THE HIDDEN FEAR
[To the Editor of THE SPECTATOR.] SIR,—I would be grateful if you would allow me to appeal to your readers for support for a scheme to help us general prac- titioners in dealing with certain eases of suspected mental disease.
The family doctor is placed in a very difficult position in those cases where the patient refuses to go to a hospital or clinic and cannot afford to have a specialist brought to hi, home. The diagnosis is often extremely difficult, and 1 feet strongly that no general practitioner should be placed in the position where he has to decide the question without expert help. As things are at present the family doctor cannot escape the responsibility ; he must take the risk one way or the other.
I suggest that the same provision should be made for these mental cases as is made for maternity cases. If a family doctor has a maternity case where expert help is urgently needed, and where the patient cannot be moved and cannot afford to have a specialist, the doctor can apply to the public health authority to have a specialist sent out. I understand that the difficulty in regard to the same scheme in mental cases is the cost. But the cost would not be more than the cost of sending out maternity specialists, and I think that it is agreed by all of us that the money spent in sending out maternity specialists is extremely. good value. I have dis- cused this scheme with general practitioners, mental spe- cialists, public health officers and other officials concerned, and all support it. It seems to be simply a question of cost. The cost is a matter for the general public, and I cannot believe that the public would grudge the money.—I am, Sir,
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