PL—7

with which we have to deal, show such divergencies from year to year that the proportion assigned to any one cause in any one year cannot be assumed to be our average incidence. Causation is always complex, and the most potent factor is the individual. Hereunder the assigned causations in the table referred to are grouped and shown in their relative proportions : — Males. Females. Total. Heredity.. .. .. .. .. .. 13-03 16-28 14-63 Congenital .. .. .. .. .. 14-15 9-07 11-66 Predisposed by previous attack . . . . .. 8-54 11-62 10-05 Critical periods .. .. . . . . . . 22-25 30-00 26-05 Child-bearing (puerperal, non-septic, and lactation) .. .. 5-35 2-63 Mental stress . . . . . . . . 8-76 6-74 7-77 Physiological defect and error . . .. 2-92 3-95 3-45 Toxic, including —■ m. f. t. Syphilis .. 8-94 0-69 4-Ml Alcohol .. 8-27 3-02 5-91/ 1812 418 1131 Traumatic .. .. .. .. .. 1-12 0-47 0-80 Disorder of nervous system, including — m. f. t. Epilepsy .. .. 4-49 6-05 5-27 5-84 6-98 6-40 Other bodily affections . . .. . . . . 0-90 0-94 0-91 No definite cause assigned .. . . . . . . 4-27 4-42 4-36 100-00 100-00 100-00

Voluntary Boarders.

It will be noted that there were 172 voluntary admissions in the year under review, that 123 were discharged, and that 25 boarders, representing 8-17 per cent, of the total under care, had to be transferred to the register of patients (having shown mental disorder in degree sufficiently pronounced and sustained to render it improper for them to be continued as voluntary boarders), while the proportion of deaths was 2-94 per cent. The column devoted to " Not First Admissions " records readmissions on a return of illness in those previously treated to recovery as voluntary boarders. The figures above are an indication of public confidence and of good work being done. The average daily number of voluntary boarders in 1925 was 151 (m., 64 ; f., 87).

MENTAL NURSES. In December the usual examination was held for the registration of mental nurses, when the following passed :— Auckland: First Grade—Percy Lawrence Ghent, Huia Stanley Jackson; Second Grade— Mary Fawcett. Tokanui : First Grade —Nina Ngrita Taylor; Second Grade—Ella Moorhouse, Edna Stella Pearson, Laura Isabel Turkington. Porirua : First Grade—Walter Jones ; Second Grade—Bella Finlayson, Archibald Greig, Annie Cullen Wardrop. Nelson : First Grade —Enid Olive Nock, Myra Jane Ritchie ; Second Grade —Emma Elizabeth Goodman, Dorothy Violet Stebbings. Hokitika : Second Grade —Mary Mizpah Veronica Parker. Christchurch : First Grade —Edith Mary Chapman, Alexander Donald Falconer, Eva Foster, Neil McKay, Kenneth M'unro ; Second Grade—William Bond, William Campbell, Hester Edith Church, Mona Estelle Ellyett, Alfred Ernest Farrow, Albert Gwyn Freear, Robert Hunt, Martin Hugh Kelly, Katherine Agnes McGuire, Walter Samuel Mizen, Leslie Francis Odell, Robert Purdie, Daniel Reardon, Robert Samson, William Spencer, Agnes Alicia Suttie, Maria Ellen Wadsworth. Seacliff : First Grade —Ivy Edith Dyas, Mavis Ellen Kenward, Janet Cooke Smith ; Second Grade —Violet Auld, Agnes Greta Baker, William George Hooper, Margaret Nehoff, Henry James Philp.

13

II 1 1 I I Tfirst, I NYit, TTfrst Total Transferred Remaining Year ' Admission i AdmSn Admissions Ee 8 ister Die <i- : Discharged. on Admission, j Admission. Aamissions. of Patients . 81st December. [ I II j I M. F. T. M. F. T. M. F. T. M. F. T. M. F. T. M. F. T. M. F. T. 1912 .. .. 6 17 23 0 0 0 6 17 23 1 3 4 0 0 0 4 3 7 1 11 12 1913 . . 18 19 37 0 2 2 18 21 39 2 5 7 0 1 1 12 12 24 5 14 19 1914 .. 17 19 36 3 2 5 20 21 41 7 5 12 1 1 2 11 15 26 6 14 20 1915 .. .. 15 17 32 1 2 3 16 19 35 3 4 7 0 1 1 8 14 22 11 14 25 1916 . . .. 13 23 36 5 8 13 18 31 49 4 4 8 1 2 3 14 14 28 10 15 25 1917 .. 14 21 35 I 13 14 15 34 49 6 6 12 0 1 1 10 23 33 9 19 28 1918 .. .. 23 38 61 5 11 16 28 49 77 1 4 5 2 2 4 15 30 45 19 32 51 1919 .. .. 31 39 70 5 19 24 36 58 94 3 3 6 0 2 2 26 42 68 26 43 69 1920 .. .. 26 38 64 16 12 28 42 50 92 I 3 4 7 1 2 3 33 33 66 31 54 85 1921 .. .. 39 39 78 11 15 26 50 54 104 ! 2 3 5 5 1 6 38 41 79 36 63 99 1922 .. .. j 47 38 85 10 16 26 57 54 111 6 5 11 4 4 8 40 48 88 43 60 103 1923 .. . . 44 50 94 15 21 36 59 71 130 3 6 9 3 3 6 47 47 94 49 75 124 1924 .. .. 38 44 82 16 20 36 54 64 118 1 4 8 12 6 3 9 39 48 87 54 80 134 1925 .. . . 64 59 123 15 34 49 79 93 172 10 15 25 6 3 9 60 63 123 57 92 149