CURE OF INSANITY.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 3215, 10 May 1911, Page 2

CURE OF INSANITY.

AN INJECTION MARVEL

Some extraordinary revelations cn the treatment of mental diseases were made on 'February 16 at the annual meeting of the Royal Asylum held in Glasgow. In moving the adoption of the report, the Chairman- said the directors were very much interested in the prosperity and permanent establishment of the Scottish Western Asylum Research Institute, and. they had, therefore, • continued tlieir contribution of £2OO, believing that a larger measure of support given to the scientific investigation of the problems of insanity would he of immeasureable advantage to the community. Tlieir efforts were being directed at present to the -production of. a substance, which, when, injected into the blood: of a- person suffering from certain forms of mental disease, would either cut short the attack or prevent a relapse occurring. It could be shown that general paralysis, a fatal form of mental disease attacking men and woman in the prime of life, could be prevented or cured, a great step in advance would have been made. The public had no idea of the valuable research work which was been done in connection -with mental diseases, nor c.id they realise how much more readily all foims of mental disease yielded to remedial treatment when dealt with in the early stages. That and other institutions of a similar character would be able to show surprisingly successful results if the friends and (relatives of persons suffering from mental trouble would send patients to an asylum much sooner than was usually the case. In conclusion, the chairman commended the medical superintendent, Dr Oswald, and his staff for tlieir work. .He said that the medical staff had made some important contributions to scientific literature during the year, and Dr Morton, jun., had been awarded a medal and prize open for competition to the asylums of Great Britian. Mr. John Pirrie ,in seconding, referred to recent improvements in the asylum, making special mention of the facilities which had been introduced for the open air treatment of patients. Dr. YellowJees emphasised the importance of early treatment in cases of insanity, and said that experience with consumptive patients was practically the same. They now knew that .consumption was a curable disease if if were only dealt with in time. Dr Oswald referred to the similarity of origin between insanity and consumption, and argued that both might be arrested by 1 timely treatment. He believed that there was a distinct decrease in the cause of mental disorders. The world was growing saner, and it would grow saner still if they took full advantage of all the opportunities science gave them to ascertain the causes of mental disease.