News and Notes
C.A.M.W. Conference, December 2nd and 3rd.
We wish to draw attention to page 117, giving full particulars of the Conference to be held in December. We would especially ask all those working with Local Voluntary Associations for Mental Welfare to make a special effort this year to attend.
About 500 people usually attend the Conference, representing the varying aspects of the work among mentally deficient people, and the informal exchange of views is of great value. The names of the lecturers set out on page 117 are sufficient guarantee of the high quality of the matter to be presented to the delegates.
C.A.M.W. Courses.
The Refresher Course for teachers, held for the Board of Education at Aberystwyth from August 4th to 11th, was entirely successful, and it will probably become a regular feature of our programme of Courses.
Thirty-four teachers attended, and all of them had previously attended at least one, and practically all two, of our ordinary Courses. The University of Aberystwyth provided classrooms and hostel accommodation. The Course included lectures and Eurythmics and a display of handwork.
A Magistrates’ Course is to be held in February. To meet the convenience ?f magistrates, whose time is usually very much occupied, it is intended that the Course should last not more than three days, and that it should consist of morning lectures and afternoon demonstrations, all to be held in London. Visits to Institutions will only be arranged if asked for. It is hoped that for this more restricted Course .there will be a large attendance of magistrates, and it may be expected that the Course will be especially convenient to those in London and the Home Counties.
We have been fortunate in securing the services of Dr Cyril Burt, Dr. Bernard Hart and Dr Tredgold. Dr Burt will lecture on the Delinquent Child, ^r- Hart on Mental Disorders, and Dr Tredgold on Mental Deficiency. Sir Leslie Scott, K.C., M.P., has promised to give the opening address. Industrial School for Girls.
Inval School, Haslemere, a school for girls, under the Home Office, was closed on September 30th. This small school was especially adapted for girls of 12 years of age and over requiring special care and training through mental ?r physical disability.
It seems a matter of much regret that a school which gave some opportunity or special training of ” border-line ” cases should be closed. Though the ?me Office gives no public indication of the reason for closing the school, we
suspect that the upkeep was unduly high owing to its small numbers. The closing of the school brings to mind again the need for ” border-line ” homes especially for children and young people who have not come before the Courts. The evidence of the C.A.M.W. before the Royal Commission on the subject of such homes has been published as a pamphlet.
Encephalitis Lethargica.
Weekly notifications (reproduced from the Lancet) :? Week ending Week ending Week ending July 3 52 Aug. 7 39 Sept. 4 29 ,, 10 37 ? 14 46 ,, 11 28 ,, 17 47 ,, 21 39 ,, 18 38 ? 24 39 ,, 28 39 ? 25 36 ,, 31 44 219 163 131 Total 513
Birmingham Special Schools’ After-Care Sub-Committee. In the report of this Committee, published in July, we read the following interesting statement : ‘’ The most striking thing the records show is the great increase in the number of persons of both sexes doing remunerative work. This year there are 1,107 males at work, compared with 799 last year?an increase of 308?and in the case of females, 582 are doing remunerative work, compared with 481 last year?an increase of 101. In addition to there being an increase in the number of defectives in employment, there is also an increase in the wages earned.” The Sub-Committee thinks that these results ” may legitimately be claimed as an indication of the progressive value of the instruction given in the Special Schools.”
The Royal Sanitary Institute, Jubilee and London Congress. At this extremely comprehensive Congress in July, sectional meetings were held on ” Sanitary Science and Preventive Medicine,” ” School Hygiene ” and many other subjects of great administrative importance.
The section on Sanitary Science and Preventive Medicine was presided over by Sir George Newman, and among the papers read were Dr Tredgold’s ” The Place of Inheritance in Preventive Medicine ” and Dr Newsholme’s ” Preventive Medicine and the Healthy Mind.” Dr Tredgold gave a summary of the figures of various official reports. Though they cannot, for lack of adequate comparative statistics, tell us whether the physique and health of body and mind of the nation has declined, they do at least tell us that we are ” still very far from being a liealthy nation.” Dr Tredgold very aptly summed up the causes of disease. ” Viewing the matter broadly, it can be said that all ill-health, disease, and defective mental and physical development are explicable by a simple formula.
They are the result of the non-adaptation of the individual to the inimical agencies of his surroundings. In other words, they are the resultant of the two factors? inheritance and environment.” Dr Tredgold stated that he was of opinion that at ” the present time the Insane and Mental Defectives together comprise about 1 per cent, of the population of the country,” and that ” probably 80 per cent, of Mental Defectives owe their condition to innate defect, which no attention to the environment can obliterate.” Dr Newsholme gave a particularly clear exposition of the inter-relation of mind and body. He added : ” Whatever limitations science may ascribe to the control of mind over body, sufficient has been said to make it clear that preventive medicine cannot be fully preventive until it includes the mind within its province. Unhealthy prolongation of emotions has been seen to be capable of causing changes in the physical condition of the body, to the extent of producing functional disease; and common-sense concludes that, with undue continuance, functional may pass into organic disease,” and he concluded : ” Preventive medicine needs no new weapon to conquer the realm of the mind, but only a better understanding of the directions in which to apply more vigorously weapons even now in use.”
Agnes Western Occupation Centre Camp at Berkhamsted, Aug. 3rd?13th, 1926. A cottage was very kindly lent by Mrs. White, of Woodcock Hill, Berkhamsted. There was accommodation for nine children, and it was decided to take boys only. Their ages ranged from 13 to 26 years. The Camp was in charge of two people of wide experience, who were assisted by a young helper. The day began at eight o’clock, when the boys got up. They were left to dress and wash themselves, and took great pride in showing themselves with clean hands, necks and teeth every morning. They were all washed thoroughly at night, under supervision, but it was remarkable how much care they took of their person and appearance.
After breakfast each one had a little job, washing up, making beds, brushing rooms, etc., and the rest of the morning was spent in play. After dinner came the walk, which the boys thoroughly enjoyed; they were interested in everything, the wild flowers, which they rejoiced to be able to pick, the birds, the trees and the open country. No one was ever too tired to walk, and they managed quite long distances.
A glorious meadow next the cottage was purposely kept free from cattle so that the children could play there, and they had cricket, rounders and other organised games.
Much could be said about the behaviour of the children and the way in which they developed both mentally and physically, even in the all-too-short fortnight. There was not a tear throughout the whole time; they sang at their work, sang at their play, and sang themselves happily to sleep at night. It was a revelation to find how many songs of the popular order they had learnt and pould sing. One boy, who had never spoken at the Centre, was found to be joining in the songs, and before the end of the holiday he was dancing, running and playing cricket with the rest of them.
Everyone was struck with the obedience and good manners of the boys. The total cost of the Camp amounted to about ?17, including the purchase of blankets and one or two other items, which are in stock. I he cost was defrayed by contributions, averaging 8s. each, from the parents of the children, and by a grant from the Finsbury Fresh Air Fund and donations from friends. In estimating the value of a Camp, not only must the direct gain to the child from a fresh-air holiday be considered. One of the great advantages ls the opportunity it affords the supervisor or social worker of getting to know the child more intimately. 1 here may be a totally new response, as in the case of the boy mentioned above, to the greater freedom of conditions approximating more closely to the home. Greater knowledge of the child as an individual is possible.
We should be glad to receive details of other Camps organised by Local Associations or Occupation Centre Committees.
Congratulations to Dr Devine.
We should like to offer our congratulations to Dr Devine on his recent appointment to the post of Medical Superintendent of Holloway Sanatorium, Virginia Water.
He has shown a constant interest in the work of this Association, and as Medical Superintendent of the Corporation Mental Hospital, Portsmouth, he worked wholeheartedly for the success of the Portsmouth Voluntary Association for Mental Welfare, and guided it in its initial stages. Indeed, he was largely instrumental in starting it. He acted as Hon. Medical Adviser, and saw a large number of border-line and neurotic cases on behalf of the Association. By his personal influence, and by many addresses on the subject, such as his address to doctors and officials last year at Reading, he has done much to increase the public interest in the adequate care of sub-normal persons. The People’e League of Health.
We are glad to note that the League is arranging a course of eight lectures, beginning at 6 p.m. on November 1st (fee for the course, 10s.), on ” The Mind, and What We Ought to Know About It.” Among those who have promised to lecture are Sir Maurice Craig, Sir Robert Armstrong-Jones, Dr E. Mapother, Dr Crichton Miller, and Dr Tredgold. Particulars can be obtained from the People’s League of Health, 12, Stratford Place, W.l. Mental Deficiency and Rescue and Preventive Work.
The Central Council for Rescue and Preventive Work in London have directed their attention to the important question of mental deficiency as it affects Rescue and Preventive Work. With the assistance of the London County Council they undertook a preliminary investigation into the mental status of girls in Rescue and Preventive Homes. The report of the Medical Officers of the County Council was of great interest, and showed that further investigation would be valuable. At this stage the Central Council laid the matter before the Medical Research Council.
The Medical Research Council have decided to appoint an Investigator to work in co-operation with the Central Council on the question. Active work will shortly begin.
British Social Hygiene Council Summer School.
The Summer School at Oxford, from July 26th to 31st, proved a great success.
Free public lectures were held, notably on ” The Government Social Hygiene (speakers, Dr Norris and Miss Kelly) and ” Juvenile Delinquency (speaker, Dr Burt).
Dr W. F. Snow’s lecture on ” Retrospect and Forecast in Mental Hygiene ” and Dr Hadfield’s course of lectures on ” The Materials of Character,” ” Psycho- logical Mechanism,” ” Abnormalities of Mind and Character ” and the ” Psychological Conception of Sexuality,” and Dr Brown’s lecture on the ” Adolescent and the Community ” served to show the attention paid at this Summer School to the psychological aspect of social hygiene.
Warwickshire Voluntary Association for Mental Welfare.
A new development in Warwickshire is of much interest. A bed is to be set apart in one of the General Hospitals for nervous cases, which, in the opinion of the general practitioner, appear to be incipient lunacy, although at the time very definitely uncertifiable. One of the lunacy experts attached to the County Mental Hospital will visit and advise treatment. Whether the case recovers in the General Hospital or has to be certified and sent to the Mental Hospital and is later discharged, after-care is to be in the hands of the Voluntary Association. It is hoped that the scheme may extend throughout the county. A very valuable piece of preventive work is here indicated.
The M.D. Bill.
This Bill came before the House of Lords in July, and after passing the third reading, was introduced into the House of Commons. It is hoped that it may become law in the autumn session.
The Bill appears to have met with general approval.
Clause 1 (2) gives greater precision to the definition of the term ” mental defectiveness ” and should do much to remove the difficulties which from time to time arise in administering the Act. The Clause runs :? “For the purpose of this section ‘ mental defectiveness ‘ means a condition of arrested or incomplete development of mind, whether innate or induced after birth by disease, injury or other cause.”
Though the words ” from birth or from an early age ” are omitted, it is quite clear that the new wording is meant to include only those whose mental defective- ness is produced by causes operating before they have attained full mental development, while excluding those whose mental disease or degeneracy has arisen at a date subsequent to the maturity of their faculties. We understand that the definition was drafted after repeated consultation With medical experts and administrators.
Clause 2 (3) will introduce a reform that has long been demanded. Hitherto the Education Authorities have only been empowered to notify for guardianship pr institutional care. The new clause will allow notification for supervision Jn cases where the Education Authority are of opinion that, though a defective after the age of 16 is not in need of institutional care or guardianship, he requires continued supervision. This amendment will greatly assist in obtaining adequate after-care for those remaining at home.
By allowing contracts between Local Authorities, and by allowing a County Council or a County Borough in their capacity as Education Authority and M.D. Act Authority, to provide institutions to be used both as Certified Institutions and Certified Schools, the new Bill, if it becomes law, will do something to facilitate the more rapid provision of Institutions by Local Authorities. G’ft to the Library.
Sir Horace and Lady Darwin have generously presented to the Library Henry Head’s monumental work on ” Aphasia and Kindred Disorders of ^peech,” which has just been published in two volumes by the Cambridge University Press.
It is indeed most helpful to receive as a gift a book of such value, which Would have been a heavy item in the Library’s accounts.
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