May 13.
Nervous break-down, as called, is not uncommon among foreigners in the Far East. It occurs most often in Japan, next in North China, then in Central China.
Cases ' of unmistakable insanity are fortunately rare. More numerous are the persons among us who are "peculiar." When we speak of them we touch the forehead significantly to indicate that i our judgment they have a screw loose,"
"ave not all there," and so forth.
How to get on with them satisfactorily is often a problem. few may go from bad to worse and when they return home it may be deemed necessary for their good to send them to an institution. The consideration of this weird subject should induce us to take more than a passing interest the report we published a few days ago of the law-suit, "Barnett v. Bond and Adam," in which the plaintiff, time insane, was awarded £25,000 for having been detained in a mental hospital after apparent recovery. An appeal has been taken and probably the case will be carried to the House of Lords. As some of the public comment has been rather sensational and may give false impressions concerning the are of persons of unsound mind in England, and may arouse groundless apprehensions among the nervous; we shall briefly consider two or three of the ques-as mad as March hares? Physic-fans are compelled to use their Independent professional.juds-ment, and if their decision in particular cases leans towards the side of safety it is because of their greater knowledge of the mental and physical infirmities and instability of human natun When an incorrect judgment is made, it is never intentional. Tu these'days the possibility of com-mitral to unnecessary confinement is extremely unlikely. The plaint-in the case mentioned was admittedly insane when. first placed in confinement.
The next point is even more dificult, A. medical certificate is only valid as long as the patient remains in the same con-ition. If he so improves. that it is safe for him to be at large and to return to his friends, he must be allowed to do so. To ascertain his condition during Getention, official visitors see him at stated times and his friends also can visit him. The plaintiff, in the trial mentioned, after being detained a few weeks was allowed to leave on probation in the charge of his brother. Two days later. he escaped from his brother and obtained an interview with Dr. Bond, one of the Commissioners in Lunacy. Those Commissioners exercise supervision over all who have charge of Iunatics, visit all asylums and are the guardians of all the insane, and therefore are officials of no small authority. Because of the patient's past history, his escape from his brother, "incoherent speech and such acts as flourish ing a bag of money, Dr. Bond came to the conclusion he was still insane, and ordered that he arrival; its reception was polite but frigid; nor is there any reason to be surprised. What ever Mr. MacDonald may say in his courteous manner about the Bolshevist Government finding, or believing that it found, ver tain measures necessary in the wrought-up stale of feeling due revolution—and we would not' do Mr. MacDonald the injustice of supposing that he included the wholesale massacres of unoffending bourgeoisie in his tolerance—Britons do not like Bolshovism's ways and ruthless tyranny. Nor do they forget the Bolshevist treachery to Russia's allies during the war and the shameful peace of Brest-Litovsk, which sot free all the German eastern front armies and led directly to the death of thousands of British, French and Belgians in the spring of 1918, Furthormor the British appetite for reach ing the Russian delegation would not be improved by. the star published concurrently with their of the eminent Roman Catholic dignitary, Archbishop Gieplak, one of the victims of the Soviet's blind anti-religious persecution. As "The Times" puts it, "he was liberated from the torturing round of the Lyubianka and Butyrki_ prisons, he was pitchforked emaciated and penniless over the frontier, and having with difieulty made is way to Riga, he groped painfully for a vefage, until at last he was recognized."
While it is evident that the jure recognition of the Soviet was not at_all generally well received in England, there is a_ marked disinclination ~to criticize Mr. Ramsay MacDonald that that is the only legal tions involved. should be forcibly taken back to therefor. Nothing indeed is
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.