Smyrna times., 1884-01-09
Importing Insanity,

With all the vast benefits of immi- |
grafton there are some evils which are
forcing themselves upon public atten-
tion. That which first suggests itselfis
the importation of paupers and crimi-
nails, and of those who are in danger of
drifting into helplessness or crime.
Another grave evil, of which the pub
lie has heard comparatively little is
the increase of insanity accompanying
immigration, either through the direct
importation of the insane, or rather
their expectation from European coun-
tries to this, or through their inability
in many cases to stand the strain and
hardship of their change of life. DR..
Kempster, superintendent of the Wis
consin Northern Hospital for the In
sane, who necessarily sees much of the
immigrant population, says, in one of
his reports, that besides the ordinary
cases of insanity there are to be found
the depressing influences of home
sicknes and over-work and under-feed-
ing-conditions almost always present
in new countries settled largely by for
eign-bOrn persons"
The subject has been attracting at
tention in Chicago in practical way.
The papers there recently announced
that fifteen insane persons, who had
been picked up in the streets bv the
police, and nearly all of whom were
foreigners, would be examined in the
courts. DR.. Foster Pratt, of Michigan.
read paper upon this subject before
the American Public Health Associa-
ton at It's recent meeting, which gave
some startling facts regarding the
growth of insanity as related to the in
crease of the foreign-born population.
1t is to be kept in mind, of course, that
statistics of insanity, though still far
from perfect, have greatly improved,
and the apparent growth in insanity
is perhaps due in part to the increased
accuracy of the returns. Nevertheless.
the facts show mournful increase of
insanity, and demonstrate that large
proportion of the addition is to be AS
crlbed to immigration. By the census
OF 1850 the number of persons reported
as insane was 1850, of whom 2.O49
were fOreign-born. The great flood of
immigration was then just fairly begin
ming, the Irish famine of '46 and the
German Revolutions of '48 being pow
ertul moving causes. At this point
one-seventh Of the insanity of the
'.tAlry was to be found among the
AMEN one-tenth of the population. In
1860, 23,999 insane persons were re-
ported, Of whom 5,768 were foreign
born. Thus One-fourth of the reported
insanity was of foreign origin, though
the foreign-born population had only
increased to one-eigth of the whole
In 1870, 81, ,432 insane persons were re.
ported, of whom IL ,221 were of foreign
birth. Thus, although the foreign.
born population had increased to only
one,seventh of the whole, the foreign
born among the insane had increased
to a ratio of nearly One-third. The
census of 1880 showed an enormous in
crease in insanity, which is ascribeG
largely to the fact that the census wa
by far the most accurate yet taken
But even in this the proportion of for
eign-born to the whole number of in
sane was well preserved-26,3 BAG out O
9l,997. Less than one-seventh of tn
population, but more than one-fourtl
and nearly one-third of the insane
were of foreign birth. During tn
whole period named the rate of in
crease of the foreign-born insane wa
greater than the rate of increase of tn
foreign-born population. During tn
last decade covered the latter increase
less than 20 per cent. the former Is
per cent. DIR. Pratt charges, and prof
ably with justice, a portion of the il
crease of insanity among native Amel
leans, which has been great also, to th
admixture of foreign blood.
1t may be necessary before long I
consider seriously the question of sif
ing immigrants more carefully. Whe
the right is claimed and exercised I
shut out the whole of certain rae
the right to keep out persons of wea
and diseased minds will hardly be
MED. 1t cannot be doubted tn
among Immigrants who are assisted
here by their Governments, go'
proportion are those who are eth
smentally deficient themselves, or a
likely to transmit mental weakness
their offspring, and this element is
dangerous one.-N. Y. Tribune.