RESOLUTION

                                                                        ON THE

    REPORT ON THE RANGOON LUNATIC ASYLUM

For the year 1899.

Extract from the Proceedings of the Government of Burma,—No. 9K.-6, dated the 15th May 1900.

READ—

Letter No. 2486-1R.—6, dated the 6th March 1900, from Colonel C. C. LITTLE, M.D., I.M.S.,
Inspector-General of Jails with Civil Medical Administration, Burma, to the Secretary to
the Government of Burma.

RESOLUTION.—The report of the Rangoon Lunatic Asylum for 1899 has
been very fully dealt with by the Inspector-General of Civil Hospitals and the
Lieutenant-Governor is much obliged to Colonel Little for his careful review.
The Lunatic Asylum was in the charge of Major Bell for nine months of the
year under report, and for the remaining three months the office of Superin-
tendent was held by Major Sellick. Mr. Donaldson was Deputy Superintendent
until October, when Dr. Paul was appointed to that post, as it was thought de-
sirable to employ a professional man. The change has not been beneficial to the
Asylum and fresh arrangements will again have to be made. The Asylum has
been unfortunate in its superior subordinate staff, as the sub-overseer is also re-
ported to have proved unfit for his post. An important feature in the history of
the Asylum during the year was the reorganization of the subordinate establish-
ment. A matron was appointed to take charge of the female enclosure, while
the staff of. warders was divided into a day establishment and a night establish-
ment, and five male warders and three female warders were added. The result
of the revision has been to provide a larger and more efficient staff at an increased
cost of Rs. 2,142 per annum.

Accommodation and population.

2. The number at the Asylum increased from 345 at the close of 1898 to

462, the daily average population rising from 344.03
to 360.23. Criminal lunatics including those under
confinement at the beginning of the year numbered 199 or 43.07 per cent. of the
462 lunatics dealt with as compared with 196 or 45.58 per cent. in 1898. On the
31st December there were 42 female inmates, while the accommodation is for 30
only. At one time there were 52 female members in the Asylum. The new cot-
tage, which is to hold 12 more lunatics, is not yet completed ; it is not understood
why there has been so much delay in carrying out this pressing work. Meanwhile
the objectionable practice of confining some of the older female lunatics in the
male cells at night has been continued.

Admissions and discharges.

3. There were 117 admissions and 67 discharges and 30 deaths ; last year the

number of admissions was only 88. Of the 67 dis-
charges eight were civil lunatics transferred to the

Madras Asylum. There were four escapes; in two cases the lunatics have not yet
been recaptured.