10

In support of my views I append below a list showing
preponderance of inherited taints in major Psychosis and
defects:—

(1)  Manic Depressive Psychosis has the greatest inherited
taint.

(2)  Schizophrenia and Dementia Præcox have inherited
abnormalities in about 50 per cent of cases.

(3)  Epilepsy has an inherited taint in 80 per cent and
transmission is frequently direct.

(4)  A very high percentage of forebears of mental defectives
are alcoholics or the subjects of nervous disease.

24. Paying patients.—The following number of paying
patients were treated during the year under report and the two
previous years:—

A large number of applications for the admission of paying
patients had again to be refused during the year under report,
for want of proper accommodation.

25. Injuries and suicide.—With the exception of two
fracture cases and a few minor injuries and accidents, there were
no cases of serious accidents or injuries amongst the patients
during the year under report. The two cases of fracture soon
recovered after adequate treatment. Similarly, there was no
case of suicide.

That there should be a number of accidents in a Mental
Hospital of the size of the Ranchi Indian Mental Hospital is
inevitable where a large number of certified highly dangerous
patients are treated and a maximum amount of freedom is
allowed for therapeutic reasons. However, it is a matter of
great satisfaction to note that during the year under review with
the exception of a few injuries and accidents there were no
cases of fatal accidents or injuries amongst the patients.

Similarly, I am happy to be able to record that there was
no case of suicide during the period under report although many
definite attempts were made by the potential suicides of the
hospital and were timely prevented by the vigilance of the staff