From Surgeon-Colonel D. SINCLAIR, M.B., C.M., Inspector-General of Jails, with Civil Medical Adminis-
tration, Burma, to the Secretary to the Government of Burma,—No. 1245-1R.—16, dated the 3rd
February 1898.
I HAVE the honour to submit, with the prescribed statements, the report on
the Rangoon Lunatic Asylum for the year 1897.
The year began with 319 inmates; 115 were admitted and 14 were re-
admitted during the year, making a total population of 448, the highest ever
recorded. Thirty-six were discharged cured, 22 improved, and 12 otherwise; 36
died ; hence there remained at the end of the year 342, a population 23 in excess
of that with which the year commenced and 68 higher than the mean of the
preceding ten years. The daily average strength was 333 and the daily average
sick 14. The percentages of cured and died to daily average strength were in
each case 10.8. The proportion cured is smaller than usual and the reason
assigned by the Superintendent for this is given in his report.
The percentages of cured and died to admissions are 28 in each case, both
of which figures are under the mean of the preceding ten years.
3. Of the inmates at the beginning of the year 154 were criminal lunatics ;
during the year 34 were admitted and 14 re-admitted, making a total population
of 202, which is likewise the highest on record. Twenty-eight were discharged,
transferred, &c., and 10 died, so that 164 remained at the end of the year, the
daily average strength having been 157. The percentage of mortality on the daily
average strength of criminal lunatics comes to 6.37 whereas it is 14.76 in the
case of non-criminal lunatics.
4. Of the 129 admissions to the asylum, 33 were Hindus and Mahomedans,
six were European or Eurasian Christians, one a Native Christian, and 89 other
castes (8 Chinese and 81 Burmese). The majority of these people were culti-
vators (42), coolies (26), occupation unknown (18), bazaar sellers (9), and sepoys
(4). Twelve were under 20 years of age, 94 were from 20 to 40, and 3 were over
60.
5. The types of insanity from which the inmates suffered and its causes are
set forth in Statements VI and VII in the appendix. Of the total population (448),
225 were maniacs, 148 melancholics, 43 were afflicted with dementia or acquired
imbecility, 3 with idiocy, 13 with epileptic insanity, one with consecutive insanity
and 15 with other forms. Of the causes 159 are known, whilst 289 are unknown.
Of the former 85 are ascribed to physical causes, 74 to moral. To disease of
brain and hereditary influences 20 cases are assigned, 19 to other causes, injury
to head and epilepsy, 19 to fevers, 14 to ganja and opium eating and smoking,
12 to spirit-drinking, and one to all other intoxicants.
6. One hundred and fifty-four were admitted to hospital, the chief sick
causes being debility (31), diarrhœa (23), intermittent fever (11), rheumatism (8),
contused wounds and chicken-pox (7 each), and dysentery (6). Thirty-six deaths
occurred, the chief causes being diarrhœa (6), debility (5), dysentery (4), and
tubercle and mania (3) each. The daily average sick is considerably lower than
in the previous year and less than the average for the preceding ten years, and,
though the death-rate calculated on the average strength is higher than in 1896, it
is somewhat lower than the average for the preceding ten years.
7. The total amount expended on establishment, diet, clothing and bedding,
medicines, and contingencies, amounted to Rs. 42,355-1-0, showing an increase
of Rs. 5,739-6-0 as compared with the previous year The average cost per head
excluding expenditure by the Public Works Department rose from Rs. 111-14-2
in 1896 to Rs. 127-12-5 in the year under review. The cost was higher under
establishment, diet, and contingencies. The reason of the increase under the
first and the last heads have been explained in the report and the cause of the in-
crease under diets is stated to be under enquiry. The expenditure decreased