H—7

SUNNYSIDE MENTAL HOSPITAL Dr. McKillop reports : I have the honour to submit my report for the year ending 31st December, 1945. There were 1,735 persons (897 men and 838 women) under care during the year. The admissions by committal totalled 230 (112 men and 118 women), and 44 men and •6 women were transferred to us from other hospitals. We were able to discharge 126 patients (55 men and 71 women), and 73 were transferred to other institutions, leaving 1,441 patients under care at the close of the year. In addition to these committed patients, 170 voluntary boarders were admitted, of whom 152, or 89*4 per cent, were discharged, 6 required committal, and 7 died, leaving 75 under care on 31st December, 1945. The number of deaths was 95, the cause in 58 •cases being senile decay. The large increase in the number of voluntary boarders is due to the known favourable results of electro convulsive therapy, which was introduced to this hospital in 1943. These results have continued to be very satisfactory and indicate that involutional melancholies in particular have responded to treatment. The cases referred to in my report of 1943 have kept well and have resumed their usual occupations. During the year 191 cases were treated by electric convulsive therapy and 113 were discharged as recovered. The usual maintenance work has been carried out, and the painting gang has been •employed continuously throughout the year. Two villas at Templeton, the Lodge and .Villa at Hornby, and several wards at Sunny side have been renovated throughout. Now that the war is over it is hoped that money will be available to provide accommodation for male tubercular cases, senile patients, and better hospital facilities. The •occupational therapy building is much too small for its purpose, and it will be necessary to extend this very considerably if we hope to attain the standard of some of the other institutions in this respect. The farm and gardens have had a very successful year, though the drought during "the latter part of the year affected the vegetable situation very seriously. Clinics have been held twice weekly at the Christchurch Hospital and once a month •at Timaru Hospital. So many patients are now being referred to the clinic that it is •quite impossible to do justice to them in the time allotted. For the greater part of the year the medical staff consisted of Dr. O'Reilly and myself, but, fortunately, December brought a full medical complement. On the male side we are practically at full strength, but on the female side the staffing question has become very difficult. I cannot speak too highly of the way our nurses have faced the situationworking long hours and giving up their leave-days cheerfully when required to do so. To the Official Visitors and to the chaplains I tender my thanks for their regular visits and for the interest they have taken in the welfare of the patients.

SEACLIFF MENTAL HOSPITAL Dr. Brown reports : I have the honour to present my report for the year ending 1945. There were 1,023 patients on the register on the 21st January, 1945. During the year 197 patients were admitted, 92 were discharged, and 5 transferred to other hospitals. The total number of patients under care during the year was 1,220. Voluntary boarders under care were 76, and 27 remain. There were 110 deaths, the chief causes being senility. Because of the nature of the hospital, its age, and the insecurity of the ground, the maintenance of the fabric has always been difficult and costly. The war years, with their shortage of labour and supplies, have added to these difficulties. While the maintenance and engineering staffs have been fully occupied in making repairs and renovations, much

12