Page 6 Advertisements Column 1

Colonist, Volume LVI, Issue 13391, 12 February 1914, Page 6

TH'S MEPICAj.CONGRESS. LEADING DOCTORS' PAPERS.' ADDRESS.BY MR. HOLMAN. - 11EPORT ON FEEBLE-MINDEDNKSS ' .'iIUMTKD JPBESS "ASSOCIATION.] Auckland, Feb. 11. The sittings of the Medical Congress continued to<lay,. and papers w«e refcd,, and interesting <ilscu^ l°n' f t£ place in practically every one. of the Seven departments of the conference. of Brisbane, read a paper giving the results of a comparaftassttpgg in I noise, as when riding *» *w™»* Sited in. young, people^ the oldei patients being less satisfactory .Other members of the section quoted their experience with the method, and agreed with Dr. Robertson in his conclusion. ' CtWUr. In an interesting paper on In©. Mental Measurement of Children, contributed by Dr. Harveyon Button, (of the Melbourne Education Department) the subject of standardising the powers of thought was dealt with as necessary in practical work, and m the interests of the movement designed far the benefit of children. . The Binet system of testing and fixing a certain standard to constitute normality for each age was mentioned tav°UTherye was a large attendance of members of the section of medicine to hear Dr. Colqulmm, of Dunedin read a masterly poper on "Rheumatoid Arthritis," a disease similar to, but in no way connected with, rheumatism. The exact origin of the disease is yet a matter of speculation and discussion. fThis condition is at present being treated by radium emanations, apparently with' some success. The congress was addressed by Mr iSolman, Premier of New South Wales, on the administration of public health Sis Government was giving special consideration to the question of mater- . aity, and the protection of child lite. Special women's hospitals existed, and their functions were recently specially •enlarged. The Government proposed to build others to meet the growing "feeling that confinements should as far as possible occur where the most modern scientific facilities were available; and to encourage the confinement of women in hospitals specially adapted for the purpose, rather than in their own homes. It was proposed to pro-: vide every new hospital in country districts with sufficient beds to meet possible requirements. The Federal Government gave a maternity bonus m all cases of confinement. A hospital was recently provided for the specific purpose of combating gastro Enteritis. The Government w,as now Jbuildmg special hospitals for children in large country centres to counteract the high mortality in child life there. In.connection with the medical inspection of schools, it was intended to start almost immediately what might be called a; travelling hospital, staffed by two : medical officers, one dentist, and one \ nnrse to deal with teeth and eye troubles, and where necessary give I anaesthetics in minor operations such as tho removal of adenoids, large tonsils, etc. He and his colleagues were strongly impressed with the need for preventive treatment in mental cases. It was intended to provide for this | work on modern lines. . The report of a committee appointed in. 1911 to investigate, tho. |>ievaknce of j feeble-mindedness in Australasia, to j educate the public, and to promote a--popular campaign dealing with the same, was presented. The report gives I tabulated statements regarding the position in each State, and indicates that a rough total of 4 per cent, of chi.d-j ron are definitely feeble-minded, and three times the number are mentally dull, and require special treating lire census taken reveals a grave prevalence ] of hereditary mental-defect, calling lor ■legislative action, and provision. Jhe exceptional fertility of the i eeblcivinded is referred to at length,- 'Jo avert the very serious evil of the/pro-, ,-pnation of the undesirable species, ..ays the report, "as well as to present the disastrous consequents to the f--*eble-minded themselves ot untramxuallud and incontinent liberty, some Wislation enabling institutions, 'under due legal safeguards/to deal with urgent cases, is required. Tlic sexual instinct is particularly apt to be utterly uncontrolled in fesblo-mincled persons, ,?a<\ the results need no reiteration Undoubtedly a very largo proportion or oirr habitual criminals, drunkards, prostitutes, and wastrels are really feeble-minded, and mone.\ spent in preventing by detention, instead' or iuvlelv endeavouring to t.-ur.e. by .lmpri■«o:iment and fine, this mass of vice««id.squalor, would bo more happily j employed, and would go farther. ''Tiie committee is of opinion tlmt €i:e following is, in general terms, tho rt"rocfeion which legislation to-provide for thfj feeble-minded should take: (I) !Da.y schools in largo, centres to train all- children reasonably suspected of mental defect. These will eliminate children wrongly classed as such,, and qualify them for further education j through the ordinary channels. (2) j Residential schools for /children of the same doubtful class from scattered dis- ' ti-:.cts, and for children definitely judged, to be mentally defective^ (3) ln ( connection witli the residential schools to some extent, and probably also by :pi-cf.t>ronce in separate oountry. localities, residential colonies with separation of the sexes for the" permanent care- of the feeble-minded on attaining adult age, when not of so low a grade as to call for confinement in such institutions as idiot asylums."

Papers were read in'the surgery ecction by Dr. P. Fiaschi, jim., of Sydiu-\ find by Dr. Nash, oi Sidney, dealing' with Mcltzcr's srtifif.'ial pulmonary ventilation, and of insufflation nna^stheria, and with the application of the iidrtxo tetcheal adtuimstratiori of ether. i';e}t»:-r's method stands a_s tha greatest advance in surgery during the past few y.\u\s, and it has rendered surgery of th'j chest and its various organs'as accessible to t!ie a. avn^d surgeon o.s t)io> onvaas of the abdcminal cavity. Tii-i vaius of the j.v-st-'in of administfria»; other doscribsd by Dr. Nash in th" troritjneitt of roam- dangerous theer -:-.'s3.'j is best iilu.strati-cl b.v its effect o,; the operation tor t3ie removal of Jijaitic'-s. The diiu<uilty winch the pre-Pv^it-c'r.y CYstora ha a -to rr.o'st with w ihw t in" op<jniiiis the rli('-,t ra\ity: thero

JHJHGJHGJ