§ 1. Mr. RENDALLasked the First Lord of the Admiralty what provision has been made for the treatment of sailors in the Royal Navy who have been disabled by nerve strain; what, if any, steps have been taken for the preliminary sifting of nerve-strain cases in the Navy with a view to the diagnosis by general physicians as to whether they are such as in civilian life would be certifiable; whether any provision has been made for the treatment of uncertifiable nerve-strain cases arising in the Navy in special departments of base hospitals so as to avoid the risk of their being unnecessarily associated with any suspicion of a taint of lunacy; and whether, in the event of any sailor having to be certified when discharged uncovered from the Navy, he will give an assurance that such sailor shall not be certified by an asylum doctor and shall have the civilian's right of being seen by a magistrate?
§ Dr. MACNAMARASuitable accommodation and treatment are provided in our base naval hospitals for all cases of nerve strain and neurasthenia. All such cases are naturally most carefully diagnosed before any decision is come to as to whether they are certifiable or not. Certification of 834 all naval eases is carried out by our own naval medical officers and not by an asylum doctor. No man so certified can, however, be sent to any asylum until his discharge has been approved by two Lords of the Admiralty. All cases of insanity attributable to the Service and all men who have length of service to their credit are treated in our own naval asylum and not in a general asylum.