§ Mr. LYLEasked the Minister of Pensions whether he can state the actual maladies from which the 61 ex-service men now in West Ham Asylum are suffering; whether there is any hope that they may eventually regain their normal condition; whether they are periodically examined to that end; whether any of them are disabled; if so, how many; whether they are local men; if so, how often are their relatives allowed to see them; if not, will he have them transferred to a place nearer their own home; and whether any of them are untraced?
§ Sir A. MONDThere are at present 55 service patients in the West Ham Mental Hospital, whose cases may be classified as follows:
Dementia Praecox … … 23 Melancholia … … 11 Mania … … 4 Delusional Insanity … … 6 General Paralysis … … 5 Epilepsy … … 3 Secondary Dementia … … 3 About 20 per cent. of these men may be expected to recover, and all cases are periodically examined. Two of the patients are disabled and both are local men. Relatives are allowed to visit on any day, and there is only one case in which no relatives can be traced.