'WHOM THE GODS DESTROY.'

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13708, 26 March 1908, Page 6

'WHOM THE GODS DESTROY.'

MENTAL HOSPITAL WORK

EXPERIENCES IN ENGLAND

[BY TELEGRAPH.—OWN CORRESPONDENT.]

Wellington, Wednesday. Some interesting particulars relating to mental hospital work in England, particularly in London, were given in the course of a conversation to a press representative by Dr. H. E. Jeffreys, assistant medical superintendent of the Porirua Mental Hospital. Dr. Jeffreys has been away on leave of absence for twelve months, during which time he has visited several of the best-known institutions for the mentally afflicted, and for six months he acted as locums tenens at the Manor Hospital, and another one in London. Manor Hospital is one of four institutionsat Epsom under the jurisdiction of the London County Council. The site was formerly an old manor house, which, with extensive grounds, was purchased by the London Council. This corporation has quite a num- < ber of mental hospitals, some of them' accommodating as many as 2000 patients. One of the recently erected buildings is the Long Grove Hospital. It is a beautiful structure, designed much after the villa system. The wards are really detached, but overhead protection from the elements is afforded peopie passing from one part of the institution to another by long roofed paths. This mode of construction ensures the safety of patients in case'of fire. Since the terrible conflagration at Colney Hatch special attention lias been given to lire appliances, and so every mental hospital has its own specially-trained firemen, who have nothing to do but keep the appliances in order and instruct the hospital staff in fire extinguishing. As a result every male and female attendant, knows exactly what to do in case of an outbreak. Some have to open doors, others to assist with the fire appliances, and others again' to get the patients out. Dr. Jeffreys saw one alarm given which convinced him of the efficiency of the brigade. In two minutes attendants from all parts of the building congregated at a certain point, and a hose was played on the building. Speaking on the, general working of mental hospitals Dr. Jeffreys said that wellpaid commissioners, one a lawyer and the other a medical man, visited every patient once a year. Each institution had its own : committee which saw to patients about to be discharged. First of "all the patients had to be .recommended by the medical superintendent, and then passed by the committee. The method of treating the mentally afflicted was much the same in New Zealand as in London. The Home authorities have a strong objection to "mechanical restraint," which is the technical term for strong rooms, strait jackets, etc. Since the abolition of even the simplest methods of mechanical restraint, such us adjusting a, pair of gloves, the staff of attendants to watcn and guard the patients has been increased, but with all their vigilance they cannot prevent patients injuring themselves on some occasions. When questioned on the subject of whether insanity was on the increase at. Home Dr. Jeffreys said, "Well, there is so much written arid spoken about that subject that I don't like to talk about it. Of course, we had quite a number of old patients in one of the wards. There were four or five patients over 80, and one old man 88 years of age was working in the bootmakers' shop. The patients worked as tailors, carpenters, bootmakers, farmers, and so on. They lived happily, and some of them would not leave the hospital for anything. At the, Cane Hill Mental Hospital they had a very fine choir indeed, and at most of the institutions an orchestra selected from the patients played the dance music, and often gave musical entertainments." Asked as to how the mental hospitals in the Dominion compared, with those at Home Dr. Jeffreys replied, have learnt a. good deal, but our institutions compare very favourably indeed. The food in England is 'certainly very good, . but ours is b"'"