Peter Sainsbury

Incidence of referred mental illness in Chichester and Salisbury.

The annual rates of referral to two differently organized comprehensive psychiatric services in separate but demographically similar areas are presented for various demographic social and clinical categories. In Part 1 the rates are examined for similarities both between the two areas and with findings from other studies in order to obtain pointers to factors affecting the inception of psychiatric disorders. In Part 2 an attempt is made to evaluate an aspect of the community service. Differences between the rates in the two areas are discussed with a view to identifying those variables that selectively affect referral to a community service.

Measuring gesture: its cultural and clinical correlates.

An ultrasonic system for measuring psychomotor behaviour is described, and then applied to compare the extent to which English and French students gesticulate. The findings supported the hypotheses that: (1) French students gesticulate more than the English both when using descriptive speech and when discussing their feelings; (2) descriptive speech elicits more gesture then affectively-toned speech; (3) when verbal expression is more difficult the use of gesture increases; (4) individuals tend to maintain a characteristic level of gesturing. We concluded the ultrasonic system provides a reliable and sensitive method for measuring gesture activity and can be applied clinically to the study of psychomotor behaviour.

Hypertension and emotional disturbance

Abstract 1. (1) The hypothesis that prolonged emotional disturbance leads to an irreversible increase in blood pressure was tested by relating the duration of illness experienced by 25 severely depressed patients to their blood pressures when they had recovered after ECT. 2. (2) Allowing for age and sex, the significant correlation found between both duration and number of spells of illness and blood pressure on recovery strongly supported the hypothesis. 3. (3) Similarly, on recovery a hypertensive and normotensive group were significantly differentiated on the two measures of amount of illness, but not on genetic factors or differing treatment. 4. (4) Ratings of anxiety and agitation, but not those of depression, were correlated with blood pressure levels when ill. Patients who showed a fall in diastolic pressure on recovery were significantly more anxious and agitated when referred than those who did not. 5. (5) It is concluded that the physiological effects of prolonged or repeated episodes of emotional disturbance may lead to structural changes that result in hypertension.

Some Aspects of Patient-Flow in the Dutchess County Unit, 1960-1963

When the evaluation studies of the Dutchess County Unit were being planned, it was the consensus that no hypotheses relating movement of patients to the evaluation of the Unit could be stated. Nevertheless, it was felt that while collection of the data needed for testing the hypotheses relating to the effectiveness of the Unit was the primary function of the research group, it was also of importance to monitor and analyze the characteristics of the flow of patients through the Unit. Initially, no predictions were made concerning indices of Unit activity based on these data, such as the admission rate, discharge rate, and average length of stay. A reporting system was developed by which each major change of status of each patient as he moved on and off the books of the Unit was recorded. For each patient entering the Unit, much of the information on his or her admission form, filled out by the hospital for state use, was recorded. To follow the movement of the patient into and out of the Unit, a transaction record was prepared for each admission, discharge, death, placement on, or return from, convalescent care, family care, leave without consent, and home leave, and transfer to or from another state or state-licensed mental hospital, or the other services of the Hudson River State Hospital. A separate record specifying each transaction and the date on which it occurred was prepared and filed. Thus a sequential record of each patients experience in the Unit was accumulated, beginning with the admission record of