3
(c) The statement below shows the percentage of inmates admitted in good,
indifferent and bad health during the past 3 years :—
Year
1
1937 ...
...
...
...
1936 ...
...
...
...
1935
... ... ... ..
Good health
2
23.48
39.84
34.88
Bad health
3
30.87
30.89
31.39
Indifferent health
4
45.64
29.27
33 .72
Remarks
5
MORTALITY
(d) There were 54 deaths during the year under review against 42 in
1936.
The chief causes of death were Dysentery and Tuberculosis which together
accounted for 33 out of total of 54 deaths. Dysentery accounted for the death of
19 cases. There were 98 cases of Dysentery in the year under report against 50 in
1936 and 98 in 1935.
Attacks of Dysentery rendered patients more susceptible to other infections.
Water supply still continues to be inadequate and unsatisfactory. This is largely
responsible for prevalence of dysentery in the mental hospital. The desirability of
very early action in providing an adequate and satisfactory water supply was
stressed in the last two reports.
Tuberculosis.—Out of 14 cases who died of Tuberculosis, 5 cases were detected
suffering from Tuberculosis within 3 months to about 3 years of their admission to
the Mental Hospital. It is expected that they brought the infection with them
and some of them suffered from Chronic Dysentery which had a devitalising effect
on their system and they fell an easy prey to this disease.
The present arrangement for disinfecting clothing and bedding of patients by
a Blanket Boiler is a laborious method and not at all satisfactory. In a hospital
like the Mental Hospital at Tezpur, a steam sterilizer is an essential necessity for
the thorough disinfection of clothing and bedding of the patients.
With the provision of improved water supply and a steam sterilizer for
effective disinfection of all clothing and bedding it is hoped to bring down the
case incidence and mortality from these two diseases, viz., Dysentery and Tuber-
culosis, to an appreciable extent.
INJURIES AND ACCIDENTS
There were no assaults or injuries worthy of note except a case of death of a
criminal mental patient who sustained injuries in his head from a fall caused by a
push by another mental patient. Death was due to the compression of the brain
caused by effusion of blood as a result of injuries in the head.
FINANCE
Statement No. VIII.
14. Excluding the receipts from the paying patients and miscellaneous receipts
which were credited to Government, the total expendi-
ture for the up-keep of the Mental Hospital amounted
to Rs. 1,24,686-2-6 against Rs. 1,21,553-4-0 in 1936. The average cost per head
was Rs. 176-10-8 against Rs. 177-14-0 in 1936. The increase in the total expendi-
ture was due to more expenditure under Establishment, Diet and cost of English
Stores.
The total expenditure for the up-keep therefore, of the Mental Hospital for
the year 1937 amounted to Rs. 1,24,686-2-6 against Rs. 1,20,141-4-0 or an average
cost per head, of Rs. 176-10-8 against Rs. 175-12-11 in 1936, there being no
expenditure for abnormal Public Works Department original charges during the
year.
Excluding Public Works Department charges, Repairs and Maintenance,
Rates and Taxes, receipts from paying patients and profit on manufactures,
the average cost per inmate worked out to Rs. 154-11-9 against Rs. 153-7-1 in
1936.