- Email: [email protected]
A POINT UNDER THE MIDWIVES ACTS.
1153 in the group tests or in the Binet test may porve low intelligence when examined by the Porteus tests. and many boys whose intelligence is low in the verbal Porteus tests. score high in the These tests exceptional cases are numerous and important. Morcover, the Porteus tests seem to furnish a reliable estimate of industrial capacity and of temperamental type. Thesspecially indicate such qualities of intelligence as ability to plan, strength of inhibitions and carefulness of execution. In addition to these advantages the Porteus tests yield a mental ages core in terms of practical social officiency as opposed to the intellectual efficiency revealed by the Binet scores
to have
frequently
tests."
RADIOGRAPHY IN THE TREATMENT OF FRACTURES. To the Editor of THE LANCET. are astonished to see its the columns of THE LANCET for last week a letter. under this heading, signed by Dr. C. Leonard W’illiams. honorary secretary of theTodmorden Jldical Society, referring to a circular letter issued by the Medical Defence Uniun to its members only, and which was for obvious reasons marked private and confidential." This circular letter was in the nature of friendly warning and advice to members of the Medical Defence rnion from the Council, based on its experience in a large number of recent cases. It is obvious that this circular letter has been misinterpreted. but public discussion of a matter of this sort in THE LANCET could only defeat the object of our Council in marking this letter private and confidential," and would bring about the very results which are shadowed in the earlier paragraphs of Dr. Williams’s letter. Needless to say, our Council is prepared to discuss the matter with any member who shares the views expressed in Dr. Williams’s letter, and we have no doubt that anv fears that he may share with Dr. Williams and his will be set. at rest. We are. Sir. vours faithfully. HERBERT F. WATERHOUSE,
SIR.—We
"
Considering Doll’s experience as psychologist in the reformatories and jails of New Jersey his testimony must be regarded as having weight in this matter. It might be noted that I have never made any claims for the tests which go beyond this statement of Doll’s. In cunclusiun, might I state once again what I have already in many publications given as my position in this matter. I do not. and have never claimed that the maze tests are adequate measures of temperament, or moral character, or intelligence. They do seem, however, to give some measure of certain important temperamental or social traits. I have never advucated that they should be applied alone nor their single verdict relied upon except where other tests are clearly inapplicable. They are by no means perfect instruments of diagnosis or research -the psychopathic frequently, and the steadygoing tlefective rarely, may slip through their meshes so that failure in the tests is always more significant than success. They are not tests of planning capacity as such, but of the indiridual’s tendency to use planning Unless practice capacity in a simple situation. effects are allowed for, they cannot safely be reapplied to the same children and hence their reliability cannot be tested by the ordinary reliability coefficent Taken by themselves, as measures of formulæ. moral worth, they are clecidedly inadequate. I should as soon expect every criminal to fail in the In other tests as1 should every insane person. words 1 have no more faith in the maze tests than I have in tests in general, they merely represent one to the problem of social and angle of mental diagnosis and are not to be relied upon too implicitlj-. In short, perhaps the best that can be said of the maze tests is that they are among the best of a poor lot. However, until sonteune devises a better test for temperamental traits I shall continue to recommend their use. One claim also I shall continue to make without fear of refutation—there is no performance test in use at, present which has had somuch work done on it in the way of proving the test itself and of providing data for its interpretation, nor has any other performance test been more
"
privately
Society
President.
JAMES NEAL. General Secretary.
Bedford-square. W.C., May 23rd, 1927.
A POINT UNDER THE MIDWIVES ACTS. To the Editor
of THE LANCET. SIR.—Medical practitioners have recently been refused payment fur assisting midwives in eoergencies by the Devon County Council on the ground
that the accounts for such assistance have not been sent in within two months from the date of the first attendance. Heading- Section 2. Subsection 2. of the Midwives Act, 1926, and Section 14. Subsection 2. of the Midwives Act. 1918, together, it is a condition of payment of such fees that the accounts must be rendered within two months from the date of the first attendance, and. therefore, strictly speaking, the Devon County Council are within their rights. as laid down by statute, in refusing to consider a claim for fees under the Midwives Acts which are rendered after the two months statutory period. Unfortunately no notice of this regulation is conveyed to the medical practitioners. and those who are not familiar with the Midwives Acts are consewidely or more employed. quently not aware that it is important to render The belief that I have made other claims for the their accounts as soon as possible. Even if there are tests may be due to the fact that I have consistently solid for grounds requiring early rendering criticised the practice, at one time so conlmon in of such accounts stringently it would seem to be only fair that of all for of America, relying entirely purposes due intimation of this most unusual condition should mental diagnosis and prognosis on a Binet test be cummunicated to the practitioners concerned. alone. This attitude hasbeen twisted bv some to The matter is not one of interest to the medical mean that I believed that my test would do only. but also concerns the public very that was left undone by the Binet and that any profession since the result of failure to obtain payment examiner who was armed with a maze test and a seriously, under such circumstances has led medical pracBinet was thereby a clinical psychologist ! titioners to decline in future to attend cases on the Might I add that Dr. Healy’s work, and particularly summons of a midwife. It would be very unfortunate his attitude to mental testing in general, is to my if this state of affairs should continue or extend. trlind thoroughly admirable. In clinical work I I am, Sir, yours faithfully. believe in the adequacy of his method and I use HUGH WOODS. General Secretary, London and Counties Medical some of his tests. P.C. II. is a very valuable test, Protection Society, Ltd. and will occupy a permanent place in clinical Victory House, Leicester-square, London, W.C. 2, It differs considerably in nature examinations. May 19th. 1927. from the maze and as each has its value there the absence of ofticial warning as to the *In is no need for drawing invidious comparisons between refutations enacting the rendering of these accounts them. within two months, it is hoped that practitioners I am, Sir, yours faithfully, will make a careful note of the above communication. The need for promptness, insisted on by the Midwives S. D. PORTEUS, Acts. is due to the migratory nature of the constituency Professor of Clinical Psychology, University concerned.-—D. L. of Hawaii. March 16th, 1927.
approach
variously
everything
to have
frequently
tests."
RADIOGRAPHY IN THE TREATMENT OF FRACTURES. To the Editor of THE LANCET. are astonished to see its the columns of THE LANCET for last week a letter. under this heading, signed by Dr. C. Leonard W’illiams. honorary secretary of theTodmorden Jldical Society, referring to a circular letter issued by the Medical Defence Uniun to its members only, and which was for obvious reasons marked private and confidential." This circular letter was in the nature of friendly warning and advice to members of the Medical Defence rnion from the Council, based on its experience in a large number of recent cases. It is obvious that this circular letter has been misinterpreted. but public discussion of a matter of this sort in THE LANCET could only defeat the object of our Council in marking this letter private and confidential," and would bring about the very results which are shadowed in the earlier paragraphs of Dr. Williams’s letter. Needless to say, our Council is prepared to discuss the matter with any member who shares the views expressed in Dr. Williams’s letter, and we have no doubt that anv fears that he may share with Dr. Williams and his will be set. at rest. We are. Sir. vours faithfully. HERBERT F. WATERHOUSE,
SIR.—We
"
Considering Doll’s experience as psychologist in the reformatories and jails of New Jersey his testimony must be regarded as having weight in this matter. It might be noted that I have never made any claims for the tests which go beyond this statement of Doll’s. In cunclusiun, might I state once again what I have already in many publications given as my position in this matter. I do not. and have never claimed that the maze tests are adequate measures of temperament, or moral character, or intelligence. They do seem, however, to give some measure of certain important temperamental or social traits. I have never advucated that they should be applied alone nor their single verdict relied upon except where other tests are clearly inapplicable. They are by no means perfect instruments of diagnosis or research -the psychopathic frequently, and the steadygoing tlefective rarely, may slip through their meshes so that failure in the tests is always more significant than success. They are not tests of planning capacity as such, but of the indiridual’s tendency to use planning Unless practice capacity in a simple situation. effects are allowed for, they cannot safely be reapplied to the same children and hence their reliability cannot be tested by the ordinary reliability coefficent Taken by themselves, as measures of formulæ. moral worth, they are clecidedly inadequate. I should as soon expect every criminal to fail in the In other tests as1 should every insane person. words 1 have no more faith in the maze tests than I have in tests in general, they merely represent one to the problem of social and angle of mental diagnosis and are not to be relied upon too implicitlj-. In short, perhaps the best that can be said of the maze tests is that they are among the best of a poor lot. However, until sonteune devises a better test for temperamental traits I shall continue to recommend their use. One claim also I shall continue to make without fear of refutation—there is no performance test in use at, present which has had somuch work done on it in the way of proving the test itself and of providing data for its interpretation, nor has any other performance test been more
"
privately
Society
President.
JAMES NEAL. General Secretary.
Bedford-square. W.C., May 23rd, 1927.
A POINT UNDER THE MIDWIVES ACTS. To the Editor
of THE LANCET. SIR.—Medical practitioners have recently been refused payment fur assisting midwives in eoergencies by the Devon County Council on the ground
that the accounts for such assistance have not been sent in within two months from the date of the first attendance. Heading- Section 2. Subsection 2. of the Midwives Act, 1926, and Section 14. Subsection 2. of the Midwives Act. 1918, together, it is a condition of payment of such fees that the accounts must be rendered within two months from the date of the first attendance, and. therefore, strictly speaking, the Devon County Council are within their rights. as laid down by statute, in refusing to consider a claim for fees under the Midwives Acts which are rendered after the two months statutory period. Unfortunately no notice of this regulation is conveyed to the medical practitioners. and those who are not familiar with the Midwives Acts are consewidely or more employed. quently not aware that it is important to render The belief that I have made other claims for the their accounts as soon as possible. Even if there are tests may be due to the fact that I have consistently solid for grounds requiring early rendering criticised the practice, at one time so conlmon in of such accounts stringently it would seem to be only fair that of all for of America, relying entirely purposes due intimation of this most unusual condition should mental diagnosis and prognosis on a Binet test be cummunicated to the practitioners concerned. alone. This attitude hasbeen twisted bv some to The matter is not one of interest to the medical mean that I believed that my test would do only. but also concerns the public very that was left undone by the Binet and that any profession since the result of failure to obtain payment examiner who was armed with a maze test and a seriously, under such circumstances has led medical pracBinet was thereby a clinical psychologist ! titioners to decline in future to attend cases on the Might I add that Dr. Healy’s work, and particularly summons of a midwife. It would be very unfortunate his attitude to mental testing in general, is to my if this state of affairs should continue or extend. trlind thoroughly admirable. In clinical work I I am, Sir, yours faithfully. believe in the adequacy of his method and I use HUGH WOODS. General Secretary, London and Counties Medical some of his tests. P.C. II. is a very valuable test, Protection Society, Ltd. and will occupy a permanent place in clinical Victory House, Leicester-square, London, W.C. 2, It differs considerably in nature examinations. May 19th. 1927. from the maze and as each has its value there the absence of ofticial warning as to the *In is no need for drawing invidious comparisons between refutations enacting the rendering of these accounts them. within two months, it is hoped that practitioners I am, Sir, yours faithfully, will make a careful note of the above communication. The need for promptness, insisted on by the Midwives S. D. PORTEUS, Acts. is due to the migratory nature of the constituency Professor of Clinical Psychology, University concerned.-—D. L. of Hawaii. March 16th, 1927.
approach
variously
everything