Cohen (1958) has shown that obese children have increased 17-ketogenic steroid excretion and Norval and King (1950) showed that urinary corticosteroids in normal children were closely related to their weight. Lugg and Bowness (1957) found a positive correlation between weight and 17-ketosteroid excretion in adults. Dutton (1958) found that mongol boys were about 15 per cent. over weight for their height although their height and weight were depressed for their life age.

Plasmas of 12 patients currently taking part in a double-blind trial of lecithin in senile or presenile dementia of Alzheimer type were analysed for plasma choline levels at fixed intervals during lecithin treatment. The values were not maintained at a constant level and showed a decline after one or two months of treatment, often followed by a subsequent rise. Possible explanations for this observation are given, and its significance to the treatment of dementia discussed.

In the usual procedure of electronarcotic treatment, the electrodes are placed bitemporally and an initial electric current of 180 m.a. is applied for 30 seconds. During this period a tonic extension of the skeletal muscles occurs, accompanied by strong contraction of the pupils, which in the majority of cases are reduced to pin-point size. Slight convergence of the eyes may accompany the contraction. The contraction relaxes somewhat when clonus ensues, but usually becomes slightly more marked in the following stage when the electric current applied is between 60 and 80 m.a.

Graphology, the theory and practice of diagnosing character from handwriting, is gradually developing from its initial stage, in which it had been the mysterious art of a few people who claimed to be especially gifted, into a science which can be taught and studied. The widespread mistrust of it is partly justified by this state of development. From a scientific point of view it needs more precision of method and terminology as well as corroboration of its results by objective methods. The description of the character as a whole and assessment of the significance of single features still depend to a large extent on the graphologist's experience and knowledge of human nature as well as on his stylistic abilities, and some other subjective factors. Moreover, only part of the accepted graphological interpretations have been based on inductive methods using statistical comparison, experiment and the like; for the rest, they have regarded handwriting as the more or less unwitting expression of the subject's personality, and they have attempted to assess this either by empathy, or by an effort to understand and explain which might itself be founded on the graphologist's private philosophy or on the psychoanalytical system. The results obtained in this way called for corroboration by statistical evidence. The present writer therefore welcomed Dr. Eysenck's suggestion to submit her graphological reports to objective control in the following way: She was to answer a questionnaire on the temperamental qualities of 50 neurotic patients, a sample of whose handwriting was given her, assess their intelligence, give a short character description, and, last of all, match the specimens of handwriting against anonymous summaries of the case-records of the patients. Her results were then compared with the patients' own answers to the questionnaire, their score in the Progressive Matrices Test, and the psychiatrist's description of the patient's character. Dr. Eysenck has reported the numerical results. In the present paper the validity of the graphological opinion on personality traits confirmed by at least one of the sources of control will be examined, and the handwriting signs of these traits will be set forth.

In taking this chair I have first to acknowledge the courtesy and consideration which induced the Council of the Congress to select as the President of this section the senior officer of the Lunacy Department of the mother colony, and next—it being my good fortune to occupy this position—to express my personal gratification at presiding over the first session of the important section of psychological medicine.

When a few months since I was asked by Dr. Bedford Pierce to address the nursing staff of this time-honoured institution it was a moot point in my mind whether I should take as my thesis some general subject connected with the history and profession of nursing or direct my remarks to you in a more personal appeal than so general a theme would permit.

I do not wish to enter into any dissertation on the question of mechanical restraint, as such, or to conduct the discussion in to an academic debate on the ethics of mechanical restraint. I want to take a more limited view. I want this discussion really to be, if possible, an interchange of views as to the best way of treating and managing certain difficult and exceptional cases which crop up every now and then. I propose to give you the benefit of my experience in dealing with some exceptionally difficult cases, in which I have found a modified use of mechanical restraint beneficial to the patient.

The enormous increase in the number of registered lunatics and the correspondingly heavy burden cast on the taxpayers has at length caught on to the attention of the general public. This desirable end has been attained, not so much by the efforts of responsible officials as through the irresponsible editors who cater for the sensationalism which the satiety of modern life so eagerly demands for its renewed gratification. Blue books are peculiarly unattractive and inaccessible to the man in the street, who, however, finds the highly-flavoured information always at hand in the columns of the daily press much more to his taste. Yet his opinion, which, after all, when sound constitutes that most valuable national asset, healthy “public opinion,” is formed on the information so palatably administered and so readily absorbed. From this we learn that the seeds of knowledge carefully saved in special cultivated fields of labour are scattered broadcast in loose and general terms. That they fructify, however, is certain, and it then behoves us to cultivate the harvest of opinion in order that we may turn it to good account in the public weal. We must, however, weed out all accidental stuff, and take care that the golden grain alone is digested by the public. Now, if this new knowledge of the incubus of insanity is to be turned to any good account it would seem that while it still germinates it should be most carefully handled by those best qualified to deal with its useful application: a consensus of skilled professional opinion on a purely professional matter should, if possible, be formulated and submitted to those whose duty it is avowedly to safeguard the national public health. In this consideration the first point which naturally arises is whether or not the prophylaxis of lunacy comes within the purview and scope of practical politics. Such a consideration fortunately admits of little debate, for while one hesitates to place full belief in the specific cure of ills by means of Acts of Parliament, yet it must be thankfully admitted that, in every case where the State interfered in the interest of the public health, much has been done for the arrest of bodily ailments; the insidious rot of chronic disease has been checked, and the violent invasions of epidemic plagues have been circumscribed in area, reduced in intensity, and rendered less harmful in their results. A great practical national benefit has resulted in every instance. But so far as lunacy is concerned, the function of the State has been chiefly confined hitherto to the preservation of the unfit; little has been attempted to stem their increase. The fact is that the problem of dealing with insanity is so vast, so complex, so far-reaching, in all its relations to social and economic life that it is to be feared that no Government, even one with such a heterogeneous majority as that now in power, would tackle it as a matter of choice, and yet the inevitable cannot be always shirked. The enemy is closing in, and, to those who can estimate the extent of the decay of the mental stability of the country, the time is not far distant when the passive tactics of the present defence against lunacy must be changed to a more active crusade. We must not be content to retreat into asylum fortresses-we must shell the enemy in position and shell the position to prevent occupation by the enemy; we must not be content to contend with the cases of occurring insanity, but we must safeguard the coming generations against further disastrous and increasing casualties. We must fight, not only the existing insanity of our own time, but we must safeguard the interests of posterity by legislating for the protection of those who have to carry on the evergrowing “white man's burden.”

Mr. Presidentand Gentlemen,–Inthe annual report of the resident physician of Bethlehem for 1864 the following observations on the comparative statistics of Bethlehem Hospital and the English County Asylums occur:–The attention of the Governors and of all those interested in obtaining accurate information on the important question of the cure of the insane is earnestly requested to the following statistics collected by Mr. James Ellis, Medical Superintendent at St. Luke's Hospital, from the admissions into forty-four public asylums in the united kingdom, and from actual returns from each asylum. It shows the total number of patients received into each institution, and distinguishes those which would be from those which would not be admitted into Bethlehem Hospital. It also shows the numbers and per centage of the cures and deaths of such admissible patients during the first year of residence. [Here follows Mr. Ellis's table.]

Gentlemen,—Rarely has a survey of my labours in science, and as a teacher, afforded me so much gratification as on the present occasion. It has been my good fortune to bring about for the first time the introduction into the course of our medical studies, in this place, of a clinical course on Psychiatrie, thus claiming for this branch of medicine its true position as a proper and profitable subject of study, and as one demanding alike systematic and clinical instruction. And, in the first place, it behoves me to express my thanks to all those magistrates who have furthered, in the most intelligent and effective manner, my endeavours to establish this new clinical course. It is about a year since I first mooted the question of the institution of this clinique, and I had the gratification of seeing my ideas rightly understood, and favorably received. Moreover, in the course of the previous winter, the offer was made to me by the government, to undertake the professional direction of the lunatic asylum, an offer which I readily accepted, with a view to this plan for clinical instruction in mental maladies. Hence the speedy establishment of the course. For twenty years, indeed, I have publicly claimed for Psychiatrie its recognition as a regular portion of medical education. Whilst in many other places prevailing difficulties and scruples have defeated the project, we have here speedily found the means to commence this admittedly judicious and useful work, and thereby to secure a new and valuable addition to the educational advantages of our University.