THE FEEBLE-MINDED

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 8654, 12 February 1914, Page 6

THE FEEBLE-MINDED

PROBLEM OF THEIR CARE VALUABLE RESULTS OF RECENT INQUIRY. Press Association. AUCKLAND, February 11. At the last Medical Congress, held in Sydney in JOll, a committee was set investigate the prevalence of fc6ble-mindednfifss in Australasia; to educate the public, and to promote a popular campaign dealing with the same." ■; Tim report of this committee was presented to the Congress this morning. The report points out that very few people outside the medical profession realise the gravity of the problem of tlio mentally deficient: its relation to crime, and to tho multiplication of the unfit in the community. Fewer people still know anything of the modern enlightened methods, such as aro found in Europe and America, of providing for tho care and education of feeble-minded children. 'The special schools, tho after-care committees, the permanent euro colonies which make tho lives of those children happy and safeguard tho community, aro practically unknown in Australia. Tho committee, with a view to gathering complete data, sent out inquiry forms to doctors, schools, and persons interested in every part of Australasia.

In New Zealand fclics committee were Informed that the public desire for provision for the accommodation and training of'feeble-minded children was in advance of the governmental ability to supply it, and it was consequently deemed inadvisable to hold an inquiry at present, and though Dr Vnlintine bad promised to obtain approximate figures for the committee's use unfortunately these did not arrive.

The report gives tabulated statements regarding the position in each State, and indicates that a rough total of 4 'per cent, of children are definitely feeble-minded, and three times that number are mentally dull and require special training. The census reveals a grave prevalence of hereditary mental defect ciilling for legislative action and provision. The exceptional fertility of the feeble-minded is referred to at length. To the very serious evil of the propagation of this undesirable species (says the report), as well as to prevent the disastrous ' consequences to the feeble-minded themselves of untrammelled and incompetent liberty, some legislation enabling institutions under duo. legal safeguards to deal with urgent eases is required. The want of this has been the source of much disappointment in the past, where prosporous pupils under tutelage up to tho ago of eighteen have gone free through some whim of their own or their parents’ (as thev are legally entitled to do at that age), and have ruined their lives by falling into crime and vice. The sexual instinct in particular is apt ■to bo utterly uncontrolled in feebleminded persons, and the results need no reiteration. Iluloubledfy a very latgo proportion of onr habitnaT criminals. drunkards, prostitutes, and wasters are really feeble-minded, and money spent iu preventing (by detention instead of fntilely endeavouring to cure by imprisonment and fine) this mass of vice and squalor would be more nnppilv employed and would go farther. The committee aro of opinion that tho following is in general terms the direction: which legislation to provide tor the feeble-minded should take. (1) Day schools in largo centres to care for all children reasonably-sms-** pected of mental defect. These eliminate children wrongly classed as, such, and qualify them for further education through the ordinary chan-

•nels. (2) Residontal-schools for children, ot. tho sumo doubtful class from scattered districts, and for children definitelyjudged to be mentally defective. (3) In. connection with tho residential schools- to-some extent, and probably also by preference in separate country localities, residental colonies, with separation of the sexes, for the permanent- caro of tho feeble-minded on attaining adult ago . when not of so low a grade as to call for confine-* incut in such institutions as idiot asylums. The committee regards it as unfortunate that in tho public and to some extent hi tho professional oyo the life, care ,and control of - defectives should bo mixed -up with tho question of sterilisation. This, though possibly permissible in a few exceptional cases and nominally legalised in certain American States, the committee regard ms Jo r tho most part wholly unnecessary and undesirable. Control is usually quite sufficient safeguard. The expense of instituting colonies would undoubtedly be large; yet truly economical when tho present expenditure on misleading with tho feeble-minded in goals and charitable institutions is weighed in tho balance.