CARE OF THE INSANE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 81, 26 September 1911, Page 7

CARE OF THE INSANE.

THEIR NUMBERS INCREASING. m. HAY'S REPORT. In his annual report on the mental hospitals of the Dominion, Or. Frank Hay, Inspfctor-tleneral, states that at' the beginning of the year 11)10 the number of patients was 3548 (males. 2083; females, 1405), and at the end 3070 (males, '21(10; females, 1510), an increase of 122 (mules, 77; females, +5). The average increase during the former live years was 102. The total number under care was 4558 (males, 2722; females, 1836), against 4237 in the previous year, and the average number resident during the year was 3473 (males 2028; females 1445), against 3374 in t!)09, or !)<) more in the year under review.

Counting 124 absent on leave as still resident in the mental hospital whence they left, the 3070 patients on the register at the end of the year was distributed as follows:—Auckland, 790: Christchurcb, 079; Dunedin (Sencliff and Orokonui), 880: ffokitika, 11)2; Nelson. 190;; Porirua, 897; Asliburn Hall (private mental hospital), 42.

The ratio of patients on the register at the end of the year to the estimated general population, exclusive, of the native race, was 36.18 per 10,000. or 1 in 276 (males, 40.23 per 10.000, or I in 240; females, 31.04 per 30,000, or 1 in 316). Exclusive of 222 patients (males, 105; females. 57) transferred from one institution to another, the admissions numbered.,7Bß (males, 474; females, 314), as against 718 (males, 410; females, 207) in the previous year, an increase of 72 (males, 5o; females, 17). Of the 78S. thos.i admitted for the first time numbered 000 (niales, .409; female*, 251), the remainder, 128 (males, Go; females, 03). representing patients who had previously been in one or other of the mental hospitals. Towards the 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. th(> proportion of admission (whether first or'not)'and'first admissions to the estimated general population stands respectively 7.70 and 0.23 per 10,(100, or. in'other' words, every 1290 persons in the genenl population contributed an admission aiid every 1004 a first admis--4if6Ti-.' There is a tendency towards an increasing 'ratio, for while' in the average of the ten previous years every 1402 persions fit Ylie'population contributed an inmate to the. mental hospitals, in the year dtldhf review an inmate was eontri-but'ed'liylevi'-i-y 1290; and, with regard to"'person's whose insanity was for the first time'brought under the notice of tlie Department, every IGO4 persons in 'the general' population contributed one in luff), alid every 1804 persons one in the average" of the ten previous years. Out 6f 4558 cases (niales, 2722; females, 1830) representing the total under care during the year, the number discharged (omitting transfers, where discharge from one institution is coincident with admission into another) was 383 (males, 211; females, 172). and 283 patients .'finales, 180; females, 97) died. Had last year's relation of discharges and.,/l(^th ; ,,j;o the total number under care, there would have l)een.22,;inpVe .discharges and 05 fewer deaths. l( ,jA-;e«reful analvsis shows the .djfi'eren/e |t,Q,.be due to'the quality of the admission and the increasing age of the, inmates. .- # I 1!' 1 ' «cnt- of the admissions, are,.classed as curable, and about 211 per cent, only are placed in the more hopeful class. .. '

; -In-a-suiiji-nary of the causes of insanity in perccntnges, the principal causes .named an.,: Hercditv. 10.15 per cent.: erltieliriitHpds. 20.18: alcohol, 11.08; nil'kn(ttvn','io.'o!l. '■'

ThlTavciage total cost, per patient during the year was £33 9s O'/.d, and the total receipts for maintenance, sales of produce, etc.. was £24 Is B%d. Tlio-Wolfe-Bequest Hospital at Auck,a"d j, s , "'Hiph'ted ami in occupation. At, Poriruti 'MS-'expensive additions were filled by transfers from Mount View; 1 ) .aiml'-itioroitWhe-' reasonably anticipated I at both these inißtiiu/,'ioiy,.)yiji continue to rise—in. Auckland of the large settlement tak'in£_jd,v;'e in the province, and at Porirua" noeausc it now gets the admissions wliich_.went to Mount View. To tllese'-fytffir-uiar instances of anticipating a larger admission rate must he added the general rise in admissions which is to jbfl.expcftfjl.fj-nm an increasing population, and jOTij juay fairly assume an annual expenditure of from £12,000 to £15,000 in buildings to keep pace with this''inci'eiiso'.' But for the next two years, a'sffru.'-largely in excess of this is he'eessarf especially as surplus accom'hiodJitirjrt wrts one of the features of the '■classiff«ir.loV sclle'me we considered. The of this relief should by "hOSf lurW'lbec'n almost ready for oecupaV tioifi at. Tokanul I 'by patients from other m'ehM hfeprtfils. The building at Auckland wilUlye/fof 240 patients. At SeaclilV the ' rocc/rfj'meji.datioiis approved by the Inspec'torffeWeral have been put in'hand. Hospital's 1 •'<)]¥"'the lines of the Wolfe' ineqife't'shiVuTd now be gone on with at Sunnyside' and Porirua.