50 cases of Schizophrenia (37 males, 13 females) spread into 4 sub groups which were treated in C.R.I. (H), Kottayam during the year 1988-90 have been analysed for their improvement index. The overall improvement noted in these cases are (i) Excellent 6 cases, (ii) Moderate 20 cases, (iii) Mild 6 cases. Group wise improvement is as (a) simple Schizophrenia (2/3), (b) Heberphrenic Schizophrenia (8/16), (c) Catatonic Schizophrenia 13/19) and (d) Paranoid Schizophrenia (9/12). The improvement is highly encouraging and it is suggested that further study including follow-up for a large number of cases treated in this hospital for so many years may be analysed.

          Amongst the functional psychoses, Schizophrenia has been widely studied and discussed subject both by the Psychologists and by the Psychiatrists. Besides its being most lingering, most dreaded and with indefinite prognosis it has been also misunderstood and misused. In the contemporary age, even the inconsistent behaviour of an individual or especially of a politician is being labeled as Schizophrenic. It has been defined vividly but the most comprehensive definition is "A clinical psychiatric syndrome characterized by cognitive slippage, hallucinations and delusions and often by general withdrawal from contact with the environment"¹.

          About 4% of the white population and the 9% of the non-white population are diagnosed to have Schizophrenia as sometimes in one's life (Kramer. M 1975)². The rate of first admission of Schizophrenia in a Mental hospital constitutes 35% of the total admissions and 50% of the resident population at any time³. American Health Information Foundation⁴ (1960) found 24% of the first admissions and 46% of the resident population of Schizophrenics. However, the ECA study sponsored by National Institute of Mental Health (NIHM) found the incidence (total life time prevalence) from 1.0 to 1.9 per cent (Average prevalence for men 1.1. per cent and for women 1.9 per cent)².

          Aetiologically, there is no controversy over the fact that heredity/genetic factors are respon- sible for nearly 46% to 60% of the Schizophrenic cases while Emil-kraepelin reported about 55% in the families of more than 1000 Schizophrenic persons2, where as Price mentions the concordance rate for about 60% in the monozygotic and 10% in the dizygotics. Besides heredity/genetic, Sheldon and Kratstchmer5 have emphasized upon the role of constitution in the development of Schizophrenia. Some biochemical factors like Serotonin, Mescaline, Taraxian, Ceruloplasmin etc. have been thought to be responsible for Schizophrenia. The socio-economic factors, as low social class, poverty, cultural conflicts and etc. have also been stressed upon besides the psychological factors like the parent-child relationship and pattern of rearing etc. as described under life experiences and the interaction of life experiences and heredity both1,3,4. The male sex 6 is more prone to this disorder and the adolescent age is more vulnerable and therefore the term, “Dementia Precox” was used for Schizophrenia in the earlier years of the development of psychopathology. As regards the prognosis, it is found that nearly 25% of the diagnosed population only are able to carry on the affairs of the life after recovery⁷.

** Paper presented at 2nd Asia Pacific Conference on Acupuncture, Oreiental & Alternative Medicine at Kota Bharu, Malaysia heid from 3rd to 5th September, 2000.