2
ANNUAL REPORT ON THE WORKING OF THE
5. Types of insanity.—The principal types of insanity treated were
dementia præcox, mania epileptic, secondary or terminal dementia,
insanity due to cannabis indica, delusional insanity, circular insanity,
melancholia, imbecility, insanity due to alcohol and confusional
insanity.
6. Criminal insanes.—The total number of criminal insanes during
the year was 201 (181 males and 20 females), of whom 153 remained at the
commencement of the year and 48 were newly admitted during the year.
Of the total 28 were discharged transferred, etc., 9 died and 164 remained
at the end of the year. The daily average strength was 154.81 as against
152.54 during the previous year.
7. Deaths.—There were 87 deaths during the year under report as
compared with 83 in 1928 and 80 in 1927.
8. Accommodation.—The highest number of patients accommodated
on any one day during the year was 957 in the Mental Hospital, Madras,
111 in the Mental Hospital, Waltair and 286 in the Mental Hospital,
Calicut. There is still a tendency for the population in the mental
hospitals at Madras and Calicut, to increase and the accommodation is
insufficient. The question of providing adequate accommodation is
engaging attention.
9. Buildings.—During the year a conference was arranged for at
Ranchi between the Superintendents of the three mental hospitals, in the
Presidency, the Consulting Architect to the Government of Madras and
Lt.-Col. O. Berkeley-Hill, I.M.S., to discuss the schemes relating to the
construction of new buildings and improvements to the existing buildings
in the mental hospitals in the Presidency.
The visit of the deputation to Ranchi has been of great value to the
Superintendents of the mental hospitals. They have seen what can be
done by modern methods of treatment and have been able to form an
opinion as to the extent to which the methods adopted at Ranchi and
Kanke are practicable in their hospitals. Their views as to the extent to
which it is desirable to employ single-cell accommodation have also been
greatly modified and now they are in a position to formulate a definite
programme for the future development of their hospitals for the humane
treatment and proper care of insane patients, suitable to the existing
conditions in Madras.
As a result of the conference the following programme of additional
buildings has been proposed :—
I. Government Mental Hospital, Calicut—
(a) Very emergent—
(1) Two dormitories (one for 24 males and one for 24 females).
(2) Quarters for one assistant surgeon
...
...
...
...
(3) Recreation shed for females
...
...
...
...
(4) Quarters for three
nurses...
...
...
...
(5) Quarters for 14 toties
...
...
...
...
(6) Laundry
...
...
...
...
(7) Electric installation ... ... ... ...
(b) Emergent—
(8) Two dormitories for males
(9) Two hydro-therapy wards, one for males and another for
females
...
... ... ... ... ...
(10) Quarters for one deputy overseer
...
...
...
...
(11)
Do. for one compounder
...
...
...
...
(12) Do. for 20 attendants
...
...
...
...
(13) Improvements to water
supply...
...
...
...
(c) Works of ordinary importance—
(14) An isolation ward for tubercular
cases...
...
...
...
(15)
Do.
for dysentery
cases...
...
...
...
(16) An operation theatre
...
...
...
...
...
...
Approximate cost.
RS.
37,400
3,325
2,800
6,000
8,000
Cost not known.
Do.
37,400
7,500
2,430
1,060
21,000
Cost not known.
15,000
15,000
8,000