dietician it was difficult to know the nutritive value of the food served to the patients. Government Mental Health Centre (GMHC), Thrissur (14th April, 2009) The per capita scale of diet was Rs. 44.43 per day. The nutritive value of food was estimated at around 2900 kilo calorie and diet supplied was adequate in terms of carbohydrate, protein, oil/fat but inadequate in terms of iron. Special diet was prescribed by the dietician to the ailing persons. The iron rich items including Coconut dry, cumin seeds, lotus stem dry (Kamal kakdi), poppy seed, turmeric, niger seeds (blank til), mango powder, cauliflower greens, Bengal gram leaves, cow pea leaves, radish leaves, mustard leaves, spinach, beet green, mint, soyabean, water melon seeds, horse gram, Bengal gram, bengal gram dal, Bengal gram roasted, black gram dal, moth beans, dry peas, roasted peas subject to availability need to incorporated in the menu: GMHC, Thrissur did not have a well lighted and ventilated kitchen. There were only two exhaust fans and no chimney. The hospital was using cooking gas, biogas and steam for cooking. Firewood was used only in emergency outside the kitchen in a separate space. Tiling had been done on the wall of the kitchen upto one metre. There were 2 fly proof windows but they were not cleaned regularly. There were platforms for washing, cutting and storing vegetables before cooking. The kitchen had a water storage tank to store the desirable quantity of water needed for cooking, cleaning and washing. The kitchen had four steam cooking steel drums for cooking and one big vessel for cleaning and draining the rice water; separate large vessels for cooking fish and mutton and seven aluminium vessels for storing cooked food. A chimney and minimum number of 4 exhaust fans need to be installed in the kitchen. All dry food items including rice, sugar, edible oil etc., and vegetables and fruits were stored in a separate enclosure which did not have the adequate light and ventilation and kept on the floor. The kitchen floor was regularly cleaned with cleaning fluids and bleaching powder and cooking utensils were cleaned with soap powder and washing soda. There were six permanent cooks and dietician was the overall in-charge of the kitchen. Vegetables and fruits should be kept in a well lighted and ventilated separate compartment and should be kept on the shelves above the ground level rather than being kept on the floor. The food was transported from the kitchen to the dining areas of the wards and most of the wards had dining tables. The food was served under the supervision of the Head Nurse and Nursing Assistants. The suggestions of the patients were solicited by the superintendent during his weekly rounds and were implemented to the possible extent. Care and Treatment in Mental Health Institutions– Some Glimpses in the Recent Period 79