OFFICE OF THE SURGEON-GENERAL
WITH THE GOVERNMENT OF MADRAS,
Dated the 14th April/14th May 1924.
From
MAJOR-GENERAL T. H. SYMONS. O.B.E., I.M.S.,
SURGEON-GENERAL WITH THE GOVERNMENT OF MADRAS,
To
THE SECRETARY TO THE GOVERNMENT OF MADRAS,
LOCAL SELF-GOVERNMENT (PUBLIC HEALTH) DEPARTMENT.
SIR,
I have the honour to submit for the information of the Government the
triennial report on the working of the Mental Hospitals in the Madras Presidency
for the years 1921, 1922 and 1923.
2. Population.—The total population of the three Mental Hospitals as it stood
at the beginning of the triennium was 892 in 1921, 942 in 1922 and 966 in 1923.
The admissions including re-admissions for the three years under report were 345,
344 and 330 during 1921, 1922 and 1923, respectively. The total population for
the present triennium was 3,819 which exceeds the figure for the last triennium,
i.e., 3,647 by 172. There was an increase in the number of patients in all the
hospitals at the end of each year of the triennium. The total number of patients
in the three hospitals at the end of the last three years was 2,866 as compared
with 2,663 for the previous triennium. A gradual increase in the number of
mental patients may be expected when up-to-date scientific treatment of mental
diseases is introduced in all the three Mental Hospitals of the Madras Presidency.
3. Discharges and deaths.—Of the 3,819 patients treated during the present
triennium 462 were cured, 160 improved and 40 were classed as not improved as
against 3,647, 383, 133 and 41 for the last triennium. The rate of recovery on
the daily average strength was 14.49 in 1921, 16.23 in 1922 and 17.93 in 1923.
In other words, of the total population 12.10 per cent were cured, 4.19 per cent
improved and 1.05 per cent were not cured. The corresponding figures for the
last triennium were 10.5, 3.65 and 1.12. The number of deaths rose slightly from
82 each during the years 1921 and 1922 to 89 in 1923. The percentage of deaths
to the daily average strength was 8.94, 8.48, 9.27 in 1921, 1922 and 1923, respect-
ively. The mean death rate during the triennium was 7.56 which compares
favourably with that of the figure for the previous triennium, i.e., 13.70.
4. Criminal population.—During the years under report 204 criminal patients
were treated and the percentage on the total treated being 15.68 against 17.52 for
the previous triennium. The admissions classified according to legal subdivisions
during the last three years were as follows :—
Tried and acquitted ... ... ... ... ... ...
Incapable of making defence
...
... ... ... ...
Became insane during imprisonment
...
...
...
...
Total ...
1921.
3
16
17
36
1922.
5
22
23
50
1923.
3
11
23
37
5. Nationality, religion, sex and residence.—Of the total number of admissions
and re-admissions in 1923, 201 or 60.90 per cent were Hindus, 55 or 16.67 per
cent Muhammadans, 44 or 13.33 per cent Indian Christians, 25 or 7.58 per cent
Europeans and 2 were other castes. Classified by religion there were 605 Hindus,
167 Muhammadans, 127 Indian Christians, 98 Europeans and Anglo-Indians and
16 other castes during the present triennium, as against 628, 165, 84, 86 and 40
for the previous triennium. The Hindus as usual predominated. The proportion
of males to females was 4 to 1 as against 6 to 1 in the previous triennium. As in
the previous triennium the largest number of patients treated come from the
districts of Madras and Malabar.