Annual report on mental hospitals : 1956.

Date:
1956
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Annual report on mental hospitals : 1956. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    7/98 (page 3)
    Thus there were 1,741 patients (905 males and 836 females) in excess of the sanc¬ tioned accommodation at the Mental Hospitals at Thana, Ratnagiri, Yeravda, Ahmedabad and Baroda and there were 100 patients (76 males and 24 females) in excess of the sanctioned accommodation at the Mental Hospital, Dharwar. In order to relieve the congestion and overcrowding to some extent at the Mental Hospitals, Government in September 1955, had directed that the accommodation at all th.e Mental Hospitals in the Bombay State should be extended by the construction of dormitories to accommodate at least 50 patients at each of the Mental Hospitals^ The work of constructing these dormitories at all the Mental Hospitals (except at the Mental Hospitals, Dharwar) is still in progress. Government have also sanctioned the proposal for construction of additional dormitory in the female section at the Central Mental Hospital, Yeravda. As regards the construction of dormitory at the Mental Hospital, Dharwar, the plans and estimates for additional accommodation are under correspondence with the Executive Engineer, Dharwar Division, and the Executive Engineer, Karnatak Public Health Works, Dharwar. 7. Employment on Occupation.—The employment of suitable patients on various occupations such as gardening, weaving, tailoring, carpentry, broom and bidi making, grinding, cooking, mat-making, ground levelling, sewing, knitting, compound cleaning, basket making and poultry farm work, etc., continued as usual at all these six mental Hospitals. The daily average number of patients employed under Occupational Therapy in the various Mental Hospitals excluding in the Mental Hospital, Dharwar, during the period from 1st January 1956 to 31st October 1956 was 1,548 and the percentage of the same to the daily average works out to be about 35*4. The daily average number of patients employed under Occupational Therapy in the Mental Hospital, Dharwar, during the period from 1st January 1956 to 31st October 1956 was 173 and the percentage of the same to the daily average works out to be 48. 8. Amusement.—Indoor and outdoor games such as Carom, ping-pong, card volley ball, badminton, ring-tennis, etc., were provided for the patients at all the six Mental Hospitals. Some of the patients took part in the sports and some of them, enjoyed with interest. Cinema shown, radio-programmes, records were arranged for the entertainment of the patients and they were greatly appreciated by them. Books, newspapers, magazines, periodicals were supplied to the literate patients. A sum of Rs. 6,207 was spent on amusement and recreation of patients during the period from 1st January 1956 to 31st October 1956 at the Mental Hospitals, Thana, Yeravda, Ahmedabad, Baroda and Ratnagiri. As regards the Mental Hospital, Dharwar, a grant of Rs. 1,000 for library and periodicals sanctioned by Government was utilised for the purchase of novels, stories, newspapers, etc., for patients. 9. Visitors.—The official visitors at all the Mental Hospitals were regular in their attendance and nothing special was reported by any of them. 10. Parole.—The system of sending patients on parole has to some extent relieved the congestion at the Mental Hospitals. During the period under report 611 patients (459 males and 202 females) took advantage of it at the Mental Hospitals, Thana, Yeravda, Ahmedabad, Baroda and Ratnagiri and 11 patients (10 males and 1 female) took advantage of it at the Mental Hospital, Dharwar, as compared with 766 patients at all Mental Hospitals in the year 1955.