7

H.—7

Although a good percentage of the yearly admissions can be admitted through the neuropathic divisions, a proportion have had to be transferred to the institution, as their noise and refractory conduct militated against the recovery of other cases. Some of these cases might have been recoverable themselves, and their own recovery might be retarded or inhibited by transference to the environment of the chronic cases. With regard to this point I would like to urge the provision of an annexe at Rauta for this particular type of case. The Clinic. —During the year 122 new cases were interviewed at the Public Hospital either in the clinic or in the wards. The following is the source of these patients. Education Department, 3 ; Public Hospital, 30 ; general practitioners, 19 ; Pensions Department, 22 ; Prisons Department, 3 ; social organizations, 5 ; spontaneous, 40. The following were the types of cases met with : Anxiety states, 12 ; neurasthenia, 6 ; war neuroses, 20 ; hysteria, 9 ; obsessional neuroses, 4 ; schizoid states, 10 ; paranoid states, 6 ; organic states, 23 ; manio-depress. ins., 6 ; involution melanchol., 11 ; congenital defects, 15. The following is the disposal of these cases : Report given or referred to source, 29. Taken as — Out-patients, 40; voluntary boarders, 24. Committed, 22. Advice not followed — Voluntary boarders, 5 ; committed, 2. Of those who continued as out-patients the following was their disposal : Discharged recovered, 5 ; discharged relieved, 13; discharged unrelieved, 3. Advised voluntary boarder, 1. Continuing as out-patients, 18. The treatment centre at Rauta has been in use for about one year, and the usual methods of physical therapy are employed—Massage, exercises, electrical and ultra-violet radiation. The cases treated are selected as likely to recover, and. so the results are not controlled. Males —Treated, 75 ; discharged or on probation, 48 ; remaining, 27 : total, 75. Females— Treated, 82 ; discharged or on probation, 46 : remaining, 36 : total, 82. The question ot overcrowding is becoming very acute, and is seriously affecting the comfort of the patients. In the event of any infectious disease catching hold in the more crowded parts, a serious epidemic would easily ensue. The overcrowding is more serious in the chronic wards, particularly the female wards F and D. The numbers in excess for the female and male sides respectively are 190 and 70. The former figure will be somewhat relieved by the vacation of eighty rooms when the new Nurses' Home is opened ; but with the increasing hospital population this relief can be only temporary. During the year renovations and painting have been carried out in wards F, D, B, Rauta. Vailima, and H Cottage ; also in Male 7, lower building, kitchen, and to the exterior of the main building. The provision of a new main kitchen and the extension of the stores remains a very pressing need, for the growth of the establishment has long since overtaken the existing ones. The removal of the piggeries to a more distant site still remains a necessity. Sister Widdowson was appointed sister-tutor during the year, and has assisted in the training of nurses on both sides. The usual weekly entertainments have been given, and in addition to these, concerts have been provided by amateur and professional artists interested in the Hospital. I would like to offer special thanks to the Women's National Reserve for the interest continually displayed in a very practical manner —giving many comforts, including a wireless installation for the female hall. The Red Cross Society and the Victoria. College Social Service Club have paid regular visits to the patients in whom they are interested, and their services have been a great help. Special thanks are also due to the Rev. Mr. Harding, who has organized entertainments and distributed many gifts amongst the patients of both sides. The commercial travellers also deserve thanks for providing orchestral concerts for all the patients, for gifts to the children, including the gift of a wireless set. My thanks are due to the ministers of religion for their services. I would like to thank the Official Visitors (Mrs. Eraser, Mrs. McVicar, Mr. Bothamley, and Mr. Bradey) for their regular visits and interest displayed in the welfare of the patients. lam grateful to my colleagues, Drs. Williams, Macky, and Anderson for their help. 1 also wish to thank the Matrons, Head Attendants, and the staff generally for their loyal support and work throughout the year. NELSON MENTAL HOSPITAL. Dr. Jeffreys reports :— I have the honour to forward my report for the year 1928. At the beginning of the year there were upon the register 418 patients (283 males and 135 females), and on the ,31st December there were 426. The total number under care during the year was 465, while the weekly average number resident was 413. Including 7 transfers from other institutions, there were 47 admissions, and of these 36 (20 males and 16 females) were admitted for the first time. Of the 23 voluntary boarders who were under treatment during the year, 8 were discharged 2 were committed as ordinary patients, and 1 was transferred, leaving 14 remaining at the end of the year. Thirteen patients were discharged recovered, and 4as " relieved " or " not improved." Twenty-one patients died during the year, and 8 of these were old people between seventy and ninety years of age, while 3 patients died from broncho-pneumonia following measles. On the whole the general health of the patients has been very satisfactory. Towards the end of the year there was an outbreak of sickness among the boys at El Nido. Seven boys were stricken down within a few days of each other, and the symptoms were at first suggestive of typhoid fever, but very soon definite pneumonic signs became apparent, and we were able to diagnose the condition as that of epidemic influenza of a virulent type. In spite of the severity of the symptoms all the patients recovered, although three of them were very dangerously ill for a time.