H.—7.

The Hon. the Minister in Charge of Mkntal Hospitals to His Excellency thk Governor. Sib,— Wellington, 31st July, 1911. 1 have the honour to submit to Your Excellency the report of the Inspector-General of Mental Hospitals on the mental hospitals of the Dominion for the year 1910 I have the honour to be, Your Lordship's most obedient servant, GEO. FOWLDS, Minister in Charge of Mental Hospitals.

The Inspeotor-Gbnbral t<> the Bon. the Ministeb in Charoe of Mental Hospitals. Sik, — Wellington, 21st July, 1911. 1 have the honour to present the statutory report on the mental hospitals of the Dominion for the year ended 31st December, 1910. The number of patients at the beginning of the year was 3,548 (males, 2,083; females, 1,465), and at the end 3,670 (m., 2,160; f., 1,510), an increase of 122 (m., 77; f., 45). The average increase during the former five years was 102. The total number under care was 4,558 (m., 2,722; f., 1,836), against 4,237 in the previous year, and the average number resident during the year was 3,473 (m., 2,028; f., 1,445), against 3,374 in 1909, or 99 more in the year under review. Distribution. —Counting 124 (in., 91; f., 33) absent on leave as still resident in the mental hospital whence they left, the 3,670 patients on the register at the end of the year were distributed as follows : — Males. Females. Total. Auckland ... ... .. ... ... 492 298 790 Christchurch ... ... ... ... ... 362 317 679 Dunedin (Seadiff and Orokonui)... ... ... 542 338 880 Hokitika ... ... ... ... ... 135 57 192 Nelson ... ... ... ... ... 93 97 190 Porirua ... ... ... ... ... 513 384 897 Ashburn Hall (private mental hospital) ... ... 23 19 42 2,160 1,510 3,670 Of those technically on leave, 56 men were resident at the Camp, near Dunedin. und 17 boys at the Home for Feeble-minded at Richmond. Ratio to Population. —The following calculations show the ratio (if patients on the register at the end of the year to the estimated general population, both exclusive and inclusive of the Native race. The number of Maoris on the register was 42 only (m. 28; f.. 14). The proportion of the total insane to the total population was, — Exclusive of Maoris ... ... ... .. 3618 per 10,000,0r lin 27b' Inclusive of Maoris ... ... ... ... 34-94 „ 1 in 28b' The proportion of the male insane, to the male population,— Exclusive of Maoris ... ... ... ... 40-23 „ lin 249 Inclusive of Maoris ... ... ... ... 38-89 „ ! in 257 The proportion of the female insane to the female population,— Exclusive of Maoris ... ... ... ... 31-64 „ lin 816 Inclusive of Maoris ... ... ... ... 3051 „ lin 32K When quoting last year from an article by Dr. Urquhart which stated that out of 4,082 patients suffering from general diseases, and 873 from nervous diseases, at the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, 555 and 69: i per cunt, respectively were discharged as unrecovered, I remarked that ratios of patients to .population in the records of mental hospitals "would find their parallel in general hospitals if those patients only were discha r ged who were apparently restored to the state of bodily health and integrity which preceded the disorder or accident for which they were admitted." While in no way wishing to belittle the meaning of these figures brought home to us by the accumulation of unrecovered patients in mental hospitals, 1 would point out the sentiment of physical degeneracy which would take hold of the population if each year the general hospitals were enlarged to act ommodate those who had not recovered and had nol died. Obviously, the sentiment would be unjust, the more so because in many of the diseases the hereditary factor would not enter; but the contemplation should temper the feeling of uneasiness produced by statements of ratio of insane to population when it is remembered that the insane are a sick folk whose span of life is lengthened by being kept in a suitable environment. Admissions. —Exclusive of 222 patients (m. 165; f., 57) transferred from one institution to another, the admissions numbered 788 (m., 474: f., 314), as against 716 (m., 419; f., 297) in the previous year, an increase of 72 (m., 55; f., 17). Of the 788, those admitted for the first time numbered 660 (m., 409; f., 251), the remainder, 128 (m., 65; f., 63), representing patients who had previously been in one or other of the mental hospitals. Towards the first admissions.

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