C.O.S.: Care of the Mentally Defective: Address by Mrs. Hume-Pinsent: The annual meeting of the Cheltenham Organisation Society was held in the reception room of the Town Hall on Friday afternoon. Mr. W. F. Hicks Beach, J.P. presided and was supported by Capt. Willoughby Berthon (chairman of the committee) Mr. W. R. Carles, C.M.G. (treasurer), Col. Aylmer, Mr. E. Bourne, J.P., Mr. A. Bourne, and Mrs. Hume Pinsent (Birmingham) a member of the Royal Commission, who attended to give an address on “The Care of the Feeble-Minded.” … (description of event) … Mrs. Hume Pinsent, then delivered a striking address on the mentally defective. She first commented upon the existing laws for the treatment of such persons and showed how far they dealt with the problem. There were the Lunacy Laws dealing with acquired insanity known as “dementia”, the Idiot Act, which dealt with low grade cases of “amentia,” in which class are idiots and imbeciles; and the Elementary Education (Defective and Epileptic Children) Act which dealt with mild cases of amentia. There were in England 131,000 certified insane persons and 149,000 uncertified feeble-minded. … (continues) … She commended the proposal of the Royal Commission that there should be a central authority called “The Board of Control.” … [Good Review of Her Position – continues in detail] … Mr. A. Bourne proposed a vote of thanks to Mrs. Pinsent and the chairman, which was seconded by Lieut. Gen. Willoughby, the Chairman responding both for Mrs. Pinsent and himself. This brought the meeting to a close.
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Referenced
GRO0245 Devonport: Ellen Frances Parker: 1866 – 1949