Learning to Care for the Mentally Handicapped *The Burden Research Medal and Prize for 1974 have been awarded to Dr. Cowie and were presented to her at a meeting of the Burden Trustees at Stoke Park Hospital, Bristol, on 7th June, 1974, by Dr. H. J. Orr-Ewing, Chairman of the Trustees.This is Dr. Cowie's address of thanks on that occasion.

In his interesting account of the history of Brentry Hospital, Dr. Jancar describes the work of the Burdens who came to Bristol in 1895. This era, le fin de siecle, was a golden age for the well-endowed. The rich were very rich thanks to the bounties of the industrial revolution. The arts flourished and were well-patronised; new and interesting forms were emerging in the visual arts and in literature. But alongside this splendour , there existed in contrast much misery and squalor. To us today, the social apathy towards these ills would seem appalling. It seemed to be a generally accepted fact that the larger section of society was destined to poverty and deprivations of all kinds. It must have taken much courage to speak out against this complacency. There were, however, some brave souls who did. Among these were the Reverend Harold Nelson Burden and his wife Katherine. When they came to Bristol in 1895, Mr. Burden was appointed chaplain to Horfield Prison. As Dr. Jancar points out in his history of their work, this marked the opening of a new chapter in the history of the care and treatment of the underprivileged, and especially of the mentally retarded. They had already worked in the East End of London and were much influenced by the work of Octavia Hill, who was a friend and disciple of Ruskin.