2
ANNUAL REPORT ON THE WORKING OF THE
6. Criminal insanes.—The total criminal population during the year
was 177 (165 males and 12 females), of whom 142 remained at the begin-
ning of the year and 35 were newly admitted during the year. The result
of the treatment of this class of insanes was :—31 were discharged,
transferred, etc., 5 died and 141 remained at the end of the year. The
daily average strength was 147.87 as against 145.17 during the previous
year.
7. Deaths.—The total number of deaths during the year under report
was only 63 (52 males and 11 females) as against 107 and 89 during the
years 1924 and 1923, respectively. The low percentage of deaths during
the year reflects much credit upon the administration of these hospitals.
The chief diseases causing death were tubercle of the lungs, other
respiratory diseases, diseases of the circulatory system, anæmia and
debility and digestive diseases.
8. Accommodation.—The highest number of inmates accommodated
on any day during the year in the Mental Hospital, Madras, was 713 on
the 16th September 1925, 90 on the 10th January 1925 in the Mental
Hospital, Waltair, and 227 on the 19th November 1925 in the Mental
Hospital, Calicut. In the Mental Hospital at Madras, the accommodation
for Indian civil males and in the female section continued to be
insufficient. Plans and estimates for improvements and additions to
this hospital have been submitted to Government for sanction. The
accommodation in the Mental Hospital at Waltair remains the same,
i.e., 79 for males and 17 for females. Plans and estimates for the
following buildings have been returned to the Public Works Department
duly countersigned. The execution of the works will be commenced in
the early part of the official year when funds permit.
(1) A platform for the washerman and (2) a four-seated latrine for
the new hospital building at Waltair.
In the Mental Hospital at Calicut, accommodation is now available
for 200 male and 62 female patients. The weaving room and the dining
hall had to be converted into emergency wards and temporary thatched
sheds have been put up for the purpose of weaving and dining. It is
proposed to build an industrial workshop to replace the weaving shed,
and the required funds for this have been provided in the budget of the
next official year. Proposals for the construction of a dining room are
also under consideration.
9. Buildings—Madras.—In the Mental Hospital at Madras, a block
of 20 additional single rooms for Indian civil male patients was
constructed. The following minor works were also completed during
the year:—
(1) The construction of drainage in the isolation camp, referred to
in the previous report.
(2) A bath room to cottage No. 89 in the female enclosure.
(3) Plain galvanized iron fencing round vegetable garden.
Waltair.—Six single cells for filthy and noisy patients are under
construction, and new hospital building for males consisting of 8 beds
was taken charge of on 24th October 1925.
Calicut.—No new constructions were carried out during the year.
As usual, the annual repairs to the buildings of the three mental
hospitals were carried out during the year.
10. Sanitation.—The sanitation of the hospital in all the three
institutions was as satisfactory as it could be. Dry earth system of
disposing of the night-soil is in vogue both in Calicut and Waltair Mental
Hospitals. The Superintendent of the Mental Hospital, Madras, still
prosses for the acquisition of the very congested and. growing village
just outside the south-eastern wall of the hospital which is a source of
danger to the health of the hospital.