No. R. 595 General of 1926.

                                        OFFICE OF THE SURGEON-GENERAL
                                      WITH THE GOVERNMENT OF MADRAS,
                                                  No. 81, MOUNT ROAD,
                                           MADRAS, the 16th March 1926.

From

          MAJOR-GENERAL T. H. SYMONS, C.S.I.,O.B.E., K.H.S., I.M.S.,
                                   SURGEON-GENERAL WITH THE GOVERNMENT OF MADRAS,

To

     THE SECRETARY TO THE GOVERNMENT OF MADRAS,
                                        LOCAL SELF-GOVERNMENT (PUBLIC HEALTH) DEPARTMENT.

SIR,

I have the honour to submit, for the information of Government, the
Annual Report on the working of the Mental Hospitals in the Madras
Presidency during the year 1925.

2. Population.—The total population of the three mental hospitals
during the year was 1,303 (990 males and 313 females) as against 1,295
(983 males and 312 females) in the previous year. Of these, the number of
patients remaining at the commencement of the year was 950, and the
number admitted and re-admitted during the year was 349. Of the total
treated, 165 were cured, 42 improved, 16 discharged not improved and 16
discharged otherwise and 1,001 remained at the end of the year. The
treatment adopted in the Mental Hospital, Madras, now is, as far as
possible, in keeping with the latest methods of treating mental cases.
The total population may be classified as follows:—

Of the total number of patients admitted during the year, 16 were
Europeans and Anglo-Indians, 53 were Christians, 209 were Hindus,
58 were Muhammadans and 13 were other castes. There was no escape of
inmates during the year in any of the three mental hospitals.

3.  Age and previous occupation of the inmates.—Of the 349 inmates
admitted and re-admitted during the year under report, 19 were under 20
years of age, 231 were between 20 to 40 years, 89 were between 40 to 60
years and 10 above 60 years. As usual, the number of inmates between
the ages of 20 and 40 was the largest. As regards the previous occupation
of the inmates, the number of general labourers was the largest, i.e., 54,
and next came cultivating tenants numbering 24.

4.  Causes of insanity.—Among the causes of insanity, mental stress,
mental instability and heredity account for the largest number of
admissions.

5.  Types of insanity.—The principal types of insanity in their order of
frequency were as follows :—