May 12. one and must be supported at all costs. We are all for strong centralized government 5 but it is paltering with terms to use the phrase in mmexion with the succession of pitiful shams that we have seen in Peking in recent years, Dr. Yen's remarks on these In the first place, whatever may have been the laxity of procedure in the past, it is extremely doubtful if wholly sane persons are ever certified to be insane nowadays and sent to an asylum. The present procedure is difficult, strict, and hedged about with safeguards, In ordinary cases points are, however, secondary the Petition for a patient's conto his main purpose, which is to finement, accompanied by a full back up the intensive campaign statement of all the particulars, which Peking is inaugurating to must be made to a judicial ausecure the two-and-a-half per thority by a relative or friend, cent. surtax. All the more who mast promise to visit the strenuous will the effort be be-patient at least once in every six cause this is the very last source months if the petition is granted. of possibly available supply Two physicians, not related to which Peking can see. The each other or in partnership, Consortium, very properly, will must carefully and separately ex-lend nothing.
The bagman have amine the patient and certify to been fri chtened off by the ex-hig unsoundness of mind, and any perience of Nis} false statement in the certificates Vickers, Abbott et al. So Peking is a punishable offence. The sets itself to obtain what Di judge or magistrate can also ex-Yen calls "the fulfilment of a amine the patient and usually promise which, in fairness and does so. Of course there is little Justice, to say nothing of or no trouble concerning. persons friendship, should have been who are plainly wrecks. The carried out long ago." Observe difficulty lies with those who are the subtlety of the phrase. The very near the border line between Powers promised nothing at sanity and insanity, or who pass Washington that was not clearly to and fro across it. A patient accompanied—by lations. belonging to this class, even when The abolition of likin is an he is on the wrong side of the essential condition of the gr: line, may seem quite sane to the ing of the surtax, the levying inexperienced; and to the ex-of which, it is expressly stated, perienced, familiar with his his shall be "from such date, for tory and therefore inclined to such purposes and subject to consider seriously speech and such conditions as (the Inter-conduct which to others may seem national Conference) may deter-of no importance, he may still mine."
We apologize for the seem insane even when he is on reiteration of this off-the right side of the line. Mat-But while Peking in- ters are made worse by the inted clause. geniously. seeks to spread the ability to frame a. satisfactory idea that the Powers made a definition of insanity., During: blank promise and that they are the law-suit we are considering behaving unfairly in not having, one physician was asked by the fulfilled it, it is most important judge what made a man a lunatic, to remember that they surround—|and he replied, "Laying undue their undertaking with emphasis on circumstances which careful conditions and would be in ordinary life would be of no behaving most unwisely if they moment." Judged by this allowed them to 4e burked. No standard, how would foreigners good can come of giving either with their irritable insistence on Money or money' worth to order, punctuality, accuracy, Peking.
To do so would be to scrupulous cleanliness, and excite antagonism all through similar virtues, stand in the the provinces, to burden trade estimation of the Chinese, who for no end of any earthly use care very little for these things and to relieve China of the and cannot understand the em-necessity of li ing on her own phasis laid upon them? Would ample resources, which she the Chinese not think we are all the hospital. In this the Commissioner was held to have. exceeded his powers and to have erred in "not making a more thorough examination. The jury decided that the plaintiff was ne at this interview (1912) and during the nine years of his further detention, notwithstanding contrary opinions, and he was awarded £25,000 damages; £5,000 against Dr. Bond personally, and £20,000 against him and Dr. Adam jointly. The latter was the medical super intendent of the hospital and the Jury decided that he had failed in his duty to the patient by not discerning when he became sane and taking the necessary measures to liberate him.
It is certain that changes will soon be made in the law so that it" will be easier for patients who have regained their sanity obtain eke frondam. ts sine cases the liberation may be n and frlenda who take charge of ex-patients should realize fully their responsibility, Despite the grievous wrong that seems to have been committed, the trial shows that institutions for the insane in England are under constant supervision; that the needless detention of those who are recovering, or have recovered, renders the physicians in charge liable to extremely heavy penalties; and that patients, apart from loss of liberty, ave well treated, as the plaintiff made no other complaint than that of improper detention. What 4 contrast to the pitiable condition jof the vast number of insane in China!
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.