CARE OF THE INSANE

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1239, 22 September 1911, Page 9

CARE OF THE INSANE

DR HAY'S REPORT. THEIR NOIJJJ2HS INCREASING. In his annual repnrl on (he mental hospitals of (he Dominion, Dr. Frank Hay, In-spector-General, slates that at tho beginning of the j-mv MM tlio number of patients was 3518 (males, 2053; females, U65), and at (lie end 3(170 (males, 2100; females, lulO), an increa.se of 122 (males, 77; females, -15). The average increase during the former h've years was 102. The total number under care was 4558 (males, 2722; femak's, ISM), against '12117 in the previous year, and (ho average numlj«r resident duriii",' the year was 3173 (males. 2028; females 1!I5), against 3374 in 11109, or |i!) more in the year under review. Counting 121 absent on leave ns still resident in the mental hospital whence (hey left, ihe 3(i70 patients on the register (it the end of the year was distributed as lollows:-Auckland, 790; Cliristchnrch. (w!l; Dimedin (Seucliff and Orokonui), fcSO• Hokilika, ID2; Nelson, 190 ; Porirua, 897: ;\shburn Hall (private mental hospital), The ratio of patients on tho register at Hie end ot tin; year to the estimated general population, exclusive of (he Native race was SS.IS per 10,000, or 1 in 270 (males, -10.23. per 10,01)0, or 1 in 219; female?, SIM pev 10,000, or 1 in 1)10). toclusive of 222 patients (males, 105; leinalcs, m) transferred from one institution to another, the admissions numbered /SS (males, 47i; females,, 3U>, as against 710 (males, -419; females, 297) in tho previous year, an increase of 72 (males, 55; females, 17). Of the 788, those admitted for tho first time numbered GCO Yoo , OS, l 03; 251), tho remainder, 1-8 (males, 6o; females, 03), representing patients who had previously been in one or other of the mental hospitals. Towards tho first admissions, immigrants who became insane within a year of landing contributed 23. • Excluding the Native race (13 male and 3 female patients) and all transfers, tho proportion of admission (whether first or not) and first admissions to the estimated general population stands respectively at 7.70 and G. 23 per 10,000, or, in Ochor words, every 12W persons in tho general population contributed an admission and every IGOI a first admission, ill ere is a tendency towards an increasing ratio, for while in the average of tho ten previous years .every IJO3 persons in tho population contributed an inmate to the mental hospitals, in the year under review an inmate, was contributed bv every 12!)!); and, with regard to persons whose insanity was for the first time brought under the notice of (he Department every 1001 persons in the general population contribut?d ono in 1010, and every ISO 4 persons ono in the average of tile ten previous years. of ■ ISM caa * (males, 2722; females, 1830) representing the total under care during the year, the number discharged (r.miU'ing transfers, where discharge from ono institution is coincident with admission into another) was 383 (males nifemales, 172), and 283 patients (males, 186. females. 97) died. Had last year's re ation of discharges and deaths to (ho (oval number under care been maintained, there would have been 22 moro discharges and G5 fewer deaths. A careful analysis shows the difference to be due to the (juality of the admission and the increasing age of the permanent inmates. About U per cent of the admissions are classed as curable, ami about' 25 per cent only aro placed in the morc hopeful class. In a summary of the causes of insanity in percentages, the principal cause's named are: Heredity, 10.15 per cent; critical periods, 20.18; alcohol, 11.C8; unbimvn, 10.53

J. he averago total, cost per patient during the year was .£33 fls. (Mil, and the tot'al cost, less receipts for 'maintenance, tales of produce, etc., was .t'2-1 Is SJd The Wolfe Bequest Hospital at Auckland is completed and in occupation.- .At I'm-irua tho oxto.ns.wo nddilions were' filled by transfers from Mount View; and it may reasonably'ha anticipated (lint the admission rate at both these institutions will continue to rise—in Auckland a* a result of the large settlement taking place in the province; 'and'at Porir'un because it now gels the admissions whichw«nt to Mount. View. To these particular instances of anticipating a larger admission rate must h<? added' the general rro m admissions which is tn be expocfe<l from an increasing population, and one may fairly assume, an annual expenditure of from .£12.000 to ,£15.000 in building to keep pice with this increase, lint for the next two years a sum largely in excess of this is necessary, especially as surplus accommodation was one of the fpatuvfß of. (ho chs«.ifi<YiH«n schen-i we •considered. Tho first instalment of this relief should by now hnvt> Ivm almost rp.-uly for occupation at Tokahui by pnt'ionts from other mental hospitals." Tho building al Auckland will.be for 210 naticritfi. At S-e.icJilF the recommendations approved by the Inspector-General have been put in hand. Hospit-ils on the lines of the Wolfe liequest should nnw be gone on with at Snnnysids and Porirua.