News and Notes
Birmingham Special Schools After-Care Committee
Every year since 1925, this Committee has included in its annual report the results of investigations into the family histories of former Special School children in Birmingham. These enquiries have shown that in 602 families, 1,183 children have been born. In 312 of these families the father was an ex- pupil and in 290 the mother, this latter group including 38 illegitimate children born to 31 unmarried mothers. The majority of the children over 5 years old are attending elementary schools and in the absence of contrary information are assumed to be normal. Sixteen are known to be definitely mentally defec- tive and though this may be an under-estimate, even when full allowance is made for cases not ascertained (as they may not be ascertained until the age of 7 years), the proportion of mentally defective children in this group would not exceed 5 %.
Tables of statistics of the work being done by ex-Special School pupils show that of 5,303 cases, 1,913 are doing remunerative work. A classification of their employment gives the highest numbers in unskilled factory and out-door work for men, and warehouse or factory work for the women.
Mentally Defectives in London Casual Wards
The Report of the London County Council on Public Health for the year 1931 includes the account of an investigation which has been carried out into casual wards with a view to ascertaining whether any of the inmates were mentally deficient.
Three methods were employed in this investigation: (a) such inmates as had been suggested by the superintendent of the casual ward were examined in detail by the certifying officer under the Mental Deficiency Acts; (b) on some occasions a certifying officer was present at a monthly special examination of the inmates by the local visiting medical officer; (c) on certain other occasions a certifying officer visited particular wards and set aside for further investigation any who showed signs of abnormality.
As a result of the first method it was found that there were the following cases:?mental deficiency 4; psychosis 1, instability or mild dementia (not certifiable) 5; cases in which special treatment was desirable 3. Of the re- mainder, it was suggested that the persons concerned were of rather poor type in intelligence and cultural level, but they fell within the lines of normality. More detailed examination of 631 cases showed cases of mental deficiency 4; psychosis 4; instability or mild dementia 6; bad stammering 6.
The Report states that the proportion of mental deficiency found was lower than had been anticipated by the certifying officers, but the super- intendents were of opinion that this was in accord with their past experience.
Royal Medico-Psychological Association
Readers will be interested to hear that Dr F. Douglas Turner, Medical Superintendent of the Royal Eastern Counties Institution, Colchester, and a prominent member of the C.A.M.W., has been elected President of the Royal Medico-Psychological Association from January, 1933.
This is the first time that this important office has been held by a specialist in mental deficiency and we congratulate Dr Turner on the well deserved honour conferred on him.
Beckenham Special School. Presentation to H.R.H. Prince George.
The children of Churchfields Special School have been honoured by a commission to make, in their handicraft class, a souvenir to be presented to H.R.H. Prince George on the occasion of the opening of the new Town Hall at Beckenham on October 20th, 1932. The presentation will be made on behalf of the 4,000 elementary school children of Beckenham, and consists of a handsome leather case upon which is embossed Beckenham’s new Coat of Arms. The children and their Headmistress, Miss Ross, are to be congratulated on this signal recognition of the good work done in the school.
Leeds Colony for Mental Defectives
A large extension to Meanwood Park Colony, Leeds, has recently been officially opened. Meanwood Park was purchased in 1921 and the original mansion adapted for the accommodation of 95 patients and staff. The Colony has now been extended to accommodate 423 patients: 160 male and 263 female defectives. Seven new buildings have been added to the Colony, which is planned on the small villa principle with about 60 patients to each villa. A school has also been built.
The scheme is by no means finished. It is intended to house 1,000 defectives when completed and to include workshops, a hospital and an assembly hall. Hie extension was formally opened by Dr Hawkyard, Chair- man of the Leeds Mental Health Services Committee.
Cardiff City Mental Hospital
The Report of the Cardiff City Mental Hospital for the past year shows that the Mental Treatment Act of 1930 is meeting important needs in Cardiff. Of the 203 patients admitted to the Mental Hospital during the year, 105 came as voluntary or temporary patients and 81 of the chronic cases were transferred to voluntary cases. Examples are quoted of cases who have benefited from early treatment. Attendance has increased at the Out-Patient Clinic and many patients attending there have been willing to be admitted to hospital as voluntary patients.
Occupational therapy is being developed steadily and the work of after- care has been promoted by the appointment of a social worker who reports on the personal histories and home conditions of the patients and keeps in touch with them when they have left the hospital.
Forthcoming Lectures
ROYAL INSTITUTE OF PUBLIC HEALTH. A course of lecture-discussions on Mental Defectiveness as a Medico-Sociological Problem will be given at this Institute, 23, Queen Square, London, W.C.I, at 4.0 p.m., on Thursdays, commencing October 27th. The opening lecture will be given by Prof. R. J. A. Berry, Chairman of the Mental Deficiency Committee of the British Medical Association. Other lecturers are Dr R. M. Stewart, Dr R. G. Gordon, Dr C. P. Blacker, Dr Letitia Fairfield, and Dr Doris Odium. No tickets of admission are required.
NATIONAL COUNCIL FOR MENTAL HYGIENE. A series of Lecture-Discussions on Mental Hygiene in Every-Day Life will be given on Wednesdays at 5.30 p.m., com- mencing October 12th, in the Lecture Room of the Medical Society of London, 11, Chandos Street, Cavendish Square, W.l. The lecturers include Dr H. Yellowlees, Dr Mary Barkas, Dr William Brown, Dr Graham Howe, Dr Isabel Wilson, and Dr R. G. Gordon. Tickets, price 7/6 for the Course, or 1/6 each, can be obtained from the National Council of Mental Hygiene or at the doors.
THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF CHILD PSYCHOLOGY. A Course of ten lectures on The Growth and Development of the Normal Child, is being held at the Caxton Hall, Westminster, S.W.I, on Thursdays at 6.15 and 8.15 p.m., commencing on November 3rd. The fee for the Course is ?1 Is. Od. (students 10/6). Single tickets can also be obtained. Particulars may be obtained from the Lecture Secretary, National Institute of Child Psychology, 20, Warwick Crescent, W.2.
MARRIAGE AND ITS PROBLEMS. A series of four lectures 011 Marriage and its Problems is to be held at the Mayfair Hotel, Berkeley Street, W.l, on Tuesdays at 11.15 a.m., com- mencing on November 8th. The fee for the Course is ?1 Is. Od., and tickets and all particulars may be obtained from the British Social Hygiene Council or from the National Council for Mental Hygiene, under whose joint auspices these lectures are being held. THE INSTITUTE OF MEDICAL PSYCHOLOGY. It is not possible with the space at our disposal to give particulars of all the Courses of Lectures organised by the above Institute. They include post-graduate Courses for Medical Practitioners, Courses for Psychological Students, and for advanced Social Workers. Full particulars of the Courses will be sent on application to the Hon. Lecture Secretary of the Institute, 51, Tavistock Square, W.C.I, or after November, 1932, Torrington Place, W.C.I.
Public Health Congress
This Congress, to be opened by Sir E. Hilton Young, Minister of Health, is to be held at the Agricultural Hall, Islington, from Monday, November 14th, to Saturday, November 19th, inclusive.
The programme includes papers dealing with Housing and Slum Clear- ance, Infant Welfare, Occupational Therapy in Mental Hospitals and Industries in Mental Deficiency Institutions. These last two papers, on Wed- nesday morning, November nth, will be read by Lt.-Col. C. F. de Salis (Occupation Officer of the Kent County Mental Hospital), and Captain C. W. Mayer, Secretary and Superintendent, Royal Western Counties’ Institution, Starcross. Mr. Brock, Chairman of the Board of Control, will be in the Chair. The Women Public Health Officers’ Association is arranging a session from 3.0 to 5.0 p.m. on Saturday, November 9th, when the Chair will be taken by Miss Gertrude Tuckwell, C.H., J.P., and a paper on ” Women : their Value in the Public Health Service,” will be given by Miss Amy Sayle, M.B.E., M.A., Chairman of the Association.
Members of Associations for Mental Welfare are invited to attend any sessions of the Congress which might be of special interest to them. Copies of the programme and delegates’ tickets admitting to any part of the Congress and also to the Exhibition which is being arranged in connection with it, can be obtained on application to the Congress Organising Committee, 13, Victoria Street, London, S.W.i.
Conference on Mental Welfare. December 1st and 2nd, 1932. The bi-ennial Conference of the Central Association for Mental Welfare will be held in British Medical Association House on Thursday and Friday, December 1st and 2nd, 1932. There will be two sessions daily, morning and afternoon, and the subjects of discussion will include:?The Boarding-Out of Suitable Cases from Mental Hospitals; the Scope and Possibilities of Home Training; The Social Control of Feeble-Minded Children leaving Elementary Schools; the Inheritance of Mental Deficiency; and School Retardation as a Factor in Certain Conduct Problems of Childhood and Adolescence.
The Opening Address will be given on December ist by Lt.-Com. Rt. Hon. Sir Hilton Young, M.P., Minister of Health, and among the speakers will be Mrs. Cooke Hurle, Somerset Mental Deficiency Committee; Dr Ashleigh Glegg, M.O.H. for East Sussex; Mr. E. J. Lidbetter; Mr. A. C. Cameron, Director of Education for Oxfordshire; Dr Emanuel Miller, Medical Director of the East London Child Guidance Clinic; and Miss Lucy Fildes, Ph.D., Chief Psychologist, London Child Guidance Clinic. The afternoon session on Thursday, December ist, has been arranged jointly with the British Social Hygiene Council, whose Conference on The Place of Biology in Education is being held in the same week.
In connection with the paper on The Scope and Possibilities of Home Training, to be given on Thursday morning, December ist, a small exhibition of work carried out by defectives who are being taught under the scheme organised by the C.A.M.W. for the Middlesex County Council, in Occupation Centres and Industrial Centres and in their own homes, will be on view at B.M.A. House.
Tickets, price 10/6, admitting to all sessions of the Conference, vouchers for cheap railway fares, and all information may be obtained from the Secretary, C.A.M.W., 24, Buckingham Palace Road, S.W.i.
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