AROUSING INTEREST

Evening Post, Volume CXX, Issue 49, 26 August 1935, Page 7

AROUSING INTEREST

BIEDS AS DOCTORS

BENEFIT TO PATIENTS

It may come as a surprise to many • to know that aviculture is Wing of material benefit .to many of the .inmates of the Auckland Mental Hospital, states Mr. G. Rowland Hutchinson. in the'sixth bulletin of the, "Aviculture Society^ The matron, who is a. member of the Avicultural Society, Jias been taking a personal interest in aviculture and has aviaries.of birds; of the more common kinds in four different parts of the institutionl ; \.. When sufferers are admitted, for ;6b-» servation,. they live' in' quarters',facing a ; large aviary containing "..[ different coloured budgerigars,-.' Java r sparr6ws, and zebra finches. It gives them" some-" thing to watch arid ■ occupies , their minds, and is of material benefit-in the treatment of their complainV :There; is another aviary: which is the,'last, tiling you see when.leaving the institution. There is yet another one. near the quarters of patients who are ready lor discharge. - ' ' :,' The principal aviary, however,. is one in full view of the really chronic sufferers. These unfortunates,-, some of .whom are really, great'-suffeiers and have ' not. noticed anything' 7for ■ years, have been- observed. watching the birds intently..since..they .'have.- been installed'in the'aviary; The.'quickness of the Pekin robin flying around,- the antics of the budgerigar^, particularly during, the breeding season, the .pennytrumpet call of the zebra finch, and the splash of colour of .weavers, and wydahs, all assist in s ;bringihg. fo life faculties which hav^-lain dormant :if6r years. . "'." ' •■■■'■ •'':--.>-■■'•;■■.. -:".• IMPROVEMENT SHOWN. " During a recent visit to theyhpspital, Mr. Rowland-was informed of the unmistakable improvement-in', the .coix dition. of some of the worst": sufferers, owing to their" faculties!.; being jreawakeried by the birds':.. ".'■",' ']-.* .' ■: ." Truly, Mr.. Rowland: remarked, aviculture has many;uses, and'is.iat pre sent; a blessuig tb"many- sufferers. ;In. the. courtyard which- is pyerlookeQ by quarters of many'chronic' patients, it is hoped in time to erect a ;large aviary about. 100 feet irf length .by 12 feet wide. So optimistic concerning the benefits denyed > from aviculture $xc the "authorities that they have already planted this area and at one end builti a.lily_pond .with a .rustic, bridge.- intimately it is hoped to enclose the .whole of this area with wire netting/ :'.