MENTAL TROUBLE.

Taranaki Daily News, 2 August 1917, Page 5

MENTAL TROUBLE.

THE CHANCES OF RECOVERY. REPORT OP THE MENTAL HOSPITALS DEPARTMENT. The mental hospitals report discloses that there* are 4375 patients—2&ss males and 1820 females—in Now Zealand mental asylums, and; that this total means

that out of every tea thousand of the population 7.50 have mental trouble. Last year's admissions, including 18 immigrants, numbered 879, being 08 in excess of the total of the previous year. "Every 1282 persons in the population «gp|jrated one admission, and every if?!) persons a first admission," states the report. Percentages over a long period show that the proportion of the in»4ne has gone up slightly during recent yeats. In view of these somewhat disconcert' tag figures, it is worth turning to the .table in the report showing the development of eases throughout the whole history of New Zealand's mental hospitals. This shows the following results. Per cent. Recovered »-« Relieved .. .i v.i w* Not improved !• .j w« Mod eu «« Eemaining •.i .-•! .«« -

The proportion of recoveries is much lower than that of admissions U P aoa of 15; that thereafter the reverse is fehe cm© to the age of thirty; then the proportions more or less .balance for the next three daKJadesj and, lastly, there is a decidedly higher proportion ot admissions after the age oi W tlrnn of recoveries after that age. With small numbers different years will show difference in detail, but broadly these proportions are not far from the truth ; anil it sfiould be added that certain mental disorders of greater or lesser durability ore associated witJi age periods Improved classification of patients, is always being aimed at by the Depart-ment,-but its building programme, especially during the war time, is ojUy sufficient to meet urgent requirements. There is at present an excess of 14™ patients over accommodation. This year's building programme is a further contribution to classification. _ Among the iplans prepared is one effect to tiie wifch to meet the representations Of relatives who are willing to pay considerably more for patients in whom tiiey are itftcrested than our maximum of. fine guinea a-week. Touching this nf»nrum payment it should be pointed out that if allowance were made for interest on buildings our cost per head woiil(i_ exceed the maximum the Department is permitted to' charge,' and very much so in the case of patients needing, any special observation or care. Doubtless present conditions accentuate the difference between the maximum payment and the cost of maintenance, bat even in normal times 3s a day is inadequate to cover the ' cost of the majority of patients, Ihe

time has come to consider the revising of the maximum, stateatho InspectorGeneral of Mental Hospitals. Only one-third of the patients have any estate or relatives to contribute towards their i-alntenancc, and the averago amount per head received in. resect of this proportion last year was £ll 6s B%d, though the net-cost of maintaining one patient 13 £32 9s * sum would be larger, but for the profitable out-door employment of ablebodied patients. The farms in connection wfih the tatitutions Veil The expenditure of £lo>"88 fnr jf the value 6f farm'produce conte the S k addition £8899 has M«wSSved in cash. saltt, leaving .ft net profit