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GENERAL PROVISION OF HEALTH SERVICES
Convalescence
Consequent upon the closing of Margate Home at the end
of August, it was necessary to extend the arrangements in regard
to cases needing convalescence already in force with the Invalid
Children's Aid Association and the Invalid and Crippled Aid
Society, to place all the children I should like here to record
my appreciation of the help given by these two voluntary bodies,
over a long period of years
Psychological Clinic
I am indebted to Dr J Harvey Cuthbert for the following
report:—
The Nerve Clinic, which has now been in existence for three
and a half years, continues to expand its activities in a satisfactory
way Since its inception, there hasbeen a steady increase in the
annual number of patients who have been referred for diagnosis
and treatment During the year 1935, some sixtyseven cases
have been dealt with, an increase of 15 as compared with the
previous year Study of the statistics which follow, provide
definite evidence that the Clinic is proving its worth in the prevention
and treatment of nervous and mental disease
Attention is again directed to the primary object of the Clinic
The organisation provides for the diagnosis, treatment and
disposal of all forms of mental illness in adults, and in children
For general practitioners in West Ham, the Clinic also offers a
consultant service It is especially the purpose of the Clinic to
make provision for the detection and investigation of EARLY
cases of mental disorder There are large numbers of men and
women who suffer from "nerves," and who are relatively incapacitated
socially and occupationally This type of illness is amenable
to psychological treatment in its early stages, but, if allowed to
become chronic, is most resistant to all forms of therapy For
such "nerve" sufferers, the Clinic offers facilities for relief and
cure by means of modern psychothe&peutic methods This aspect
of the Clinic work has already achieved a considerable measure
of success It is to be noted that some 250 therapeutic interviews
were given during the year
An important feature of the Clinic activity has been the
facilitating of the operation of the Mental Treatment Acts One
of the chief purposes of the Act was to empower Public Mental
Hospitals to receive voluntary patients with the object of encouraging
sufferers from mental disease to seek and obtain treatment
in the eatly stages of their disease Actually, twentytwo cases
of serious mental disorder were investigated at the Clinic, and of
these twelve were recommended and admitted to the Mental
Hospital as Voluntary Patients It is already apparent that this
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