MENTAL HOSPITALS

Greymouth Evening Star, 17 September 1946, Page 3

MENTAL HOSPITALS

MR. SAINSBURY REPLIES TO MINISTER DEFENCE OF BOOK (P.A.) WELLINGTON, Sept. 16. “The Minister of Health in his Parliamentary attack on September 4 upon my book, ‘Misery Mansions,' made statements liable to mislead the public,” said Mr, Arthur Sainsbury in a statement to the press. “He denied the book’s statement that over 500 citizens were admitted each year to the two Auckland asylums and as-'' serted that the book said many voluntary patients were detained compulsorily. “The book did not say so. It said that those who deteriorated were detained compulsorily. The figure of 500 was taken from the Minister’s ■ letter, published in full in the book in these words: Tn the scheme you propose it .seems obvious that with an admission rate of 22 (which does not include voluntary boarders noi- the 91 patients admitted to Kingseat and should therefore be at least 500), the time of residence of each patient would be extremely short —certainly far too brief for any effective treatment.’ Staff Attitude. “The Minister said the book accused the staff as a whole of callous and. brutal treatment. The nearest thing the book said to this was: ‘We are told of kindly nurses, skilled psychiatrists, and wonderful occupational therapy. This is mostly eyewash./ have known nurses I would rank with the angels. Others are martinets. Occupational therapy is mostly forced labour.’ “Mr. Nordmeyer claims by some queer reasoning that the safest place for a person to survive to a ripe old age is in a mental hospital. Does he suggest that the proper thing to do with our old parents when we have finished with them is put them, into the asylum for the rest of their lives? “Mr. Nordmeyer with many figures contradicts the- death rate quoted. The book’s statement that three died for every two discharged cured was accurately copied from the Government Year Book. Mrs. Ross stated in the parliamentary discussion that she was ‘perfectly satisfied that everyting possible was being done to care thoroughly for the people in mental hospitals.’ Taken by Surprise. “Mrs. Ross, who had undertaken to sponsor the petition, was present at the meeting of the Health Committee which recommended against it. I was notified by her of that meeting to consider the petition, and I went down to support it. I was not told that the book was to be attacked. In that I was taken by surprise, without warning to bring evidence. I was placed in" front of the Minister and the director-general (Dr. Gray) and was closely questioned by them and by every member in turn, including Mrs. Ross. At every challenge I substantiated the charges in the book undeniably. “The only purpose of the book is to inform the public of the facts of asylum life, and show the need of properly-controlled recovery houses for mild and early nervous breakdown’ in every town. The book describes 30 stories of suffering and ill-treatment that the public would not condone.' Mr. Nordmeyer denies only one.”