Doors of Hope
Visits to Mental Hospitals on the Continent.
- Author:
Mabel Hankin. John
Bale, Sons & Danielsson. Ltd. 2/6. Post free, 2/9.
This little book contains notes on visits to Mental Hospitals in France, Holland and Bel- gium (including the Gheel Colony) by one whose qualifications comprise experience in mental nursing, keen sympathy and perception, and a high idealism.
Its form is colloquial and its material is loosely put together, but the pictures given of the various institutions visited?often in the face of obstacles which would daunt any but the most ardent investigator?are lively and animated, and what the narrative lacks in detailed pre- cision it gains in vividness of presentation.
The writer does not attempt to conceal her own views?-which are implicitly if not explicitly revealed in almost eveiy chapter?as to the need for mental nursing to be looked upon as a religious vocation rather than a professional career, and she feels it to be significant that in mental hospitals where the nursing and ad- ministrative control is in the hands of Religious Orders (usually in such cases the Rev. Mother is entirely responsible for everything but the actual medical work), there is such a high per- centage of cures and attempted suicides are so rare.
By the ” expert ” this book will probably be lightly regarded but to the lay person without special knowledge but with a concern for the welfare of those who are suffering, it should be suggestive and enlightening, and we hope that it will be widely read. A.L.H.
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