14

(2) A very dependable patient suddenly struck another
patient without any provocation with an axe while
working in the garden. The injury was serious but
fortunately the patient recovered from his injuries.

Besides these, there were many minor cases of accidents and
injuries during the period under report.

28. Treatment of mental condition.—The progress made
in the treatment of the sick in mind all over the world during
the last quarter of a century has been amazing. Ever since the
inception of this modern mental hospital the question of
treatment of patients has always engaged our serious attention
and we introduce all the latest approved Western methods of
treatment with due regard to Eastern conditions. On my return
from leave in 1930, I introduced many forms of new treatment
which I had picked up during my second study tour in Europe
and America in pursuit of knowledge in Psychological Medicine.

                                I.—DRUGS.

The following drugs were tried :—

(a) Sodium Luminal.—Heroic doses of sodium luminal
Gr. VI to XII per day per month were tried in several D. P.
and M. D. P. cases with acute excitement and intractable
insomnia. The results were encouraging in some cases but the
benefit was temporary.

(b) Paraldehyde.—Deep intra-muscular injections of paral-
dehyde 3III in the buttocks were tried in several cases suffering
from acute excitement with insomnia. In some cases the injec-
tions worked like a charm but failed in others.

(c) Bromo-chororal-Co.—This mixture was found to be very
useful in some cases where other hypnotics had failed to produce
good results.

(d) Soneryl.—This drug was also found to be a good
hypnotic and produced good results in some cases of excitement
and insomnia.

(e) Sodium amytal.—It did not give such satisfactory
results as a hypnotic as it gave in allaying pre-operation fear
and apprehension. This drug was largely used in all our
steinach operation cases for the above stated purpose with good
results. One capsule of sodium amytal (gr. iii) is given at bed
time on the night previous to the operation to be followed by
another capsule the next day two hours before the fixed time of
operation.