The Daily News. FRIDAY, JANUARY 19, 1923. THE MENTALLY INFIRM.

Taranaki Daily News, 19 January 1923, Page 4

The Daily News. FRIDAY, JANUARY 19, 1923. THE MENTALLY INFIRM.

The movement which has been started for the establishment of half-way houses for senile demential eases marks another step towards the classification and treatment of the mentally afflicted. Although great strides have' been made in the last half century in arriving at a better understanding as to methods of treatment of these unfortunate cases, much remains to be done, not only in the interests of the sufferers, but as a duty to the publie. There are in New Zealand seven public mental hospitals maintained wholly, or in part; out of the public revenue. Of the 873 persons admitted to these hospitals in 1920, there, were 726 admitted for the first time. The causes assigned for insanity were chiefly as follow: Heredity 84, congenital 11G, previous attacks 122, senility 120, prolonged mental stress 88, alcohol 64, syphilis 29, epilepsy 28, ill-health 24, unknown 51. Even a cursory study of this list should suffice to bring conviction that there must be a considerable outcrop of eases which do not find their way to these hospitals. For instance, senile decay only accounts for 120 cases, while it. is well known that many eases under this head are not treated at any hospital, while some are to be found in the homes for old people. It is also common knowledge that there are quite a number of mentally defective children who receive no special eare at all, but are allowed to be the butt of other children, as well as a serious infliction on the patience of school teachers. Altogether, the number of eases which, in the words of the Inspec-tor-General of Mental Hospitals, requiring only custodial care and nursing,” must be comparatively large. Manifestly this matter is a national one and should be treated as such. Although there are degrees of mental affliction, yet they are all included in the same general category. The progress made in the direction, of classification indicates the existence of a better comprehension of the principles that should be followed in the care of the mentally afflicted. The latest idea of a half-way house appears to meet a real need, but possibly a better plan would be, instead of having seven general public mental hospitals, to rearrange this system and set apart some of these institutions for meeting the special needs of those who merely need eare and nursing, while at least one might be devoted to mentally afflicted children. The Governnaent cannot with justice shunt its responsibilities for the care of mental defects on to hospital boards, which are already overweighted with duties and restricted in finance. If these boards have to take charge of patients suffering from senile decay then they must be provided with the necessary financial aid, not only to find special accommodation, but a special staff. This charge is rightly one that should be borne by the national purse and not by local rates. The same contention applies to the care of mentally defective children. It would seem advisable for a conference to be held between representatives of the hospital boards and the health authorities in order to have this important question thoroughly threshed out and placed on a satisfactory footing. At present, there is an urgent need for a definite system of earing for these sad eases in such a way as will tend to total or almost total recovery. Obviously the Government must be primar ily responsible, and though the hospital hoards may be relied upon to. do what they can to assist in th« work, it would be an

injustice to saddle the ratepayers with the cost of performing what is a national and not a local duty.