2                   RESOLUTION ON THE REPORT ON THE RANGOON LUNATIC ASYLUM FOR THE YEAR 1899.

Health.

4. The number of admissions to hospital was 20 less than in the previous
year and the percentage of deaths to the daily
average strength sank from 12 in 1898 to 8 in 1899.
The general health of the inmates appears to have been good. The Lieutenant-
Governor has read with satisfaction of the continued success which has attended
the efforts to provide occupation and amusement for the lunatics. It is, however,
to be regretted that no suitable extramural employment has yet been found for
them. The increase in the number of admissions under the head of mania is at-
tributed by the Superintendent to a stricter classification of diseases.

Causes and types of insanity.

5. The Superintendent has made some interesting remarks upon the types of
insanity met with in the Asylum, the commonest
being mania and melancholia. It is, however, to be
regretted that information concerning the causes of insanity is still scanty. In 201
cases out of the total population of the Asylum during the year the cause is shown
as "known," while in 261 cases it is returned as " unknown." Out of 117 ad-
missions during the year the cause of insanity was only ascertained in 57 cases.
There has, however, been an improvement in the extent of information available
regarding the criminal lunatics, most of the cases shown as unknown being civil
lunatics.

Industries.

6. There has been a falling off in the profits from manufactures compared
with 1898, but the figures for the latter year repre-
sented too high a valuation of the plant in stock,
which has now been written down by 15 per cent. The value of the manufac-
tured goods shown in Statement XI as having been sold or left in stock in 1899
was Rs. 12,787-11-8, while in 1898 the value was Rs. 13,765-4-1. These figures,
however, include the value of the milk and vegetables consumed by the inmates
of the Asylum. The profit for 1899 amounted to Rs. 7,784-10-4. The net pro-
fit on the dairy shows a decrease from Rs. 2,572 to Rs. 1,755, which is explained
by the Superintendent as being due to the failure of a contractor to supply milk
for sale to the outside public.

Cost of maintenance.

7. The cost of dieting per head was only Rs. 45-6-9 as compared with Rs.
55-8-4 in the previous year, while the total cost per
head decreased from Rs. 122-4-9 to Rs. 106-15-7.
The total cost of dieting has fallen from Rs. 19,099 in 1898 to Rs. 16,351 in 1899.
In view of the fact that the population of the Asylum was uniformly higher dur-
ing the latter year, some explanation of these figures should have been given.
The total expenditure for the year shows a satisfactory decrease.

Accounts.

8. The accounts of the Asylum were audited during the year, but the
auditor's note had not been disposed of at the time
of writing the report. The explanation for the delay
is unsatisfactory. The Inspector-General of Civil Hospitals should satisfy himself
that the audit-note is being properly attended to and that any irregularities point-
ed out by the auditor are being rectified.

                                By order of the Lieutenant-Governor of Burma,

                                                                    R. E. V. ARBUTHNOT,
                                                            Offg. Secy. to the Govt. of Burma.