by two dieticians and one officer incharge of the kitchen. The daily budget allocation for food was Rs. 50/- per patient. This compared favourably with the scale fixed by most of the other mental health hospitals. Within this broad scale, IHBAS had introduced therapeutic diet scales such as normal diet, semisolid diet, diabetic diet, salt restricted diet, low fat diet, high protein diet, high carbohydrate diet, high fibre diet, liquid diet. The nutritive value of food worked out to 3000 kilo calories, Protein 94 gm, fat 58 gm and carbohydrates 550 gm. The calorie percentage of Carbohydrate - 71%, Protein - 12% and Fat - 17% was in order. Special festival diets were served on Republic Day, Holi, Independence Day, Dusserah, Diwali, Idul Fitr and Christmas. The Kitchen had a concrete chimney, 10 exhaust fans and tiling on the walls upto the height of 1 metre. Separate large plastic trays were used to wash vegetables and vegetables were cut on wooden blocks over marbled surface counters and were cooked directly after cutting and washing. Electric dough kneader and chapatti making machines were available in the kitchen. Food once cooked was transported through food trolleys from the kitchen to the various wards and served to the inpatients in the dining area/pantry in the wards under supervision of the staff nurse present during service of each meal. There were 10 cooks who were assisted by 6 attendants employed on contract basis in the kitchen. The medical examination of cooks was done twice a year. There was a gas plant adjacent to the kitchen for supply of gas. IHBAS was procuring rice, sugar, atta, pulses, spices/condiments and edible oil etc. for a month from Kendriya Bhandar on the basis of requisition sent every month. Most of the perishable commodities (milk, milk products, vegetables, eggs) were kept in the refrigerator at 5º to 8º Celsius temperature. Hospital for Mental Health (HMH), Ahmedabad (20th August, 2010) A model diet chart (both routine diet and special diet) prescribed by Government of Gujarat for patients of all State Mental Health Hospitals fully meet the norms prescribed by ICMR. Daily per capita diet expenses of Rs. 54.30 compared very well with diet expenses incurred by other mental health hospitals elsewhere in the country. A Diet Committee was monitoring the tidiness of kitchen, diet quality and all other diet related activities in the absence of a dietician. The quality and nutritive value of food prepared in the kitchen was checked by the RMO and in his absence by the present MO. The food should have more leafy green vegetables. Fried items like puri and pakoras may be avoided. The Central Kitchen conformed to all the norms and parameters. Food was served on dining tables and chairs placed in large sized dining halls. The patients used to remove their slippers outside and wash their hands and feet before having food. However, the gap dinner served at 6.30 PM and breakfast at 7.30 AM might cause gastric problems. Care and Treatment in Mental Health Institutions– Some Glimpses in the Recent Period 77