10
REPORT ON THE RANGOON LUNATIC ASYLUM FOR THE YEAR 1893.
The net results of the Asylum milk business for the last three years are
contrasted in the table below :—
Details.
Receipts.
Milk sold to the public ... ... ...
Milk sold to the Asylum ... ... ...
Total ...
Expenditure.
Cost of feeding cattle ... ... ...
Salary of cow-man ... ... ...
Purchase of cattle ... ... ...
Total ...
Net profit ...
1891.
Rs.
911
646
1,558
A.
5
10
0
P.
6
6
0
301
180
255
736
822
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1892.
Rs.
986
690
1,677
A.
11
12
7
P.
0
9
9
569
180
13
0
0
0
...
749
927
13
10
0
9
1893.
Rs.
829
713
1,543
A.
4
12
0
P.
9
0
9
223
180
245
648
894
3
0
0
3
13
0
0
0
0
9
The so-called dairy is not in a very flourishing condition at present.
Difficulties have arisen in connection with breeding, and of the 13 cows in the
Asylum only five are giving milk. The consequence is that, although sales have
been reduced to a minimum, milk has now to be purchased for the use of the
Asylum population.
The amount of milk actually bought from outside for use in the Asylum
during the past year was 1,702 bottles, which cost Rs. 283-12-0. In 1892
1,860½ bottles were bought at a cost of Rs. 310-1-4.
As soon as the exact state of affairs was realized I purchased, with the
the assistance of Surgeon-Captain Evans, Veterinary Instructor, a bull for a sum
of Rs. 150 and added him to the Asylum herd. He is a fine young animal and
will, I hope, prove a profitable investment. But some time must yet elapse before
the errors of the past year are recovered from, since many of the cows not now
yielding milk must remain unproductive for months to come.
General treatment of lunatics.—The general treatment of the insane is con-
ducted on sound principles. The chief requirements of lunatics are abundance
of pure air, a supply of wholesome food and water, with healthy habitations to
dwell in ; and these necessaries are fully provided in the Asylum. On the inade-
quacy of the day accommodation I have dwelt elsewhere in this report. That
residence in this Asylum is not inimical to health is, I think, clearly established by
the fact that of the earliest inhabitants of the Asylum (those who entered it when
it was established more than 22 years ago) 17 per cent. are still within its walls.
There are at the present time 14 lunatics in the Asylum who passed within its
precincts more than 22 years ago and who, although in many respects sane, show
no desire to change the place of their abode. The Asylum was first occupied in
1871, when 81 lunatics were sent to it for care and treatment. Of these earliest
inhabitants 19 have been transferred or released, 48 have died, while 14 are still
living within the Asylum walls.
A large proportion of the present population has lived in the Asylum for
more than 10 years. The figures relating to this are: over 20 years 19, over
15 years 16, over 10 years 18 ; in other words 53 lunatics, representing 21 per
cent. of the present strength, have been under treatment in this Asylum for over
10 years.
Hygienic.—In addition to the essential requirements for healthy living just
alluded to, the well-being of the insane calls for close attention to the ordinary
rules of personal hygiene. Seeing that a large proportion of the lunatics are
incapable of thinking or acting for themselves, it rests with the Asylum authorities
to see that they are suitably clad, frequently bathed, and given a sufficiency of
exercise. Extramural labour, gardening operations, and manufactures generally
furnish no inconsiderable number of the population with ample means for exercise,
while those who are incapable of work are taken out in gangs, twice daily, and
given walking exercise within the Asylum enclosure.
Medical.—The ordinary diseases of life that produce in the insane symptoms
not differing from those shown by other classes of the population have been