H.—7

16

The ratio of nursing staff to patients is as followß : — Day attendants ... ... ... ~, ... ... 1 to ITO7 Night attendants ... ... ... ... 1 to 144 Day nurses ... ... ... ... ... ... 1 to 1425 Night nurses ... ... ... ... ... ... 1 to 87 There are altogether fourteen attendants and five nurses on the staff. One each has been in the service for upwards of five years, and six attendants and the above nurse have been upwards of three years, and others have served within a very short time of that period. There were no entries for the recent Examination for the Registration of Mental Nurses. Dr. Macandrew, the Medical Officer, has to-day completed his twenty-first year in the service. The Superintendent has been thirty-one years in the institution, and the head attendant twenty-six. I find the institution clean and in good order, the bedding and clothing sufficient, and many signs which make it evident that a genuine interest is taken in the welfare of the patients, a fact which many spontaneously acknowledged. p Nelson Mental Hospital. 4th June, 1908. I visited this Mental Hospital yesterday and to-day, and found everything in excellent order. The wards were clean and neatly kept, the patients looked well, were tidy and suitably clad, and the food was abundant and of good quality. Turning to the outside, the flower-garden was fairly good for the season, and the kitchen-garden and farm, while affording health-giving occupation for the patients, are materially assisting in their maintenance. It is evident that Mr. Chapman and those associated with him have at heart the best interests of the patients and institution. The following changes have taken place in the population since the beginning of the year: — Males. Females. Total. Resident on Ist January, 1908 ... ... ... 87 66 153 On probation on Ist January, 1908... ... ... 3 1 4 On register on Ist January, 1908 ... ... ... 90 67 157 Admitted since Ist January, 190K ... ... ... 3 6 9 Total under care since Ist January, 1908 ... ... 93 73 166 Males. Females. Total. Discharged recovered ... ... 1 2 3 Discharged unrecovered ... ... 0 0 0 Died .. ... ... ... 2 3 5 Total discharged and died ... — — — 3 5 8 On register, 4th June, 1908 ... ... ... 90 68 158 On probation, 4th June, 1908 ... ... ... 3 1 4 Resident, 4th June, 1908 ... ... ... ... 87 67 154 Accommodation for ... ... ... ... 80 54 134 Patients in excess of accommodation ... ... 7 13 20 All the patients were seen, and had opportunity to speak to me. No complaints were made. Yesterday being a public holiday, only necessary works were being done, and a number of patients from c.uli side of the house were out driving. The general health of the patients is good. Three were oonfined in bed during the visit, and themselves acknowledged that they were being carefully looked after. None are at present under constant-observation notices, but the following require special attention for the reasons assigned : — Males. Females. Total. Epileptics ... ... ... ... ... 7 4 11 General paralytics ... ... ... ... ... 2 0 2 Potentially suicidal patients ... ... ... 1 1 2 Dangerous (not included above) ... ... ... 4 1 5 Liable to be wet and dirty ... ... ... ... 20 16 36 Actually wet and dirty ... ... ... ... 3 4 7 The Register of Restraint has two entries, relating to two women patients who were restrained in one case for half an hour daily for eight days, and the other for an hour daily for thirty-one days. The methods were the least irksome under the particular circumstances, and I was satisfied witli the reasons assigned. The average number of patients attending divine service is given as 51 (males, 32 : females, 19), and those joining in active amusement as 76 (m., 56; f., 20).