H.—7
15
Our thanks are due to the Herald proprietors for a gratuitous supply of daily papers; to Mr. Macpherson for controlling the religious services; and the many ladies and gentlemen who have contributed towards the patients' amusements. I have, &c , The Inspector-General, Mental Hospitals, Wellington. X- M. Beattie.
SUNNYSIDE MENTAL HOSPITAL. I have the honour to furnish my annual report for the year 1909. In the first place, I have to record my thanks to the Government for my leave of absence, and am pleased to say that I feel greatly benefited by the relief from duty and the holiday in the Old Country On my return I found the institution in the good order in which I anticipated it would be under Dr Gribben's management, and take this opportunity of thanking Dr. Jeffreys and the staff for their loyal support of Dr. Gribben in the arduous duty of acting as locum tenens. No new building was carried on in my absence-only repairs and finishing of work which had been begun The new dairy and cowsheds were brought into commission, and are now working satisfactorily, and are a pleasure to see. The Shorthorn cows are giving good records, and after a year or two's culling 1 feel confident that we shall have a herd worthy of the traditions of Sunnyside The mothers' records have been so good that I have experienced no difficulty in disposing of the young bulls from them and our imported dairy bull. The time has now come for a further importation, and, from the prices received for our stock, I am in a position to recommend a further ° Utla The deep°weli e has been sunk, and I should like to see the cistern erected without delay, as there is a supply of splendid water now running to waste. Th P e P new baVooms are in use, and, as both the Minister m Charge seen are -iving satisfaction to the staff and pleasure to the patients. The whole bathing ariange-mente-showering, soaping and washing, reshowering, and then the tepid swimming-bath-insu,-e perfect cleans ng and healthy exercise, and I am assured by the attendants that bathing the patients has blrne a plLsure, as far as the behaviour of the patients is concerned, as compared to former condTt ons The patents like it, and, in fact, have to be watched to «c that they do no slip in for second turn The bathing is got through on two mornings weekly before breakfast and 100 patients are bathed per houi- 8 at an estimated cost in coal-consumption of ss. for each bathmg"Owhig to the extension of. the hot-water system, extra machinery in shop, &c, and an extra boiler become an urgent necessity. . previous year At the end of the year we had 627 patients, being an increase of 24 ovei the previous Ttere were 129 admissions during the year, and 66 recoveries, giving a percentage of slightly ° Ver There were 31 deaths which gives a percentage of 54 on the average number resident. TnHsual religious.services and the patients'"entertainments have been carried out throughout ° 1 have, &c, the )' ear - W. Baxter Gow, M.D., Medical Superintendent. The Inspector-General of Mental Hospitals, Wellington.
SEACLIFF MENTAL HOSPITAL. Mental Hospital, Seacliff, 18th June, 1910. blB '~ I have the honour to submit the following report on the Seacliff Mental Hospital for the h6ad Sout some fuller comment, the citation low death-rate and a low mental-recovery rate wonld be Jg^ l^ en ' tir6 i y w Wg sion would be formed of ,erygream = incidence 7 B few words may be said regarding the factors admis-sion-rate, death-rate, and discharge-rate. ; _ (1.) The Admis.on.rate is really increasing, but this is our Institutions are year by year being made mo TZented on as a formerly have been kept by their friends and fLt a iust one. In my experience reflection on the natural guardians; but this just troublesom6 rela .