I.P

IP/16/HG.4

(2)

REPORT

ON

LOCK HOSPITALS IN BRITISH BURMA.

For the year 1873.

     THERE are six lock hospitals in British Burma—four working under Act.
XIV. of 1868, and two under Act XXII. of 1864.

     The lock hospital at Rangoon, though worked under Act XXII. of 1864,
is a civil institution, and not under the control of the Cantonment Committee.
The Town Magistrate of Rangoon, in his remarks on the annual report of the
Medical Officer in charge of the lock hospital, records the following extract from
the proceedings of the Cantonment Committee on this subject :—

     "The report for the lock hospital for 1873 is laid before the Committee, but the Commit-
tee is of opinion that the report should not be submitted through the Cantonment Committee,
as the lock hospital was declared to be a civil institution, and the Committee have had no con-
trol over it during the year, although the hospital had been worked under the Cantonment
Rules."

     I.—The nature and extent of the hos-
pital accommodation, whether it is suitable,
and whether there has been any change in
it during the year.

     The accommodation provided for sick pros-
titutes in the several lock hospitals of the
province is of a suitable character, and ample
in extent.

     At Rangoon there is accommodation for eight Europeans and 42 Natives,
allowing 70 feet of superficial space to each patient of the former class and 68
to each of the latter. As it was found that the hospital was not sufficiently
large for the number of patients received into it, an additional ward was con-
structed during the year, capable of accommodating 14 patients. The building
is well situated on an elevated piece of ground, and in the immediate vicinity of
the town.

     The Lock Hospital at Bassein affords accommodation for 8 or 10 patients,
giving from 60 to 70 superficial feet of space to each. A cook-room and mehter's
quarters are required to complete the accommodation of this hospital. At pre-
sent the cooking for the lock hospital is done in the cook-room of the civil dis-
pensary. No change was made in the building during the year.

     There has been no change in the Prome lock hospital during the past year.
The building is in good repair, but it is placed on a very objectionable site, being
too close to the public road and the houses of the residents of the place. There
is no fence to the building, but it is understood that a suitable one has been
promised.

     At Thayetmyo the lock hospital is well situated, and affords ample accom-
modation for 12 patients. No change was made in the building during the year.

     About the end of February, the building used as the hospital for the detach-
ment of Native Infantry at Akyab, but which was originally intended for the
lock hospital, was reoccupied, and the small building in which the patients were
treated in the beginning of the year was abandoned. The accommodation
afforded is ample.

     No changes were made in the lock hospital at Moulmein during the year.
The accommodation is ample, each patient having had during the year a space
of 1,615 cubic feet. The hospital is capable of accommodating 20 patients at 60
superficial feet each.

     II.—Any changes in the medical
charge of the lock hospitals during
the year.

     On the 19th April, Surgeon W. J. Butler received medical charge of the
lock hospital at Thayetmyo from Surgeon W.
Robertson, R.A., up on whom it had temporarily
devolved on the departure on medical certificate
of Surgeon W. Hanks. There has been no other
change in the medical charge of any of the hospitals during the year.