18

H.—7

ENTRIES OF VISITS OF INSPECTION TO THE VARIOUS MENTAL HOSPITALS. Auckland Mental Hospital. 18th July, 1907.—1 visited this Mental Hospital on the 16th and 17th instant, and this morning. My last visit was in January. The statistics hereunder refer to the 17th instant, and the period reviewed is from the beginning of the year : — Males. Females. Total. Resident on Ist January, 1907 ... ... ... 401 267 668 On probation on Ist January, 1907 ... ... 5 2 7 On register on Ist January, 1907 ... ... ... 406 269 675 Admitted since Ist January, 1907 ... ... 49 35 84 Under care ... ... ... ... ... 455 304 759 Males. Females. Total. Discharged recovered ... 20 17 37 Discharged unrecovered ... 1 1 2 Died ... ... ... 16 6 22 Total discharged and died — — — 37 24 61 On register on 17th July, 1907 ... ... ... 418 280 698 On probation on 17th July, 1907 ... ... ... 8 10 18 Resident on 17th July, 1907 ... ... ... 410 270 680 Accommodation for ... ... ... ... 447 259 706 Patients in excess of accommodation ... 21 Accommodation available for ... ... 37 It is proposed to extend the accommodation for women by using the Medical Superintendent's quarters situate above the administration department. These communicate naturally with the women's side, and would provide for forty patients, more or less, with very little cost for alteration. On the men's side the residuum is anticipated in the meantime. The followingnumber of patients require special attention for the reasons assigned : — Males. Females. Total. Liable to be wet and dirty ... ... ... 35 64 99 Actually wet and dirty ... ... ... ... 9 24 33 Epileptic ... ... ... ... ... 27 24 51 Suicidal ... ... ... ... ... 19 12 31 Dangerous ... ... ... ... ... 13 6 19 General paralytics ... ... ... ... 10 0 10 There has been no serious accident, and the general health of the patients has been average. The percentage of recoveries on admissions is about the average of the institution, and is good, in view of the number of unpromising cases admitted. The deaths occurring since the beginning of the year were due to the following causes:— Males. Females. ToUl. Senile decay ... ... ... ... ... 2 1 3 General paralysis of the insane ... ... ...2 0 2 Epilepsy ... ... ... ... ... '3 0 2 Other organic brain-disease ... ... ...0 1 1 Exhaustion of mania ... ... ... ...1 0 1 Exhaustion of melancholia ... ... ... 1 0 1 Paralysis of intestines ... ... ... ... 0 1 1 Apoplexy ... ... ... ... ... 0 1 1 Tubercular disease ... ... ... ... 2 1 3 Gangrene of lung ... ... ... ... 1 0 1 Cardiac disease ... ... ... ... ... 3 0 3 Cancer... ... ... ... ... ... 2 0 2 Died while absent on probation ... ... ...0 1 1 Totals ... ... ... ... 16 6 22 The number of patients confined to bed is 27 (14 males, 13 females), but these do not represent cases of serious illness, the majority being senile persons requiring rest, or persons with minor ailments. The condition of debility in three of the senile cases is extreme, and these with one