2
RESOLUTION ON THE REPORT ON THE RANGOON LUNATIC ASYLUM FOR THE YEAR 1894.
wooden floors on to the ground below the cottages and collects there, and if it is
impossible to carry it off except at a cost which the Committee considers prac-
tically prohibitive, there would seem to be additional reasons for adopting the
earth-floor system generally in all the cottages tenanted by lunatics of specially
uncleanly habits. The matter is commended to the attention of the Committee.
The Asylum visitors have pronounced the shed accommodation for the shelter of
the insanes during the day time to be still insufficient. The question of the
provision of additional day sheds should be taken up without delay. In view of
the observations above recorded in regard to wooden floors, the suggestion of the
Inspector-General of Jails that the space under some of the cottages should be
enclosed and used as day sheds does not at first sight commend itself to the
Chief Commissioner, but the matter may be considered.
3. The population of the Asylum on the 31st December 1893 was 253,
that on the 31st December 1894 was 331. The increase was mainly due to
the transfer from the Rangoon Jail of the criminal lunatics (62 in all) referred to
in the first paragraph of this Resolution. During the year 152 lunatics in all
were admitted or re-admitted, 48 were discharged, cured or otherwise, or made
over to their friends, and 26 died. The percentage of deaths to the daily average
strength (9.96) was lower than in 1893 and compares on the whole favourably
with the figures of previous years. The death-rate was swelled by an epidemic of
beriberi which attacked the Asylum in October and carried off seven victims. The
origin of the outbreak is doubtful and the reason of its severity obscure, but it
seems clear that it cannot be attributed to any special sanitary defect in the Asylum.
An epidemic of influenza, which visited the Asylum in March, was attended with
no fatal results. The construction of the new hospital has not yet been taken in
hand, but the work will be commenced before long. When the hospital is finished
there will be accommodation for 400 lunatics within the Asylum walls. The
reports on the Asylum water-supply are on the whole re-assuring. The Chief
Commissioner would be glad to learn the final opinion arrived at in regard to the
water from the one well on the premises which has been unfavourably reported on.
The water of this well is chiefly used for irrigating the garden and it does not
appear to be required for drinking and is not apparently used for that purpose.
4. The total expenditure of the year amounted to Rs. 35,568 as compared
with Rs. 31,408, the corresponding figure for 1893. This is exclusive of a
sum of Rs. 88,682 charged on account of work performed by the Public Works
Department for the Asylum. The cost of bazaar medicines rose from Rs. 76 to
Rs. 240, and the expenditure on account of contingencies from Rs. 1,797 to Rs.
2,815. The enhancement under the latter head is attributed mainly to the fact
that a large number of locks had to be purchased for the new buildings. Beyond
the transfer of the Assistant Surgeon in August, there was no change of import-
ance in the strength of the Asylum establishment until the 62 criminal lunatics were
transferred from the Rangoon Jail, when it was found necessary to obtain the
services of six additional warders to guard this addition to the Asylum population.
The total cost of the establishment proper was Rs. 8,457 as compared with
Rs. 8,494 in 1893. The result of the dairy transactions of the year are a satis-
factory feature of the report. The figures show a net profit of Rs. 1,059 under this
head. The Chief Commissioner observes with regret that the efforts to promote