In taking this chair I have first to acknowledge the courtesy and consideration which induced the Council of the Congress to select as the President of this section the senior officer of the Lunacy Department of the mother colony, and next—it being my good fortune to occupy this position—to express my personal gratification at presiding over the first session of the important section of psychological medicine.

The January number of the Journal contains a most interesting paper, entitled “The Confessions of a Young Lady Laudanum Drinker,” which relates what the writer went through during the endeavour to break off the pernicious habit she had acquired. In this instance after the daily dose of laudanum had been spontaneously lessened from four ounces to one quarter of an ounce, the supply was suddenly stopped. It does not appear that any means were taken to lessen the physical and moral tortures which followed, and which the writer so vividly describes as to give one a better idea of the condition of such patients than I have elsewhere seen. Fortunately the desired end was gained, but my experience in dealing with such difficult and unhappy cases convinces me at the cost of much more suffering than need have been, had another method been followed.

Nearly fifteen years ago Dr. Kitching, on his retirement from the duties of Superintendent of the York Retreat, after twenty-five years of devoted service, wrote for the guidance of the Committee and myself a paper containing many excellent suggestions for the improvement of the Institution he loved so well.

Judging by the numerous reports that have already appeared, this drug seems to be attracting considerable attention, and to us who are engaged in the treatment of insanity it has a special interest. During the past three months I have made a number of experiments, with results confirmatory of the favourable notices which have hitherto been published.