10

to eradicate totally the breeding places of these mosquitos.
However, we are doing our best to keep the mosquito nuisance
away from the hospital as much as possible.

The '' Thresh disinfector " machine worked efficiently in
disinfecting patients' clothing and bedding throughout the year
under report.

29. Treatment of mental conditions.—(i) Hydrotherapy.—
During the year under report 102 cases were given this treat-
ment as against 69 in the previous year. The average number
of hours of emersion per patient was 77.60.

It is a very active therapy department and is worked to its
fullest capacity at all times. During the year under report 10
continuous baths have been in operation daily and were chiefly
instrumental in allaying excitement and insomnia in highly
excited and boisterous cases. There was a great rush on the
baths during the year as we had 132 admissions and most of
them were chronic refractory cases.

(ii) Diet.—Particular attention is paid to the dieting of the
patient with the result that the majority of the patients gained
in weight during the year under report.

Artificial feeding was resorted to 730 times during the year
under report only in cases exhibiting active refusal to food.

(iii) Occupational therapy.— This form of therapy still
remains here as the sheet anchor of our treatment. It was
vigorously carried out throughout the year under report and
patients of both sexes were employed in various occupational
therapy departments.

A very brief outline of the work done in these departments
is as follows : —

Weaving, cane and bamboo work, smithy, carpentry,
tailoring, cobbling, mending clothes, mattress and
pillow- making, lace-making, knittings, embroidery
work, durrie-making, gardening, domestic and office
work, joss-stick-making, etc.

All the articles manufactured are generally utilized by the
hospital, in fact articles are manufactured with a view to make
this large mental hospital partly self-supporting in its various
demands, but again this is of secondary importance to the
beneficial effect that the occupation itself has upon the mental
condition of the patients. It is the policy of this hospital ever
since its inception to make the occupational therapy depart-
ments, which serve as excellent Therapeutic agents, to be useful,
both to the patients as well as to the State.