SOLDIER MENTAL CASES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17339, 10 December 1919, Page 7

SOLDIER MENTAL CASES.

QUESTION OF SEGREGATION. VIEWS OF RETURNED MEN. i The urgent necessity for the segregation . of soldier patients in mental hospitals was ; discussed at a meeting of the Auckland Re- • turned Soldiers' executive last evening. The matter arose from the receipt of a letter from Brigadier-General D. J. McGavin, director-general or medical services, in which he stated that he could not agree with the suggestion made by the Auckland Association that there was a need for such a separate institution. "I understand," he added, "that the mental troubles affecting soldier patients do not generally differ from those afflicting civilian patients, and in any case, where this is so, the patient would receive individual attention." Concerning the establishment of entertainments and vocational training for the soldier patients, as recommended by the association, Brigadier-General McGavin stated that he had written to the Inspec-tor-General of Mental Hospitals, Dr. Hay, and he was of the opinion that should Dr. Hay consider vocational training an advantage it could be introduced. Mr. T. Long stated that on a recent visit to the lokanui Hospital he had formed the opinion that a great deal more could be done to give the soldier patients something to relieve their minds from worrying over their afflictions. At that - time no effort toward segregating the men had been made. As Mr. Long said he would be visiting the hospital next Saturday, the executive requested him to investigate and report if , any change had been effected. In connection with the same matter, the secretary of the Gisborne Defence Committee wrote stating that that body had resolved to ask the Minister in charge for , the segregation of soldiers from the civilian patients, and the provision of amusements and vocational training for them.