§ 89. Colonel Lord HENRY CAVENDISH-BENTINCKasked the Secretary of State for War if he will explain why uncertifiable soldiers are being treated in annexes to asylums and under asylum management, in view of his statement of 11th March, 1915, that no soldier should be placed while in the Army under asylum administration?
§ Mr. FORSTERNo uncertifiable soldiers suffering from nerve strain are treated in 38 any other institutions than military war hospitals under the control of the War Office.
§ 90. Colonel Lord H. CAVENDISH-BENTINCKasked the Secretary of State for War how many uncertifiable nerve-shaken soldiers are at present located in that block of the Wandsworth County Asylum called a military hospital situated within the precincts of the asylum and under the same management as the rest of the institution; and whether he proposes to place more uncertifiable soldiers under the control of the lunacy authorities?
§ Mr. FORSTERThere are 229 cases in the Springfield War Hospital. It is proposed to continue the present system, which is not correctly represented by the Noble Lord as placing soldiers under the control of the lunacy authorities. They are isolated from rest of institution and treated by officers in employ of Army Medical Service.
§ 90. Colonel Lord H. CAVENDISH-BENTINCK:Are not all those in charge of these soldiers officials of the Lunacy Commissioners?
§ Mr. FORSTERI cannot say whether that is so in every case, but I have no doubt that a considerable number of them are.
§ 91. Colonel Lord H. CAVENDISH-BENTINCKasked how many certifiable soldiers are now in a block of the Middle-sex County Asylum, at Napsbury, St. Albans; and whether any uncertifiable nerve-shaken soldiers have been sent there?
§ Mr. FORSTERThere are now 320 soldiers in the County of Middlesex War Hospital, Napsbury, all of whom were certifiable when sent there.
§ 92. Colonel Lord H. CAVENDISH-BENTINCKasked whether any soldiers invalided through loss of mental balance have been discharged from the Army to asylums other than the three classes which he gave notice that he intended to discharge, namely, cases of general paralysis of the insane, chronic epilepsy, and nervous disturbance occurring in soldiers who had been in asylums before they joined the Army; and, if so, how many?
§ Mr. FORSTERA limited number of cases which, after a period of from four to six months' observation and treatment, are considered to be incurable, have been discharged to asylums. The number is 198.