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Three patients confined to bed by illness were receiving appropriate treatment. Two patients were absent on trial. Since the beginning of the year 9 patients have been admitted, 2 have been discharged* and 1 has died. The Hospital looked comfortable, and was scrupulously clean throughout. The meals served during the visit were ample; of good quality, and well cooked. The patients were most orderly. The books and registers were up to date, and are neatly and correctly kept. The impression loft by the visit is highly satisfactory, AshbuSn Hall Licensed Mental Hospital, 12th January, 1909. I visited this Mental Hospital to-day, and conversed with all the patients. No complaint was made, and many of the inmates expressed themselves as thankful for the care and consideration with which they were treated. According to their mental state, the patients are carefully classified in separate buildings. No one is improperly detained. As usual, the wards were scrupulously clean, were well and artistically furnished, and conveyed a sense of home-like comfort. To-day there are resident: — Males. Females. Total. Patients .. . . .. .. . . . . 25 21 46 Voluntary boarders .. . . .. .... 6 6 Inmates .. ...-,. . . .. .. 25 27 52 On probation .. . . .. . . .1 .. 1 On register . . .. .. . . .. 26 27 53 Of this number, 9 (males, 5 ; females, 4) are deemed curable, and 18 (m., 13 ; f., 5) are on parole. Three patients were in bed —2 receiving rest treatment in the open air for their mental ailment, and 1, being paralysed, must necessarily be kept in bed. The health of the inmates is good, and their bronzed appearance testifies to their being kept much in the open air. Only 4 are unemployed ; the rest of the patients do some useful work. No one was under restraint or in seclusion. There was only one entry in the Register of Restraint last year, where it was applied to prevent the removal of surgical dressings. A small golf course is much patronised, and tennis and croquet have a number of adherents. The visit was most pleasant. The statutory books and registers were up to date, and are neatly and correctly kept. MEDICAL SUPERINTENDENTS' REPORTS. AUCKLAND MENTAL HOSPITAL. Sir, I have the honour to furnish you with my report on this Hospital for 1908. We began the year with a population of 685 patients, and ended it with 737, an extraordinary increase, which is due chiefly to the record number of admissions—l9B for the year. Only one patient—-a female —was, in my opinion, unjustifiably committed. This was a senile, bed-ridden case—in no respect differing from the average case of senile decay—who was brought from a long distance, and dumped into the Mental Hospital, obviously for the purpose of enabling the family to dispose of an unpleasant duty. I endeavoured to have her removed, when I was informed that all arrangements had been made with the undertaker. She was too feeble to be returned, and she died soon after her admission. The admissions were of the usual type, excepting in the case of a husband and wife—a negro and a white woman —who were admitted on the same day, and who were both suffering from general paralysis of the insane. Unfortunately, I have been unable to get any history of the cases. Recoveries. — The recovery-rate averaged 40-9 per cent, (males, 35-7 per cent. ; females, 50 per cent.); this average is less than usual. Deaths. —The deaths averaged 8-9 per cent, (m., 10-09 per cent., f., 7-2 per cent.). Eleven, or 17-45 per cent., were due to general paralysis ; 9, or 14-29 per cent., to tuberculosis in one or other of its forms ; and 15, or 23-81 per cent., to senile 'decay. Thus, 55-55 per cent, of the deaths were due to three diseases. As in the previous year, we had no cases of typhoid fever amongst the patients. The general health of the patients throughout the year was good, and there were no serious accidents recorded.

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