INSANITY IN THE DOMINION.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 495, 16 October 1909, Page 4

INSANITY IN THE DOMINION.

Iu his report on the Increase of insanity in the Dominion the Inspector - General says : “ Another matter which cannot be too often repeated, until to every mother the knowledge becomes self-evident, relates to the proper nourishing of her child. The nature of the nourishment supplied to the developing organism which influence the life history of everyone of its component cells. The milk of each class of mammal is different, and that difference is exactly adapted to the requirements of the young—the human mother and infant being no exception. It should hardly need to be stated that the farther that nature is departed from in this matter, even if the fact be not immediately apparent, the more unfitted must the organism become to bear strees in the future, whether such stress come from within itself or primarily from the environment. Thus may the strong at birth be reduced to the condition of those who have had the misfortune to inherit a constitution less able than their fellows to resist and combat toxic influences.”

There are 3414 mentally afflcted persons in the asylums of the Dominion —1997 males and 1417 females, an increase of 174, the largest increment in any one year. The proportion of the total insane to the population was 1 in 285 exclusive of Maoris, and 1 in 298 inclusive of Maoris. The ratio in advance was 0.33 per 10.000 for males, and 1.03 for females. The number admitted during the year was 744 —males comprising 426, and females 318, a truly phenomenal advance on the previous year, remarks Dr Hay, when admissions less transfers numbered 600; 610 were admitted for the first time; 134 were readmitted. “ The tendency to recurrence,” observes the In-spector-General, “is one of the anxieties surrounding the question of discharge. Wnile some patients make a comparatively complete and lasting recovery, and some relapse after a long period of sanity, some who remain well in an institution sufficiently long to justify their discharge, to claim it as a right, soon relapse when exposed to the influences of the larger world. During the past year we have been fortunate in the recoveries being to all appearances more stable, and in the relapse of former years having been returned without any untoward event resulting from their insane conduct. Though naturally gratifying, it must be allowed that this is not a matter of skill, but good fortune.”