MENTAL DEFECTS

Hokitika Guardian, 29 August 1932, Page 8

MENTAL DEFECTS

, B.M.A, COMMITTEE REPQRT

EDUCATION AND TRAINING

LONDON, August. 5. - Findings and recommendations of ftir-feaching importance arc given in a report of the committee of .21 doctors appointed by thd British Medical As- ; sociatidh a year ago to consider thfe: problem of mental deficiency. The 'is-; sue of the report ' coincided with the first meeting of the Committee!; on the Sterilisation ' of the Unfit set up by the Ministry of Health. On the. general question of mental :i deficiency the committee makes a huiri- !•■ ber of. important recommendations 1 ; ■ based bn two main conclusions“ ’■< fi There is ho' hard-and-fast line of demarcation between the IWest grade idiot and the'greatest ‘ genius, each class passing ,> imperceptibly into the •, next. There is, therefore, no cut-and-dried criterion whereby ‘border-line’ cases may be set oh oiie or oilier' sde ? of the non-existing' .border.’"' .‘‘‘‘Alentni .deficiency is essentially in->

curable, since it is dub to an! absence or premature destruction of Brain - , cells. Prevention niust, therefore, he the main object of treatment—but training and other measures may increase the patient’s efficiency. “Among the causes, o’ther than heredity, which, may produce mental defects are mentioned abnonnalties in the mother’s blood, such as metallic poisons, and such, . diseases/- in the' mother aa smallpox, enteric, typhuscholera and malaria.” , :?!!•,

Of alcoholism as a possible cause, the committee states that “it does not follow that there is any casual lationshif) with ihehtal ‘deficiehey', grid the evidence at present only points to it comparatively small number/df cakbs being possibly due to this cause..Vi There seenis to be no convincing'fhridence that mental deficiency is a direct result of tuberculosis.” •' r ; .

Similar scepticism is expressed concerning post-natal injuries, such: as sSevere contusion or compression of the brain, which in the opinion of par-*; efits! is the commonest Cause. The number of unequivocally p •oven casesis stated to be very few.' i ' “£*/■

A warning jis, however, given that in certain forms of life X-rays/ arid radium are capable of. producing, changes in, the units that ton ey-j hereditary characteristics, which may be transmitted as heredital variations in the offspring. In regard to a pos--sibly similar aption by chemical arid, bacterial toxins, the committee d*d not consider that the evidence before them justifies a definite Conclusion;^;*; In the present sfate- of our knpjy.lodge, the committee considers that’' ‘sterilisation, even widely applied, td certifiable . mentgl defectives?; wduld' cause no appreciable difference in‘the’ number of defectives for,many generations. • v

Nevertheless the committee considers, that sterilisation Anight, bo rdosiffrhjej for the rfmall * nrirmber of mental 'ad*', fectives in respect of Avhom ■ the? social danger is £ propiTgatioh; • arid fvhp' were this danger; removed, coiil.d live* in the community. \ iStei'ilisatiori, if adopted, should be restricted' to suitable cases, .and should not be used ‘to secure the discharge' fror institutions ’of those who ne.ed institutional care. All persons itpril-s--ed should be subjected -to adequate supervision l to prevent the spread of' venereal disease.- ‘ j . ,■ The committee considers that provision must be" made for :v'•, i

(1) The' education arid training of mental defectives to'thi full extent-of such powers as they possess. ,y. (2) The provision of an environment outside the general ferably in ‘a lririge . such mental defectives as need it'. •:* ''

(3) The careful selection of environment within "the general e&nifiiuiiity for such mental defectives aA need not be' excluded fpoftTitr/ 1 . . '

(4) The adequate/' supervision arid help of those 'mental defectives who' are diving within the general cou nittnitv. ' ' • ''

(5) The appointment of suitable officers (preferably medical psychologists’) foi die purpose of determining Whether individuals guilty of Undesirable conduct (or rinti-sDCial dffences) ar ! ev in fact,' mentally defective', and facilities for dealing with those who are ,«o 'found by planing them,' or replacing t.V.-.nV;' in otdohies.' "*' ■" • ‘

| ‘ft has !o '’U fiw”er ly s<»ted;- ,r the rOaP'rt ad r s, •• “gncl‘is-'commonly-ris- ! .•h-ytr that' fife ‘feeble-mhide'd’ are extremely prolific, 'arid' '■ that 1 "their* s’trtd'k', increases rit a 'rate s6' far*”iii' 2: : ‘ of*v,h.r s rf the noririal" sto Y k 'as ( to' be 1 I alarming. Iff has'never ' been quite' a clear what ,ire the u rclia.hle'data'dn* jjj which such belief lias been founded 1 , I and recent critical examination of such | a ; s are available dbeS ribt support it:”'