4
MORTALITY
There were 38 deaths during the year under review against 53 in 1938.
The chief causes of death were Dysentery and Tuberculosis, which together
accounted for 26 out of a total of 38 deaths.
Mortality and morbidity figures re-arranged as under become clearer:—
Daily average strength ... ... ... ... ...
Ditto ditto sick ... ... ... ... ...
Percentage of deaths to daily average strength ... ...
1939
694.92
67.13
5.47
1938
688.46
61.94
7.70
1937
699.96
62.24
7.71
The morbidity figure, at first sight, is appalling, but it is not really so and
need give rise to no alarm owing to the peculiar circumstances which obtain in
a mental hospital as compared to an institution housing normal individuals. It
must be remembered that most mental patients do not complain of sickness and
constant vigilance is necessary to detect the first signs of illness. Any case in
whom the slightest suspicion of sickness is detected, is sent first to the infirmary
for proper investigation, trivial cases being then discharged to the observation
gang. These cases necessarily swell the figures for admissions to the infirmary,
which appear as the "morbidity figure". The unreality of this figure is reflected
in the comparatively low mortality figure of 5.47, in spite of the sanitary defects
reported last year.
INJURIES AND ACCIDENTS
There were no assaults or injuries worthy of note during the year under
report.
FINANCE
Statement No. VIII.—Excluding the receipts from the paying patients and
miscellaneous receipts which were credited to the Government, the total expendi-
ture for the upkeep of the Mental Hospital amounted to Rs. 1,25,483-7-0 against
Rs.1.28,644-14-6. The average cost per head was Rs.179-15-6 against Rs.186-1-0
in 1938.
The decrease in expenditure is due to less expenditure under " Establish-
ment", and "Charges on account of works done by the Public Works Depart-
ment Charges ".
The total expenditure for the upkeep, therefore, of the Mental Hospital for
the year 1939, excluding Rs.1,687-0-0 for Public Works Department " Original
Charges", amounted to Rs.1,23,796-7-0 against Rs. 1,28,460-14-6 or an average
cost, per head, of Rs.177-8-10 against Rs.185-12-9 in 1938.
Excluding Public Works Departmental charges, Repairs and maintenance,
Rates and Taxes, receipts from paying patients and profits on manufactures, the
average cost per inmate worked out to Rs.157-10-8 against Rs.162-4-5 in 1938.
The profits in the Manufactory Department were Rs.6,356-11-6 against
Rs.6,146-9-0 or an average of Rs.95-1-11: per head of inmates employed on
manufactures against Rs.96-9-8 in 1938.
Increase in profit was due to rise in price of manufactory articles.
The daily average number employed was 66.82 against 63.62 in 1938.
The principal item of expenditure was the cost of " diet " which amounted
to Rs.49,152-0-6 against Rs.47,311-14-3 in 1938.
The average cost per head
was Rs.70-7-11 against Rs.68-6-10 in 1938. The increase in expenditure was due
to a rise in the price of dietary articles and the regular supply of fresh fish.
The daily average number of patients, including observation cases during
the year was 697.27 against 691.40 in 1938.
MISCELLANEOUS
Employment of patients.—Mental patients are employed in the cultivation of
vegetables, sugarcane, jute, manufacture of gur. fencing of garden, bamboo works,
carpentry, masonry, tailoring, dairy work, daily routine of cleaning and disinfecting
of clothing and cooking of food, etc.