4
17. Accidents and injuries.—Some minor injuries and accidents took place
during the year under report but none were serious and worth mentioning.
18. Escapes.—There was only one case of escape during the year under
report against 5 in the previous year. The incident took place while the
patient was working outside the hospital in the vegetable garden. He was
subsequently recaptured.
19. Suicide.—I am happy to say that there was no case of suicide in the
year under report. There were two cases of suicide by banging in the previous
year.
20. Paying patients.—63 paying patients (53 males and 10 females)
were treated during the year under report against 44 (40 males and 4
females) in the previous year. The construction of paying patients' blocks
is still under the consideration of Government. Paying patients are continu-
ing to be lodged in a separate ward in one of the Quiet Patients' Blocks. The
number of paying patients would have increased a great deal had I not had
to refuse applications for want of accommodation.
21. Criminal Insanes.—The daily average strength of criminal patients
was 561.16 males and 44.66 females, total 605.82 during the year under report
against 549.04 males and 42.77 females total 591.81 in the preceding year.
As already mentioned by me in the previous year's Annual Report, several
patients, who committed petty offences while insane, were received as
" criminal " patients whereas they could have been easily dealt with under the
provisions of sections 13 to 17 of the Indian Lunacy Act, 1912 and sent as
non-criminal patients. This is one of the main reasons why the number of
criminal patients in this hospital is so large.
22. The treatment of mental condition.—As already reported in the
previous year's Annual Report, the treatment received by the patients in this
hospital is up to the level of the latest modern methods employed in all the
modern mental hospitals.
Hydrotherapy, which is one of the most important treatments, could not
be carried on extensively as no quiet or secluded place, which is necessary for
this kind of treatment, was available owing to over-congestion of the hospital.
However, 9 cases underwent this treatment. The maximum number of hours
of treatment a single patient had received was 528 and the minimum was 36.
Vigorous efforts were made throughout the year under report to carry out
occupational therapy in its various branches and I am happy to record much
improvement and success achieved in this direction. Except old, infirm and
acute cases all patients are employed in one or other kind of occupations for
which enough facilities exist in this hospital.
Recreation.—Patients
immensely enjoy the outdoor and indoor games
which exist in this hospital. Those who are not able to play enjoy watching
the games. The following games are played :—
Outdoor games.—Hockey, Football, Tennis, Badminton, Croquet.
Indoor games.—Cards, Chess, Satranj, Carron, Ludo, Ping Pong, etc.
During the year under report 30 garden benches were bought. These
benches afforded much inducement to patients to sit in the open while
witnessing games, etc.
During the year under report the Kanke Dramatic Club entertained
patients with two theatrical performances in which some of the patients also
acted. I offer my best thanks to this Club for providing such excellent
amusement to patients.
Throughout the year under report musicians were employed to entertain
the patients four times a week in the male section and twice a week in the
female section.