2        NOTE ON THE MENTAL HOSPITALS IN BURMA

Minbu 136. The total daily average strength in Rangoon was 826.75
(687.13 males and 139.62 females) an increase of 10.65 over last year.
The transfer of 150 male inmates in September 1925 to Tadagale and
11 harmless criminal male patients to Minbu in November 1925 helped
to relieve the congestion in the Rangoon Mental Hospital.

At Minbu there was no overcrowding at any part of the year, the
average daily population during the year under review being 128.08
against 128.67 last year with an accommodation for 138 inmates.

5. Admissions and discharges.—There has been a steady increase in
the number of criminal lunatics admitted.

During the year 203 inmates (166 males and 37 females) were admitted
into the Mental Hospital, Rangoon, and 129 inmates (107 males and
22 females) were discharged. Those discharged include 80 cured, 28
improved and 21 discharged " otherwise." More discharges under
" improved " could be effected, if relatives could be found to take charge
of harmless incurable inmates ; but perhaps the fear that they would
become uncontrollable or be a burden to them in their avocations of
life, keep them back from coming forward. The discharge under
" cured " increased from 68 in 1923 to 74 in 1924 and to 80 in 1925.
The percentage of cured to daily average strength was 9.68 in 1925
against 9.07 in 1924 and 8.28 in 1923 and the percentage of cured among
admissions was 11.33 in 1925 against 16.18 in 1924 and 14.08 in 1923.

It is noteworthy that more than 50 per cent. of the total admissions
were from Rangoon Town, and that nearly 73 per cent. of the female
patients and 50 per cent. of the male patients admitted during the year
were from Rangoon Town.

Statement V shows that more than 75 per cent. of the patients
admitted were between 20 and 40 years of age.

Statement VII deals with supposed causes of insanity of the patients
showing the predisposing and exciting causes. Most of the cases are
returned under " Infective and Toxic conditions."

6. Sickness and Mortality.—The general health of the inmates at the
Rangoon and Minbu institutions was satisfactory and no epidemic of
any kind broke out. The usual precautionary measures such as vaccina-
tion and anti-cholera inoculation were taken. The total number of
deaths excluding five from amongst the observation cases was 81 (63
males and 18 females) of which 3 were in Minbu. Deaths were due to
various causes, the chief amongst which were Tuberculosis of lungs,
Cerebral degeneration (Dementia) and Pneumonia which together
account for 44 deaths. The percentage of deaths to daily average
strength was 8.48 against 12.62 in 1924 and 9.74 in 1923. The per-
centage of deaths among admissions was 9.36 against 11.27 in 1924 and
6.10 in 1923.