5

H.—7a

Complaint (I): That friends were not allowed to see him for a month. — The custom of the Hospital precludes friends visiting a patient until the expiration of a month after admission, except in special cases considered advisable by the Medical Officer. This practice is apparently general in mental hospitals. Experience shows that it is of benefit to the patient, as it allows of his settling down without being disturbed by any outside influences. Mr. Tribe's relatives were informed that it would not be good for the patient to see them earlier. Complaint (2): Confinement in cold, comfortless cell, where he could not sleep on account of noises made by other vatients. —The room in which Mr. Tribe was confined at night, and from which he was removed when dying, was shown to me. It is situated on the south side of the building, and I should think that the sun never reaches it. There are no means of warming it, and it is absolutely cold and cheerless. Any warmth that could enter it from the corridor would -be infinitesimal. It is certainly not such a room as any person suffering from any physical ailment should be placed in for treatment unless in summer-time, and then only of necessity. Complaint (3): Being supplied with dirty, ill-fitting, and ragged clothing.—The clothing supplied to the patient was the same as used generally in the Hospital. When given out it was always clean. When it is understood that nearly four hundred patients have to be supplied with clothing it will be seen that it would be impossible to give each patient clothes which would fit as though they were made for him. The clothing is of good serviceable materials, and warm. Any difficulty with regard to clothing is accentuated by the fact that many patients lose control of their natural functions, and also dirty their clothes in other ways, thus rendering it necessary that their clothing should be changed three and sometimes four times a day. The lay mind has no conception of the depths to which persons afflicted with certain mental diseases descend. They lose all self-respect and self-control. The most fastidious in dress and appearance become the untidiest, and the cleanest the dirtiest. The utmost vigilance and closest surveillance fail to keep them clean and tidy. Mr. Tribe was one of this unfortunate class. The evidence shows that on visiting-days he always had clean and tidy clothes supplied him shortly before the time visitors came. On one occasion after he was dressed, and whilst other patients were being got ready to receive visitors, he undressed himself three times, and each time got into a bed. The evidence of the attendants is that the clothes put on him were always clean and tidy, and their explanation of his condition as described by his visitors is that he rmist have changed his clothes in the interval, either with another patient or he must have put on soiled clothes in the corridor which had been taken off other patients. It is hardly credible that the attendants, knowing that he was about to see his friends, would dress him in dirty or untidy clothes. Complaint (4) •' Being compelled to undress in corridor and compelled to sleep in a shirt. —The complaint of the patient being compelled to undress in a corridor is of little moment. The corridor in question is closed at both ends by doors about 40 ft. or 50 ft. apart. There is a fire in the corridor. Those patients who sleep in single rooms are compelled to undress just outside the doors of their respective rooms and leave their clothes there. This rule is necessary to prevent patients secreting anything which might be dangerous to themselves or others. Being compelled to sleep in a shirt was necessary with the patient on account of his habits. Complaint (5): That he was not supplied with sufficient blankets. —No complaint appears to have been made to any official at the Hospital that the blankets were not sufficient. The evidence shows that from four to six thicknesses of blanket were supplied to each bed, and that if a patient asked for more the attendant had power to give him further blankets. Complaint (6): That he was not allowed to wear his own clothing. —For several reasons it is not practicable in a mental hospital of the size of Sunnyside to allow all patients to wear their own clothing. Firstly, the clothing has