TREATMENT OF LUNATICS.
It, will be an agreeable surprise to the public to learn that the lunacy laws of tlie colony are about to be altered. In these times any imp-ovement of laws of a social or domestic character is a surprise, because the bu.siiJ&sQf'SnjiXin© improvements benefits nobody in particular. » s the law stands at pres#nt, any two meaical men, on evidence of which not a creature besides themselves has any cognizance, can without the formality of an oath or the check of cross-examina--toonfinalw a- report" branding a fellowcreature as insane, and condemning him to an indefinite period of confinement. It is .ri^htiha^a, p#«r shouU eu^ fpt k t^#jpr%n)pt,^vfeoiuxl, andr r«sp|»vsibfi« of the insane. But this is too atrociously out of proportion at pre» sent. The renf e"d£ ]Jrppt)«<i3r4>y tjfc; <$<& ,' solidation Commission, is that cases of lunacy shall be dealt with, iudicialb^ $%;>UaM£&& HrtbiU»jJkob!i 'by Parliament, it will reduce medical men to their proper position. stead of being men whose word Is supreme in a matter of such moment as individual ■■ liimtiy,. Jheju'wiil , b» simply ■, expert witnesses in a Court of Justice. In stead «f ■ dogmatism?, • >they; will, hare, under cross-examination, to, give sound convincing : Reasons to a property con 1 -' stituted authority for their beliefs. Long wanted, the proposal for a chaugo has come-at last. — * ante ebnry Times. '
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Bibliographic details
Feilding Star, Volume III, Issue 5, 1 July 1882, Page 3
Word Count
219TREATMENT OF LUNATICS. Feilding Star, Volume III, Issue 5, 1 July 1882, Page 3
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