15

H.—7

Hokitika Mental Hospital. Ist June, 1908. 1 visited this institution on the 30th May (to which date the statistics will refer) and to-day. Miss Maclean paid a visit of inspection on the 29th August last, and in the intervening period the Deputy Inspector and Official Visitors visited on four and thirteen occasions respectively. Since Miss Maclean's visit the following changes have taken place in the population : — Males. Females. Total Patients resident on 29th August, 1907 ... ... 149 58 207 ~ on probation on 29th August, 1907 ... ... 4 1 5 on register on 29th August, 1907 ... ... 153 59 212 admitted since 29th August, 1907 ... ... 11 5 16 Total under care since 29th August, 1907 ... ... 164 64 228 Males. Females. Total. Discharged recovered ... ... 6 2 8 ~ unrecovered ... ' ... 0 1 1 Died ... ... ... ... 10 4 14 Males. Females. Total. Total discharged and died ... — — — 16 7 23 Patients on register on 30th May, 1908 ... ... 148 57 205 ~ absent on probation on 30th May, 1908 ... 4 0 4 ~ resident on 30th May, 1908 ... ... ... 144 57 '201 Accommodation for ... ... ... ... ... 156 -62 218 Vacant accommodation for ... ... ... ... 12 5 17 It will be seen that the discharges and deaths outnumber the admissions by seven, and that, after deducting the number on probation, there are now resident 201, as against 207 on the 29th August. The accommodation available is for 218 patients. The changes to effect the additional accommodation have been carried out in an economical and creditable manner. During the nine months there have been fourteen deaths, all due to natural causes. The age at death ranged from eighty-nine to twenty-five, the average being about sixty. Five of the above patients had been ailing for some time, and two were admitted from the General Hospital in a very debilitated condition, neither surviving as long as a fortnight. All the patients resident were seen during the visit, and had opportunity to speak to me. I conversed with many. Three patients were accorded private interviews, and each gave evidence that he laboured under hallucinations of hearing and delusions of persecution, and also, in two of the cases, of unseen agency. These patients complained of unjustifiable detention. None of the other patients made any complaint. The following are the subjects of special attention for the reasons assigned: — Males. Females. Total. Epileptics ... ... ... ... ... ... 5 6 11 General paralytics ... ... ... ... ...1 0 1 Suicidal ... ... ... ... ... ... 1 1 2 Dangerous (not enumerated above) ... ... ...5 2 7 Do not wash, dress, or feed themselves ... ... ... 5 16 21 Only one patient is under a special-observation notice. On the 30th May there were three patients confined to bed (all males) for medical treatment: one had a leg-ulcer, one was convalescent from rheumatic fever, and one who has since died laboured under cardiac disease and bronchitis. The Register of Restraint has entries referring to the use of gloves in two cases, one that of a woman for two hours during a destructive outburst, the othej that of a man almost daily. 1 satisfied myself thai this patient was incorrigibly destructive, and also impulsively dangerous. Every time the gloves have been removed and his hands were free, he has torn his entire clothing to shreds. The gloves are of kip leather, and are not unduly irksome. The number of patients attending divine service is 47 (males, 34; females, 13), and the number joining in active amusements 81 (m., 64; f., 17). The following is a return of the employment of the inmates: — Males. Females. Total. Farm and bush ... ... ... ... ... 56 ... 56 Garden ... ... ... ... ... ... 9 ... 9 Workshops ... ... ... ... ... ... 14 ... 14 Wards ... ... ... 19 4 23 Laundry ... ... ... ... ... 11 11 Sewing' ... ... ... ... ... 9 9 Total employed ... ... ... ... ... 98 24 122 Unemployed (mentally and physically unfit) ... ... 46 33 79 Total 144 57 201