Triennial Report on the working of the Mental Hospital, Nagpur,
for the years 1921, 1922 and 1923.
Designation.
The former designation " Lunatic Asylum " has
been altered to " Mental Hospital" from the 25th
September 1923.
Officers-in-charge.
2. Lieut.-Colonel P. F. Chapman, C.I.E., I.M.S., was in charge from
the 1st January to the 11th April 1921, when he handed
over charge to Lieut.-Colonel J. C. S. Oxley, I.M.S.,
who remained in charge to the end of the period under report, except for the
months April, May and June in 1922 and 1923, during which two periods he
was deputed to Pachmarhi as Civil Surgeon, and Mr. Narbada Prasad
Shrivastava, L.M.&S., M.B.,B.S., Assistant Surgeon, officiated for him.
STATEMENT NO. I.
Accommodation and Popula-
tion.
3. The accommodation at the close of the last triennium, i.e., 304 males
and 126 females, remained unchanged during the period
under report. The largest number present on any one
night during the last three years was 413 (325 males
and 88 females) in 1921, 386 (305 males and 81 females) in 1922 and 354
(276 males and 78 females) in 1923, against 392, 402 and 407 in 1918, 1919
and 1920 respectively. The slight overcrowding on the male side in 1921,
was mitigated by allowing some of the recovered male lunatics to sleep in the
verandahs. A proposal was sanctioned in 1920 to increase the accommodation by
the addition of a new barrack for 20 patients and special accommodation for
8 paying patients. Paying wards were badly needed and are now nearly finished
and will be brought into use almost immediately. The Superintendent of the
Mental Hospital considered it possible for the present to do without the
additional barrack for ordinary patients, and at his suggestion this work was
postponed. The fact that there has been no overcrowding during 1923 suggests
that there is no immediate demand for this building.
4. Under the orders from the Local Government the admission of new
lunatics (except from the Nagpur district and dangerous and serious cases from
other districts) was temporarily stopped from February to the middle of July
1922 owing to the scarcity of water, and the Local Government also issued a
circular directing the more careful observance by Confining Magistrates of
the rules contained in the Book Circular, Part VII, No. I, as it appeared to
the Local Government that the instructions contained in these rules had been
somewhat overlooked. This appears to have had some effect, but not a few
unsuitable cases are still being received and Magistrates should still carefully
consider the cases brought before them in the light of those instructions before
committing patients to the Mental Hospital.
Admissions and Re-admis-
sions.
5. 395 lunatics (308 males and 87 females) were under confinement at the
commencement of the triennium. The admissions during
the period under report were 218 against 269 in the
previous triennium. There were no admissions as voluntary boarders during the
last three years against 4 in the preceding triennium.
Cases under Observation.
6. In accordance with the orders issued by the Government of India in
letter No. 13-L.A., dated the 2nd July 1921, changes
regarding classification of cases under observation
were adopted from the commencement of the period under report. Only 1 female
was under observation at the commencement of the period under notice. The num-
ber of admissions and re-admissions was 91 against 92 in the previous triennium.
Discharges.
7. Discharges were 186 against 126 as detailed
below: —
Cured ...
Improved ...
Not improved ...
Otherwise ...
1918.
25
1
0
5
1919.
32
7
0
4
1920.
35
9
0
8
Total.
92
17
0
17
1921.
50
7
1
5
1922.
36
7
2
34
1923.
29
8
2
5
Total.
115
22
5
44