13

23.  Suicide.—I am glad to be able to record that there was no
case of suicide during the triennium in spite of the fact that there
were approximately 80 suicidal patients in the hospital the
majority of whom are potential suicides.

It may be noted in this connection that suicide is practically
unknown in this largest mental hospital of India for the last
6 years and it is a distinct, indication of unremitting zeal, care
and supervision exercised by the attendant staff on duty in
these wards to whom I offer my best thanks for this happy
result.

24.  Escapes.—In spite of a moderate amount of freedom
being given to the patients of this hospital one patient escaped
during the year 1932. The patient is still at large.

25.  Autopsy.—During the triennium 69 post-mortems were
performed, viz., 24 in 1930, 26 in 1931 and 19 in 1932, and
interesting specimens were preserved for the hospital.

26.  Sanitation.—The general sanitation of the whole area
of the hospital was satisfactory throughout the triennium.
There was no occurrence of epidemic diseases—except for about
2 months in 1931—when influenza broke out in a mild form.
It was checked in time and there was no loss of life.

In 1931 the Assistant Director of Public Health, Chota
Nagpur Circle visited the hospital several times with a view
to investigate the breeding areas of malarial mosquitoes and
advise ways and means to erradicate the mosquito nuisance.
The sanitary staff of the hospital under the direct supervision
of the 2nd Assistant Superintendent was kept busy throughout
the period under report to combat the malarial mosquitœs but
the vastness of the breeding grounds all round the hospital
and Kanke rendered the task very difficult and gives one an
idea that it is impossible to totally erradicate the breeding
places of these mosquitoes. However, we are doing our best to
keep the mosquito nuisance away from the hospital as far as
possible.

Throughout the triennium the thresh disinfector machine
worked efficiently in disinfecting the patients' clothing and
bedding.

27. Accidents and injuries.—During the triennium under
report the following two cases sustained severe injuries :—

(1) A patient died of fracture of skull—the result of a fall
brought about by a severe sudden epileptic fit.