The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-08-30
THE INCREASE OF INSANITY


Commenting upon the facts that there are
hundred thousand insane persons in the
United States, one to every $50 people, and
that the ratio has greatly increased in the last
thirty years, Dr. w. B. Fletcher asks what
are the real and what the apparent causes of
this increased tendency to mental disease,
and whether these causes may be held in
check or diminished. Among the apparent
causes the Doctor places increased hospital
capacity, and the various charitable means
taken to preserve the life of the chronic in
sane, who would otherwise, by exposure, pri
walton and suicide, be thinned out, but are
now preserved to more than usual old
age Another apparent cause is the
popular change of opinion regarding
the treatment of insanity. Fifty years ago
to be sent to an insane hospital ostracsed one
as completely as term in the penitentiary.
This is all changed now, and brief residence
at the asylum is no more detriment to social
standing than visit to Hot Springs or
southern Florida. Simple, odd or eccentric
people, harmless enough, fall in the way of
professional experts, or among the great body
of people, especially in cities, who have no
patience with cranks of any kind, and are
sent to hospitals by relatives or neighbors
who do not care to be bothered by them.
Dr. Fletcher does not regard our system of
education as notably exciting cause of insan
ity He says: I'm Indiana the evidence is
rather to the contrary the great majority of
insane coming from the ranks of the poor,
where nature has supplied little mentality to
begin with and art has done less They rep
resent class that can be taught little,
the cruder forms of manual labor. Most of
our insane originally had a 'plenti-
full lack OF wit Overstudy and too
much learning have in no instance that
can trace disturbed the equilibrium of the
brain. The more learned we grow the better
the organization of the mind, and the more
prejudice is shaken off. l believe an educa-
ton would have prevented many from becom-
ing insane"
The Doctor is also in sympathy with the
growing belief that the increased use of alco-
holic beverages and narcotics is not, in itself,
a prime cause Of insanity. In most cases
where the insanity is attributed to drunken
ness, an element of heredity predominates,
and it is as likely that the insanity was the
cause of the loss of moral sense and will
power suggesting constant or periodical
stimulation, as that drink caused the insanity
OF the fifteen hundred patients in the Indiana
Hospital, drunkenness is attributed as cause
in less than one per cent Specific and
avoidable disease is doubtless productive of
more insanity than drunkenness.
Among the real and combatable causes Of
insanity are assigned the emigration of weak
minded, diseased paupers from Europe. "These,
like noxious weeds, have been uprooted and
cast upon us, where better soil exists.
Fertilized and nourished by an almost profit
gate charity, they take root, and by trans
planting gain the strength of at least
superior virilty." Also, by prohibiting, or I
least, discouraging the marriage of those
''who can only breed those bodily and mental
defects which the state spends millions to
cure"
DIR. Fletcher thinks many are sent to hos
pitfalls because there is class of examining
physicians who do not discern between disa-
greeable eccentricity and insanity that re-
aures treatment. "The readiness with which
some of them recklessly and ignorantly sign
a paper for commitment of person as insane
with whom they have had but a few minutes
acquaintance, or none at ALL for few dollars
in fees, is shown on the official records of
many institutions" He recommends a board
of examiners for each county, which, in all
cases of alleged insanity, should take the
testimony of the family physician, as well as
Of other witnesses and that this board
should have no interest in the mum
Der of inquests held, but be paid
by the State an annual compensation.
J THE present mode of insanity inquests ESQ.,