Abstract

Woodbrige Hospital had 2,257 patients in 1975. Of these 75 percent were suffering from Schizophrenia. This pattern was similar to that of developing countries like Padistan and Malaya. A study was carried out on all new admissions in 1975. There were 1,068 patients whose age ranged from 10 to 89. Schizophrenia which constituted 62% of the cases was analysed in detail. They were mainly in the age range 10-29 (64%). The sex ratio was 3 males to 2 females. Their distribution by their type of housing was similar to that of the general populations. They were better educated. The most common presentation were reports of aggressive, violent, disturbed, abnormal or withdrawn behaviour. The 10 most common symptoms were paranoid ideas, hearing of voices, talking to oneself, insomnia, aggression, abnormal behaviour, laughing to oneself, disturbed behaviour, crying to oneself and withdrawn behaviour. The most common drugs used were trifluoperazine (47%) and chlorpromazine (45%). Electroconvulsive therapy was given to 25% of the patients. Most of the patients (63%) stayed less than 20 days.