Triennial Report of the Punjab Mental Hospital for the
                        years 1924,1925 and 1926.

I.    Population.— The three years under review show that
there has been a steady decrease in the number of patients treated.
The average population of the hospital for these years has been
875, 865 and 854. This decline in the numbers of patients treated
is only partially accounted for by the very large number of deaths
in 1925 (123 as compared with 99 in 1924 and 79 in 1926).
A more potent factor to account for the decrease in the number
of patients is the fact that, with effect from 1st January 1924,
the rate of maintenance charged to private individuals and public
bodies was raised from Rs. 16 to Rs. 20 per mensem. The fall
in the population has been coincident with the rise in the rate
charged, but this rise was necessary as previously the institution
had been run at a loss, and a considerable and unnecessary
burden had been borne by Provincial Funds.

II.    Accommodation.—There is no longer any overcrowding
in the hospital for, besides the reduction in the number of patients
referred to in the previous paragraph, much has been done to
increase the accommodation for patients and for staff. A new
criminal section was completed in 1924 and this is capable of
holding 200 patients so that there is no likelihood of overcrowd-
ing on the male side for some time to come. The improvements
and additions to the Female Mental Hospital will be referred to in
a later paragraph.

Two new houses have been built for the sub-assistant sur-
geons and fifteen quarters are under construction for attendants.
This will go far to relieve the congestion that has been experi-
enced among the staff. Sanction has not yet been accorded for
sweepers' quarters.

Twelve years ago it was suggested that a lecture theatre should
be built for the medical students who attend weekly demonstra-
tions at the Mental Hospital. Funds for this purpose were allot-
ted in 1925-26, but the amount would have been quite inade-
quate to build a room capable of holding 70 or 80 students com-
fortably, so it has been utilized to form an extension to the Office
of the Medical Superintendent. There is now ample accommoda-
tion for the final year class at the clinical demonstrations in
Mental Diseases.

The standings for the cattle have always been most unsatis-
factory, but within the last twelve months a new cattle shed has
been built, and this is regarded as a great improvement on any