§ 72. Mr. WATTasked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether the medical branch of his Department has had repeated application for the release of Dr. Charles G. Chislett, of the 72nd General Hospital, in France, so that he may be able to attend, if only for a short time, to his duties as medical superintendent of the Institution for Mental Defectives at Stoneyetts, near Glasgow; if so, will he say for what reason this temporary release is refused, in view of the facts that the 300 mentally deficient patients in that institution have no resident medical officer at present, the duties of such being performed only by the matron, and that Dr. Chislett has already served two and a half years at the front; and can he arrange now to grant temporary release?
§ Mr. MACPHERSONAn application was received from the Glasgow District Board of Control for the release of this officer. It was referred to the Ministry of National Service, who consulted the Scottish Central Professional Committee. The latter body made a full investigation of all the circumstances and were of opinion that the request of the Glasgow District Board should not be acceded to as the supervision and medical attention of the inmates of Stoneyetts Institution were being carried on to the satisfaction of the General Board of Control in the present exceptional circumstances.