatest care is
necessary in admitting persons of this class. The orders* of the Government of India
require that Asylums " should be reserved only for
" criminal lunatics, lunatics who are absolutely danger-
" ous, and those who, having no friends or belongings,
" may be in the acute stage in which there is most hope
" of recovery from medical treatment," and the Government of India have further
declared† that " it is unnecessary and unwise to go to
" the extent of admitting into Government Asylums
" and maintaining at the public expense all the in-
" sanes who are presented for admission. Persons
" suffering from the temporary results of sickness, intemperance or debauchery,
" and those whom their friends ought to support should be kept out of public
" asylums." The Chief Commissioner has no reason to believe that these princi-
ples are lost sight of in admitting patients to the Rangoon Asylum, but he desires
the Superintendent and the Committee of Visitors to apply them strictly in view
of the high population of the Asylum, the difficulty of extending the existing ac-
commodation indefinitely, and the need of keeping as much space as possible to
provide for a further increase in the number of criminal lunatics.
3. The year was not an unhealthy one as compared with those which went
before it. The epidemic of beri-beri that broke out in 1894 subsided and, exclu-
sive of five deaths from this malady, the total mortality was 31 with a daily aver-
age population of 341. Owing to the disappearance of the beri-beri and influenza
epidemics the number of " admissions to hospital" fell from 275 to 129, although
the daily average population rose from 261 to 341. The Chief Commissioner
understands that owing to the insufficiency of accommodation in the present
hospital sick lunatics are sometimes treated in the wards and cottages. It is not
clear whether the number (129) includes all such patients treated in 1895. If it
does, the aggregate number appears to the Chief Commissioner to be remarkably
small. But he has no reason to doubt that all the inmates whose condition
required it had proper medical attendance.
4. The financial results of the year's administration are satisfactory. The
annual cost per head of the maintenance of the lunatics fell from Rs. 136 to
Rs. 109, the reduction being chiefly under the head " diet," which cost Rs. 73 for
each lunatic in 1894 as compared with Rs. 52, a little more than 2 annas per
diem in 1895. But economy may easily be pushed too far in this direction. An
improved dietary for a large proportion of the inmates was mentioned by the
Surgeon-General with the Government of India in reviewing the reports for 1894