R. No. 482-H.

                                            OFFICE OF THE SURGEON-GENERAL
                                          WITH THE GOVERNMENT OF MADRAS,
                                                     MADRAS, 30th March 1931.

From

          MAJOR-GENERAL C. A. SPRAWSON, C.I.E., V.H.S., I.M.S.,
                 SURGEON-GENERAL WITH THE GOVERNMENT OF MADRAS,
                                                                                                                    MADRAS,

To

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

SIR,

I have the honour to submit the Annual Report on the working
of the mental hospitals in this Presidency for the year 1930.

2. Population.—The total population of the three mental hospitals
during the year under report was 1,942 (1,507 males and 435 females)
as against 1,740 (1,323 males and 417 females) in the previous year. The
number of patients remaining at the commencement of the year was
1,343 (1,017 males and 326 females), the figure for the previous year
being 1,220 (903 males and 317 females) and the number admitted and
re-admitted during the year was 599 as compared with 520 in the previous
year. Of the total treated 222 were cured, 100 improved, 49 discharged not
improved, 34 discharged otherwise, 104 died and 1,433 remained at the
end of the year. The daily average strength of inmates in the three
Mental Hospitals was 1,403.98 as compared with 1,276.48 in the previous
year and the daily average sick was 236.41 as against 213.60 in 1929. Of
the total number of patients admitted during the year, 20 were Europeans
and Anglo-Indians, 65 were Indian Christians, 403 were Hindus. 88 were
Muhammadans and 8 were of other castes.

The total population may be classified as follows:—

There were three escapes during the year, one from the Mental
Hospital, Waltair, and two among the recovered criminal lunatics in the
Mental Hospital, Madras. They were subsequently recaptured and
brought back to the respective hospitals.

3.  Age and previous occupation of the inmates.—Of the inmates
admitted and re-admitted during the year 42 were under 20 years of age,
397 were between 20 to 40 years, 134 were between 40 to 60 years and 11
were above 60 years. As usual the incidence of insanity was heavy on
the active period of life, i.e., between 20 to 40 years. During the year,
persons with no occupation, cultivating tenants and general labourers
contributed more to the number of admissions, the figures being 155,
71 and 64 respectively.

4.  Causes of insanity.—In the majority of patients admitted during
the year the aetiological factors could not be ascertained as their
previous history was defective. So far as information was available, it
was observed, that the causes which accounted for the largest number of
admissions during the year in the order of their number were mental