The Board of Control
News and Notes
The King has been pleased, on the recommendation of the Minister of Health, to approve the appointment of Mr. William Rees Thomas, M.D., B.S., M.R.C.P., M.R.C.S., D.P.M., as a Medical Senior Commissioner of the Board of Control, in succession to Mr. Arthur Rotherham, M.B. Dr Rees Thomas has been Medical Superintendent of the Rampton State Institution for Mental Defectives since 1920.
Appointment of Secretary
On the retirement of Mr. O. H. Dickinson, the Board of Control have appointed Mr. P. Barter to be Secretary of the Board, and Mr. W. Fairley to be Assistant Secretary.
Forthcoming Lectures
University of London, Department of Phonetics A course of six lectures on ” Defective Speech ” will be given by Miss E. C. MacLeod at University College, Gower Street, W.C.i, on Mondays, January 25th, February 1st, 8th, 15th, 22nd, 29th, at 5.30 p.m.
Miss MacLeod is the Officer-in-Charge, Orthophonies Department, Kings College Hospital, and Speech Therapist to the Institute of Medical Psychology. She will be known to many readers of Mental Welfare, as she has in the past lectured at several of the C.A.M.W. Courses and was also kind enough to write three articles on the correction of speech defects for Mental Welfare last year.
The fee for the Course is one guinea and applications for tickets should be addressed to the Secretary, University College, Gower Street, W.C.i. Institute of Medical Psychology, 51, Tavistock Square, W.C.i.
(a) A Course of sixteen lectures on ” The Theory and Practice of Mental Hygiene,” for advanced social workers, will be given at the Institute on Tues- days, beginning January 26th, 1932, at 5.45 p.m. and 8.15 p.m.
The Course has been designed to meet a demand for advanced instruction from workers already having considerable knowledge of the subject and the attendance is therefore restricted to those whose qualifications would permit them to appreciate the technical material presented. The Institute reserves the right to decide whether applicants are eligible for the Course. Numbers are limited and application forms can be had from the Hon. Lecture Secretary at the Institute.
The fee for the course is ^1 is. od. (b) Twenty Lectures on ” Psychological Types and Mechanisms,” an Introductory Course of Psychological Medicine for the General Practitioner, will be given at the Friends House, Euston Road, N.W.i (opposite Euston Station), on Wednesdays, beginning January 20th, 1932. The lectures from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. will be given by E. Graham Howe, M.B., D.P.M., and from 4.30 p.m. to 5.30 p.m., by H. Crichton-Miller, M.A., M.D. The fee for either series of 10 lectures is ? 1 ns. 6d., and the fee for both series ?2 2s. od. Full particulars and tickets can be obtained from the Hon. Lecture Secretary, Institute of Medical Psychology (address as above). These lectures are open to the Medical Profession only.
Jewish Health Organisation
The Child Guidance Clinic of the Jewish Health Organisation of Great Britain announces a short course of lectures on the Psychological Problems of Childhood to be given on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 5.30 p.m., beginning on March 1st, 1932.
The following subjects will be included : the development of child men- tality; the mechanisms of child neuroses, behaviour disorder and delinquency; the retarded child in its mental and physical aspects; the psychological testing of the difficult child; educational problems of the difficult child; the psychol- ogy of the stammerer.
The course is intended primarily for members of the medical professions and medical students and will only be held if the number of applicants is not less than fifteen, but a limited number of others interested in the subject may be admitted if found eligible by the Honorary Director. In association with the lectures, clinical demonstrations will be held afternoons only at the Child Guidance Clinic, Jews’ Free School.
The fee for the course is ?2 2s. od. for medical graduates and ^1 is. od. for students; tickets and detailed syllabus to be obtained from the Honorary Director, Child Guidance Clinic, Jews’ Free School, Bell Lane, Spitalfield, E.i. Sex Education and the Child
A series of four film illustrated lectures on Sex Education and the Child will be held at the Ladies Carlton Club, 4, Grosvenor Place, S.W.i, commenc- ing Tuesday, February 23rd, 1932, and for three subsequent Tuesdays, at n.15 a.m. The lectures will be given by Prof. Sir J. Arthur Thomson, Dr. Elizabeth Sloan Chesser, Prof. Winifred Cullis and Dr H. Crichton Miller. The fee for the course is ?1 is. od., or 7/6 for any one lecture, and can be obtained from the British Social Hygiene Council, Carteret House, Carteret Street, S.W.i, or from the National Council for Mental Hygiene, 78, Chandos House, Palmer Street, S.W.i. The lectures are being held under the auspices ?f these Societies.
World Conference of the New Education Fellowship
The Sixth World Conference of the New Education Fellowship is to be held at Nice from Friday, 29th July, to Friday evening, 12th August, 1932. The theme of this Conference is “Education and Changing Society,” and under this title two questions will be discussed : ?(1) how is education to meet the new demands made upon it by the rapid changes taking place in society, and (2) how can education contribute to the improvement of society. A leaflet announcing this Conference is enclosed with this issue and full descriptive leaflets giving details of accommodation, travel, etc., can be ob- tained from the New Education Fellowship, 11, Tavistock Square, W.C.i.
International Congress of Psychology
The Tenth International Congress of Psychology will be held at Copen- hagen, Denmark, from August 22nd to 27th, 1932. H.M. The King of Denmark has consented to preside. Psychologists and men of kindred sciences can take part as active members of the Congress for a fee of 150 French Frcs., and other persons interested can be admitted to some of the meetings as passive members for a fee of 60 Frcs. Social gatherings will be arranged and tours to Psychological Institutions in neighbouring countries have been planned. Further particulars may be obtained from Edgar Rubin, Copenhagen K., Studiestraede 6.
Research into the Causes of Mental Deficiency
The following note has been received from Dr L. S. Penrose, who, it will be remembered, was appointed in conjunction with the Medical Research Council and the Trustees of the Darwin Trust as Research Medical Officer to the Royal Eastern Counties Institution. The research at the Royal Eastern Counties Institution into the causes of mental deficiency, which is being carried out by Dr L. S. Penrose and Miss D. Newlyn, has now been progressing for nearly a year. No general report will be made just yet because it is found that the investigation of family histories takes a very long time. Most previous genetical studies have failed to take into account all the members who are concerned (i.e., miscarriages, stillbirths, etc.) and sources of information, such as verbal statements of rela- tions or friends, have not always been carefully checked. An attempt is being made to give an accurate account of the most important facts which bear on mental deficiency in every family, any member of whom is under the care of the Institution. Careful consideration is given to the accuracy of the informa- tion and it will certainly be a very lengthy piece of research.
One of the difficulties of scientific work on the problem of mental defic- iency is that so many different diseases may be responsible for the condition. Mental deficiency is, in fact, often only a symptom of some general disease. Moreover, all grades of defect, from the highest (which approximate to the normal) to the lowest, are represented among the patients on whom the study is being made. Thus, before any general report can be made, the grades and types have to be separated out.
Some special groups of cases, where the diagnosis of the condition can be made with a fair degree of certainty, take precedence over the rest. And it is hoped that some data will be available, at not too distant a date, which may throw light upon the causation of mongolism, amentia with congenital syphilis, cretinism and certain other fairly definite types of cases.
The research workers wish to express their warm appreciation of the in- valuable help they have received from representatives of the local Voluntary Associations.
Travelling Teacher for the Correction of Speech Defects
The appointment of a Travelling Teacher for the Correction of Speech Defects is a new development which may be of interest to readers. It was initiated in the autumn of 1930. The Education Committee of the C.A.M.W. were impressed, through information received from various sources, with the need for a teacher with special training and experience in the correction of speech defects among the children of their classes. The question also arose in connection with cases recommended for guardianship or on licence from institutions; in some cases an otherwise fairly intelligent boy or girl was very much hampered in the wage earning market by a defect of speech that could have been remedied by skilled treatment.
A scheme was therefore submitted to the Executive Council and approved by them for the appointment of such a Travelling Teacher, whose services would be available for Local Education Authorities, Local Authorities and Managers of Institutions. A Circular setting out the proposed scheme was sent out in November, 1930, and a sufficiently encouraging response was received to guarantee the success of such an experiment. A qualified and ex- perienced teacher, Miss Marion Fleming, was therefore appointed and began work on 1st September, 1931.
Her services are available on payment of a fee of ?9 per week to cover her salarv and expenses, for Local Authorities, Managers of Institutions, etc., but she is in the direct employment of the C.A.M.W., and applications for her services should be made to the rton. Secretary.
Miss Fleming’s services during the year September, 1931, to July, 1932, have been booked by the Education Authorities of the following areas: ? Gateshead, Jarrow, Birmingham, Stoke-on-Trent, Coventry, Cambridge and Smethwick.
Appointment to Child Guidance Clinic, Birmingham
Dr C. L. C. Burns has been appointed as Director of the new Child Guidance Clinic which is to be opened in Birmingham early this year. Dr. Burns has for the past five years acted as Physician to the Children’s Depart- ment of the Tavistock Square Clinic for Functional Disorders (now the Institute of Medical Psychology).
Dr Burns will devote eight sessions weekly to the medical work con- nected with the Special Schools, and three sessions weekly to his work as Director of the Clinic.
C.A.M.W. Training Courses, 1932
Provisional arrangements have been made to hold the following training courses in 1932; in every case the holding of the course will depend upon the sufficiency of the number of entrants.
For Medical Practitioners
London. Part 1?April nth to April 16th. Part II?April 18th to April 23rd.
For Teachers
(a) Board, of Education Short Courses of three weeks each. Elementary Course. Birmingham. August 27th to September 16th. Advanced Course. London. July 5th to July 25th. Note.?No Refresher Course will be held this year. (b) Long Course of eight weeks. London. May 30th to July 25th. For Enquiry Officers and for Occupation Centre and Institution Staff. London. July 2nd to July 23rd.
For Occupation Centre Staff.
It is hoped that short week-end instructional courses may be arranged in different centres throughout the country for supervisors and other mental health workers who cannot attend the three weeks’ course. This is to meet the needs of many who cannot afford the time to attend a long course in London more than once and who would welcome week-end refresher courses in their own areas.
It has been suggested that these courses be arranged to take in various groups of Centres and Institutions, such as (a) London and Home Counties, (b) West and South West, (c) Midlands, (d) two Northern groups. Workers interested in these proposals are asked to communicate with the Secretary, C.A.M.W., 24, Buckingham Palace Road, S.W.i.
Mental Welfare Library
The attention of readers, especially those who are also members of the C.A.M.W. Lending Library, is called to the list of additions that have been made during the past quarter. Some exceedingly useful books on Handwork were also purchased recently (a list of these appeared in the October issue of Mental Welfare) and is hoped that several new books will be added during the year. The annual subscription to the Lending Library is 10/- exclusive of postage, and particulars and a printed catalogue (price 6d.) may be obtained ?n application to the C.A.M.W.
Exhibition of Apparatus
It has been decided to arrange a travelling exhibition of educational apparatus and graded schemes of work suitable for the training of low-grade children in Occupation Centres and Institutions. The Exhibition will be available for the use of Officers of Local Authorities, staffs of Institutions, Supervisors of Centres, etc., on the payment of a small fee to cover the cost of carriage and insurance. It is hoped that the exhibition will be ready for circula- tion during the coming quarter.
Further particulars may be had on application to the C.A.M.W., and details of the scheme will be given in the next issue of Mental Welfare.
Holiday Home for Mental Defectives
The attention of readers is directed to the printed slip enclosed with this issue giving particulars of the Green Lady Hostel, Littlehampton, which is being rented by the C.A.M.W. for a period during the summer of 1932 as a holiday home for mental defectives.
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