NationalLibraryOfScotland/medical-history-of-british-india huggingface dataset:
12
the results were rather disappointing. The drug acted as a.
powerful hypnotic in two cases only and the majority remained
unaffected by it. The results of our first experiment with this
drug were given in our 1933 report and since then we had some
enquiries from India as well as from England about our further
results with this drug, hence this note. However, the drug is
well worth a trial in Indian villages or places in India where
hypnotic drugs or injections are not available at a moment's
notice, because this shrub is abundantly found in the remotest
corner of India. The juice of this plant is largely used as a cure
for insanity by the Fakirs and Sadhus in India.
(e) Photodyne (Hœmatoporphyrin).—This drug was tried
during the year under review on Melancholies and cases of
Endogenous depressions. It is now largely used for melancholic
conditions and is sold under the trade name of Photodyne. It is
still under trial and our results will be published in our next
Annual Report.
(f) Malaria Therapy.—The malarial treatment for General
Paralysis was continued during the year under report. At times
it is nearly always difficult to successfully re-infect those who
have had previous attacks of Malaria and such is very common
in India where Malaria is almost endemic in most parts. It is
also a common experience with all those working with Malarial
Therapy in the Western countries where they also find great
difficulty in re-infecting patients with Benign Tertian who have
already had a full course of it and at times Quartan Malaria
producing good results.
(g) Convulsion Therapy by the drug Cardiazol.—In 1935
when in Budapest, I was invited by my friend and colleague
Dr. Ladislaus v. Maduna, M. D., of the Royal Hungarian State
Mental Hospital to see this novel treatment of Schizophrenia
evolved by him. The drug immediately produces a typical
epilepti-form attacks in the patient after injection like that of
major epilepsy. I was so impressed with all that I saw that on
my return I decided to try this treatment in this hospital.
Cardiazol is a very expensive drug, and so I requested Messrs.
A. G Knoll and Company, the Manufacturing Chemist of
Ludwigshafen am Rhein (Germany), to supply the drug free of
charge for my experiment, Messrs. Knoll and Company readily
granted my request and I selected 12 typical cases of Schizo-
phrenia for experiment and so far my results are as follows :—
Stationary or not improved.
5
Improved.
4
Recovered.
3
13
The three recovered cases were subsequently discharged by
the Board of Visitors. Of the 12 patients majority of them
were old chronic cases and have been in the hospital without
any improvement for the last 4 years and more. Being
encouraged by the results of this experiment I wrote to Messrs.
Knoll and Co., again to be so kind as to send me enough
Cardiazol to experiment on 25 more cases and they have again
consented to oblige me and the full results of our experiment
with Cardiazol in Schizophrenia cases will be fully narrated in
our next Annual Report. I take this opportunity of expressing
my sincere thanks to my friend Dr. Meduna for showing me
all the detailed techniques of his new treatment with Cardiazol,
and to Messrs. Knoll and Co., for the free supply of drug.
I also express my indebtedness to Dr. Gyarfas Kalman for his
valuable help in this direction.
(h) Tuberculosis and Schizophrenia.—Some Continental
authorities believe that there is some connection between Tuber-
culosis and Schizophrenia and that Schizophrenia is due to the
presence of tubercle bacilli in the blood and Cerebro Spinal
Eluid. When I was in Vienna in 1935 I came in personal
contact with Herr Professor Ernest Lowenstein, the celebrated
Bacteriologist, who claims to have found Tubercle Bacilli in
the blood as well as in the Cerebro Spinal Fluid of nearly
30 per cent of cases of Schizophrenia. Professor Lowenstein
took me round his famous laboratory and showed me the
T. B. Cultures grown by him from the blood of Schizophrenic
patients. Professor Lowenstein treats the Schizophrenics with
his Dermotubin (Lowenstein's skin tuberculin). Dermotubin
can be had from the State Serotherapeutic Institute of Vienna.
This treatment is still under trial and the results will be
published in our next report. However, those who do not
subscribe to this view emphatically assert that there is no
connection between Schizophrenia and Tuberculosis and that
no convincing evidence has hitherto been brought forward that
Tubercle Bacilli is the cause of this Psychosis. This conclusion
is confirmed by the investigations of Drs. G. Kraus, Pannekoek
and Meyjes, who inoculated 65 guinea-pigs with Cerebro Spinal
Eluid from 15 cases of Schizophrenia. None of the animals
showed any naked-eye or microscopical evidence of Tuberculosis
at necropsy (vide British Medical Journal of 23rd January 1937).
I take this opportunity to express my gratitute to Herr
Professor and Frau Dr. Lowenstein for the kindness and help
which I received from them during my stay in Vienna and for
their generous hospitality to wife and self.
14
(i) Physiotherapy.—A thorough physical examination of
all newly admitted patients is made as a routine measure with
a view to exploring all avenues of physical defects in them-
The following table shows the number of specimens exa-
mined in the hospital laboratory during the year under
review :—
Blood .. .. .. ..
Urine
..
..
..
..
Stool
..
..
..
..
Sputum .. .. .. ..
975
789
1,472
187
Besides, 197 specimens of blood and 26 specimens of
Cerebro-spinal fluid were sent for Wassermann Test in the
Pathological Department of the Prince of Wales Medical
College, Patna, of which 47 of the former and 2 of the latter
were positive who were given antisyphilitic treatment. Try-
persamide combined with Salversan was found effective in the
treatment of Neurosyphilitic conditions.
Operations.—Six major (including 3 Laparotomy) and 69
minor operations were performed during the year 1936.
Dentistry.—The Dentist is continuing to keep pace with the
necessary work, and the dental health of the patients has im-
proved. During 1936, 1,178 patients received dental treatment.
I am most grateful to Major F. H. Whyte, I.M.S., Civil
Surgeon, Ranchi, for the operation on an epileptic patient
suffering from tumour of the scalp.
My thanks are also due to Dr. D. G. Muthu of Itki, the
Specialist in Tuberculosis, for his valuable advice and help in
some intricate cases of tuberculosis.
28. Games and amusement.—As in the previous years the
Amusement Halls of both the sections were crowded with
patients each evening either for music, indoor games, cinemas
or theatricals and the hospital band was in attendance daily.
The following is a list of indoor games in which the patients
take part with much enthusiasm :—
Carrom, Chess, Pingpong, Dice, Cards, Corinthian, Bagatelle, etc.
A number of patients assemble every afternoon on the
hospital play grounds and take part in the following outdoor
games:—
Football, Hockey, Tennis, Cricket, Badminton, Volley Ball, Bucket
Quoit, Deck Tennis, Skipping, etc.
15
The following list shows the activities of the Hospital during
1936 in sports and special entertainments:—
Cricket.—The hospital team played 6 Cricket matches of
which won 3, lost 2, drawn 1.
Hockey.—Five Hockey Matches in the Local League, won 2
and lost 3.
Football.—Nineteen football matches in the Local League,
Shield and Cup matches, won 9, lost 8 and drawn 2.
Besides the above stated Association matches, many friendly
Football, Hockey and Cricket matches were played with other
units at Ranchi and Kanke.
SPECIAL ENTERTAINMENTS.
1. Musical performances by some musicians of Gaya.
2. Cantata performances by the Girls of the Lutheran Mission
School, Ranchi.
3. Magic by Mr. H. Kujur.
4. Dramatic performances by the students of the Prince of Wales
Medical College, Patna.
5. Marionate Dance by Mr. Shakur of Barielly.
6. Magic by Narayan Reddi, a patient of this hospital.
7. Variety shows, Dances and Acrobatic Feats by Prof. Lal
and his party.
8. The Annual Hospital Sports.
Cinema.—Weekely cinema programmes were shown through-
out the year under review, but it is now becoming increasingly
difficult to secure silent picture programmes for the hospital
cinema. The matter was placed before the Managing Com-
mittee and the Committee recommended that tenders should
be invited for showing Talkie pictures on contract system.
Besides the usual weekly shows, patients were sent in batches
to the local cinemas whenever any good picture was screened.
Patients simply love the weekly cinema shows and if by any
chance the programme is delayed or could not be booked they
look very disappointed. The usefulness of cinema therapy is
hard to exaggerate and it is hoped that the Managing Com-
mittee as well as the Government will pass the scheme of pro-
viding " Talkies'' to the patients as early as possible.
Band.—The hospital band under its leader Naik Shib
Charan continued to entertain the patients throughout the year
under report and was a great source of enjoyment to the
patients.
16
29. Outings.—Both male and female patients were taken
out in batches daily for motor drives to Ranchi and those who
were able and desirous to do their own shoppings in the town
were allowed to do so.
30. Feasts.—On the occasion of important religious festi-
vals such as Pujas, Id, Holy and X'mas patients were provided
with special feasts.
31. Parole.—A number of patients were granted local as
well as Ranchi parole and I am glad to be able to say that not
one of them abused the privilege so granted.
32. Religious Service.—Divine services for the Hindus,
Mohammadans and Christians were regularly held and patients
were allowed to fast on religious grounds and religious discourses,
songs and community singing were encouraged. I take this
opportunity of expressing my thanks to all the Christian Padries,
the learned Pandit and the Maulvi for holding services through-
out the year under report. During the Durga Puja festivals
batches of patients were allowed to visit the local celebrations,
held outside the hospital.
33. Libraries.—(1) Patients.—Several new books were pur-
chased during the year under report and added to the patients'
library. The following newspapers and monthly magazines
were continued to be supplied to the hospital free of cost, and
my best thanks are due to their respective publishers:—
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
Statesman.
Amrita Bazar Patrika.
Biswamitra (Vernacular).
Advance.
Searchlight.
Indian Nation.
Janak (Vernacular).
Patna Times.
Illustrated Times of India.
Basumati (Bengali).
Illustrated India.
Bharatbarsha.
Probasi.
Daily.
Weekly.
Monthly.
17
(ii) Medical.—The Medical Library was also replenished
by a few new books and the usual supply of medical and mental
journals was continued.
34. Gardening.—Chronic patients for whom recovery is
not expected and who have become the domiciliary problem,
for them an ideal form of industry is Farm work, which is very
economical and otherwise remunerative to the Institution and
at the same time keep them healthy and interestedly occupied.
The average number of patients employed daily in the
Hospital Horticultural Garden throughout the year under report
was 245. The garden is run entirely with patients' labour. The
requirement of vegetables for the hospital was supplied from
the garden throughout the year. Besides, vegetables, sugar-cane
and paddy also were grown and fine quality of gur was made
for the patients. 143 mds. 26 srs. 8 ch. of gur were manufac-
tured in the garden in 1936. Besides various fruits were sup-
plied to the patients from the hospital orchards. The Poultry
Farm which was started as an experimental measure by me in
1935 has made considerable progress and in 1936 the hospital
received 4,829 eggs and 15 fowls from the Farm whereas in
1935 we received only 2,942 eggs. The flower gardens and
hedges within the hospital and outside the enclosure walls were
tended entirely by patients and kept in perfect order.
At the local Agricultural Exhibition in 1936 the hospital
secured 4 First Class certificates for the following best
exhibits:—
1. Plantains.
2. Oranges.
3. Brinjals.
4. Sugar-cane.
Similarly at a local Flower Show the hospital won a
beautiful Silver Cup for the best roses grown in Ranchi and
3 First Class certificates for the Annuals and other flowers.
Appended below is a table showing the total garden produce
during 1936 :—
Vegetable.
Pumpkin .. .. ..
Bottle gourd .. ..
Turnip .. .. ..
Green plantain .. ..
Md.
506
156
157
11
Sr.
9
39
16
1
Ch.
0
5
14
0
18
Vegetable.
Carrot .. .. .. ..
Brinjal .. .. .. ..
Sweet potato .. .. ..
Peas
..
..
..
..
Tomato
..
..
..
..
Cabbage
.. .. .. ..
Radish .. .. .. ..
Sag .. .. .. ..
Kohl Rabi .. .. .. ..
Arum
.. .. .. ..
Green papaya .. .. ..
Cauliflower .. .. .. ..
Beans .. .. .. ..
Beet .. .. .. ..
Cucumber .. .. .. ..
Luffa .. .. .. ..
Bitter gourd .. .. ..
Lobia bean .. .. .. ..
Celery .. .. .. ..
Luffa (Nenwa) .. .. ..
French bean .. .. ..
Lady
finger
..
..
..
Potato .. .. .. ..
Snake gourd .. .. ..
Green Mango .. .. ..
Md.
76
396
143
36
177
886
366
283
120
37
30
336
9
45
351
121
19
9
0
72
8
142
324
60
23
Sr.
29
24
18
2
11
16
21
12
24
16
21
36
27
14
18
12
22
39
3
22
17
35
15
38
8
Ch.
0
10
4
14
2
6
14
7
4
0
0
5
10
14
4
13
0
4
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Fruits—
Ripe papaya
..
..
..
Sugar-cane .. .. ..
Peaches .. .. .. ..
Groundnut .. .. .. ..
Mulberry .. .. .. ..
Guava .. .. .. ..
Banana .. .. .. ..
Sour lime .. .. .. ..
Orange .. .. .. ..
Sweet lime
..
..
..
..
638
16
14
3
0
5
18
29
23
24
8
0
0
0
14
Nos.
54,757
4,352
12,956
2,089
835
19
Fruits—
Pomelo .. .. .. ..
Pomegranate .. .. ..
Rose apple .. .. ..
..
Bale fruit .. .. .. ..
Lichi .. .. .. ..
Mango ripe..
..
..
Musk melon .. .. ..
Cucumber .. .. .. ..
Maize cobs .. .. .. ..
Custard apple .. .. ..
Nos.
1,185
360
920
19
1,486
6,909
89
7,150
4,972
291
Spices—
Onion .. .. .. ..
Garlic .. .. .. ..
Cereals—
Fine rice .. .. .. ..
Coarse rice .. .. ..
Sundries—
Fish (from tank) .. .. ..
Fodder .. .. .. ..
Md.
123
28
1
27
1
432
Sr.
3
0
0
29
20
24
Ch.
15¾
0
0
0
8
0
The total value of the produce from the garden and Poultry
Farm during 1936 was as follows :—
Vegetable, fruits, etc. .. ..
Fodder for hospital cattle .. ..
Total ..
Vegetables, etc., sold to the staff and public..
Rs.
23,294
432
23,727
1,589
25,314
a.
11
9
4
9
14
p.
3
6
9
6
3
The prosperity of the hospital garden is entirely due to its
energetic Garden Manager Moulvi Fasihur Rahman. It is hoped
that the increased scale of pay requested by him and unanimously
passed by the Managing Committee will meet with the approval
of Government as in my opinion as well as that of the
Managing Committee he has fully earned it.
20
35. Finance—(a)—Receipts.—The receipts from all sources
amounted to Rs. 27,390-13-3 in 1936, as compared with
Rs. 26,490-7-2 in 1935 and Rs. 23,727-14-3 in 1934.
The following table shows the total amount of realization
from paying patients and also the miscellaneous receipts which
include the sale proceeds of vegetables, and other articles manu-
factured by the patients in the Occupational Therapy Depart-
ments.
Heads.
Receipts from paying
patients.
Miscellaneous ...
1936.
Rs.
25,253
2,136
a.
14
14
p.
6
9
1935.
Rs.
24,486
2,004
a.
1
6
p.
2
0
1934.
Rs.
21,156
2,571
a.
4
10
p.
0
3
The increase in receipts in 1936 as compared with 1935 is
due to increased number of paying patients treated during 1936.
(b) Expenditure.—The total
expenditure exclusive of
amounts received from paying patients and miscellaneous receipts
was Rs. 4,72,664-3-0 in
1936, as
compared
with
Rs. 4,64,653-5-3 in 1935 and Rs. 4,70,895-8-10 in 1934.
The increase in expenditure during 1936 as compared to 1935
was due to the increments in pay of some of the staff.
Annual average cost per patient.—
Year.
1936 .. ..
1935 .. ..
1934 .. ..
Annual cost per head
including P. W. D.
charges.
Rs.
361
360
365
a.
6
9
14
p.
6
9
9
Annual cost per head
excluding P. W. D.
charges.
Rs.
327
326
330
a.
5
13
7
p.
4
4
3
36. Staff.—The steadily increasing popularity of the hospital
as well as the number of appreciative letters I receive from the
public bear testimony to the increasing efficiency of this hospital
generally, and I express my deep debt of gratitude once more to
the staff as a whole for their loyalty and co-operation as no
progress could be made in any institution without their genuine
support.
21
37. Managing Committee.—As usual, two half-yearly
meetings of the Managing Committee i were held during the
year under report.
The following members were either appointed or re-
appointed during the year under review for another term of
three years :—
1. Secretary to the Government of Bengal, Local Self-Government
Department.
2. Surgeon-General with the Government of Bengal.
3. Mrs. Mrigendra Lal Mitra, Calcutta.
4. Mr. N. K. Basu, M.A., B.L., M.L.C., Calcutta.
5. Rev. B. A. Nag, M.L.C., Calcutta.
6. Khan Bahadur Maulavi Abdul Momin, C.I.E., Calcutta.
7. Mr. S. M Bose, Bar.-at-law, M.L.C., Calcutta.
8. Khan Bahadur Maulavi Hafizur Rahman Choudhury, M.L.C.,
Satani Estate, Bogra (Bengal).
9. The Commissioner of Chota Nagpur Division.
10. The Inspector-General of Civil Hospitals, Bihar.
11. Babu Brajeswar Sahay, B.A., B.L., Vakil, Ranchi.
12. Maulavi Mahfuzul Haque, M.A., B.L., Ranchi.
13. Lt.-Col. G. Verghese, I.M.S., Director of Health and Prisons
Services, Orissa.
I tender my thanks to all the members of the Managing
Committee on behalf of the patients and staff of this hospital for
the kind consideration of all matters to which I have had to
draw their attention during the period under review.
38. Committee of visitors.—During the year under report
twelve meetings in the male section and eleven in the female
section were held. Both the visiting committees—ladies and
gentlemen—showed a keen interest in the welfare of the patients
and I take this opportunity of expressing my sincere thanks to
them for giving so freely their times and energy for the welfare
of the unfortunate patients of this hospital.
Visit
of His
Excellency
the
Viceroy.—In
the
month of July 1936, His Excellency visited Ranchi and
a visit to the hospital was included in his busy tour
programme. His Excellency accompanied by His Excellency
22
the Governor of Bihar and personal staff visited the hospital
at 10 A.M. on the 30th July 1936, and spent 55 minutes going
round the institution. A visit by the Viceroy to this largest
modern Mental Hospital in India is considered a Red letter
day for the Ranchi Indian Mental Hospital. Besides, it is a matter
of great gratification to state here that within memory His
Excellency is the first Viceroy to pay a visit to a mental
hospital in India.
The hospital was also visited by the following officials and
other distinguished personages during the year 1936 :—
1. The Secretary to the Government of Bengal, Local Self-
Government Department.
2. The Surgeon-General with the Government of Bengal.
3. The Inspector-General of Civil Hospitals, Bihar.
4. The members of the Managing Committee.
5. The Commissioner of Chota Nagpur Division.
39. Casual visitors.—Besides, many casual visitors of both
sexes also visited the hospital and were kind enough to
contribute large or small sums of money to the donation fund
of the hospital. Let me repeat how grateful I am to all the
above charitably disposed ladies and gentlemen for their
donation.
40. Lectures.—As in the previous years the students of the
Prince of Wales Medical College, Patna, were sent in two
batches to this hospital during the year under review for
intensive training in mental diseases.
The post-graduate students of the Department of Psychology
and Philosophy of the Universities of Calcutta and Dacca visited
the hospital during the year as in the past on these occasions
I delivered short lectures to them with demonstration of cases.
41. General.—(1) During the year under report the Bengal
Council of Women at my request consented to visit from time to
time some of the discharged patients of this hospital in Calcutta
with a view to keeping me informed about their mental health,
home surroundings and any necessary help or advice that they
may need. I am thankful to the Bengal Council of Women for
their ready co-operation in this matter.
(2) Recognition of the hospital for the post-graduate study
by the Universities of London and Edinburgh.—I am happy to
be able to state here that during the year under review the
23
Ranchi Indian Mental Hospital has been recognised by the
Universities of London and Edinburgh for practice in Mental
Diseases for the purpose of the post-graduate diplomas in
Psychological Medicine of London and Edinburgh.
(3) As I happened to be one of the founders of the Inter-
national League against Epilepsy which took its birth at the
time of the International Neurological Congress which met in
London in 1935 its General Secretary Dr. H. I. Schou of
Dianalund, Denmark, wrote to me during the year under report
for all-India statistics of epileptics treated in separate colonies
and in Mental Hospitals. With the consent of the Director-
General, Indian Medical Service, I collected the required
statistics from all over India and forwarded to Dr. Schou.
Dr. Schou has promised to publish the Indian Statistics together
with those of other countries in his International Journal on
Epilepsy, popularly known as " Epilepsia ".
(4) Opening of the Kanke Employees' Co-operative Society,
Limited.—It was brought to my notice from time to time that
some of the Attendant Staff and majority of the menial staff
were heavily involved in debts and were entirely in the clutches
of some heartless Marwari and Pathan money-lenders who. were
charging them interests at the rate of two to four annas per
rupee per month on small loans. In order to help these poor
staff, a Co-operative Society was opened under my Chairmanship
in the year 1935 and I am glad to be able to state here that the
Society has now 335 members and its financial position is very
sound and it has dealt a severe blow to the local money-lenders.
I express my indebtedness to all the members of the Managing
Committee of this Society for their hearty co-operation and
personal attention to all details. My best thanks are also due to
its enthusiastic Honorary Secretary Babu R. R. Biswas, our
Head Clerk, who is giving his best to this Society ever since its
inception in 1935.
(5) Trained Social Workers.—It gives me great pleasure to
state here that the need for a new type of public servant which
was badly required in India is now about to be fulfilled by the
opening in Bombay during the year under review of Sir Dorab
Tata Graduate School of Social Work. As in other countries it
is necessary that in India the Social Work should be elevated to
the status of a profession and trained workers should attack
Indian problems in a professional spirit. I am informed that
the School has included in its curriculum of studies elaborate
courses of Psychology and Psychiatry to enable the students to