Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-04-28
TREATMENT OF THE INSANE.
TREATMENT OF THE INSANE.
Meeting Of the Association Of Medical Super.
intendents Of American Institutions.
U1ER1s1rSa PAPxR RxAD BIT DR.. sTHARSs, TIE
isssWIxo PREsIDINT-ysLIoIrous lHNA1Ks OF
DE-. CLARK, TIE SKw PnEsIDINa oFTIcxl-
PROGRAM yol TIE CONVENTION.

The Association Of Medical Superintendent
Of American Institutions sar The Insane 10 now
IN annual session in this city. The Arss meet
ing was held this morning in one Of the
large assembly rooms of the Arlington, and
tn the neighborhood OF Afty physicians
who are actively interested In the care and
treatment Of the insane were present when the
meeting WAS called TO order. Once year they
meet 70 listen to papers. share In discussions
and compare methods Of work. Naturally
these mestings are of great interest and valus.
wRHH oa0AHMIp.
The association was organized In 1914 and
since that time has had most prosperous
career. 1t numbers among its membership ~
most ell Of the leading brain specialists Of the
country. Dr.. Curvsn Of Warren. Pa 10 the
secretary Of the association and has been since
1883. He is likely to keep ON being the sscre-
tary FOR On indefinite time 10 como.
CALLED TO ORDER ~ rRss,Dsxr s1sARNs.
1t was 1870 o'clock whom President n. p,
stesrns, N. D., rose and spoke the simple
phrase, ''Ths association will please como to
order" This was the formal opening Of the
meetings OF the association. He then intre-
duced DR.. J. NJ Toner Of this CITY, who made
pleasant little address Of welcome, in the
course Of which he said:
Oh. roNsR's WELCOME.
Il esteem It" said DR.. Toner, - privilege
and an honor in behalf Of tho medical profess
sion and may add the citizens OF the District
OF Columbia TO welcome your old and dtstin-
guished National Association, and to assure you
how gratifying IL Is to us to have you hold your
annual meeting In this city. The nations capt.
tai is and Of right ought TO be the favorits city Of
America, whore the people from all parts Of
the republic may assemble in conventions and
where the beneAeient organisations OF ma
nonal character may convene ut their pleasure
20 CONFER for their common good and to enlarge
the sphere Of their usefulness"
After paying tribute to the chemist and the
benefits his studies and labors had conferred on
mankind. DR.. Toner continued,
I'VE wish you to feel that when we welcome
you to our city homes, In . national and patri-
otto sense, ii is your own-the peoples city
and that the medical profession Of Washington
are confident that while your association are
discussing the manifold diseases Of the brain
and comparing results Of treatment and the
management OF institutions for the insane gen.
srsl medicine will at the same time be bene-
hted. The millennium has not been reached in
medicine. There is ample room for advance
naent In every branch OF II, and each Is invit-
Ing the earnest and capable laborer TO enter
and CLEAN honors. Mountains Of unappro-
prtated lsurels remain to adorn the bsows Of
si'0 iof 'unnto physicians VINO may In the least
improve the art and science Of medicine, or
add aught to our knowledge Of the means for
restoring health to the AFFLICTED. The occasion
and the audience are inspiring, but I shall con-
ciude, for am sure you are impatient to pro-
coed to the program of business arranged for
that the medical gentlemen Of tie city have in
structed me to extend to each member indi-
vtdually and to your honorsd association % Q
body q most hearty welcome, and express the
hope that the fruits Of the meeting may fully
realize your expectations"
DR. srEARNs' REPLY.
In response DR.. Stearns said they would feel
honored to be welcomed to the city by any one
that might be selected for the purpose, but
they felt it an especial honor to be welcomed
ny Dr: Toner. whose name has ever been con-
nsstsd With all that 10 highest and best In the
profession Of medicine. In Q few graceful
words he rendered the thanks Of the sssoci-
alton for the kindly welcome they had re-
cetved TO the capital Of the nation.
DR.. John Curwsn Of Warren, Pa, secretary Of
the association, was called upon to read the
minutes Of the last meeting, which was held in
this city last spring.
Oh. 0opDINo ANNOUNCES TIE PAoolAx.
DR.. ". w. Gpdding, superintendent of st.
Rlizabeth's Hospital for the Insane, of the COM
mittse on order Of business, reported to the a.
ISOLATION that they had agreed upon the pro-
gram as printed and presented to each Of the
members. He also read number
OF invitations that had been received from
various institutions asking the association to
VISIT an. .a; inspest them. On Friday afternoon
more and on Thursday afternoon an inspection
VIII be made of st. Elisabeth's. Tomorrow
afternoon the association will make special
trip to Mount Vernon on the Manchester.
~ Or. Godding introduced e1-surgson General
NJ he AZ 80
leges Of visiting members be extended to him
DR.. Edwards, DIR. L. H. Prince, DR.. A. c.
Davis, DR.. Westcott, Dr.. Gordon, Dr. Wagner
and DR.. Wilmer were also introduced and the
same courtesies extended to them.
COMMITTEES APPOINTED.
After the reading Of several letters BY the
secretary the president read the announcement
Of his nominations for committees. These we're
% follows: On nomination Of officers, DR..
John B. Chaplin, DIR. I. W. Fisher DR.. Benz
Biackford; on time and place Of next meeting,
Dr.. s. B. Lyons on auditing bills, DR.. Charles
q. Hill, DR.. W. A. Gordon, DR.. H. A. Hutchin-
son; on resolutions, DR.. p. Bryce, DIR. G. X.
Clark and DR.. C. W. Pilgrim.
At this point in the proceedings recess of
fifteen minutes was taken while the members
placed their names down on the register.
NEW OFFICERS CHOSEN.
A1t0I thc HcCVee suo COultulttec On uOml0o-
tons made it's report naming DR.. Daniel Clark
Of Toronto for president, and DR.. J. v. An
drsws Of Buffalo for vice president The re-
port was adopted and the nominations ratified
unanimously.
Dr.. H. P. Stearns, the retiring president of
the association, read valuable paper on
'-Some Notes on the Present state Of Psy-
chistry." In the course Of his paper Dr..
Stearns said that the fault had been found that
the study Of the brain and Its diseases had not
kept pace with other kindred studies, and the
proportion Of cases Of recovery is still pitisbly
small. He said he would not stop 70
question the truth Of this criticism, but, sssum-
ing that 1t ID true, II reflects upon the whole
profession and not solely upon the specialists
on the brain. The study IL not closed one
and the general practitioner frequently has q
great advantage over the specialists in his
Familiarity, frequently from the birth Of the
patient, with his physical history and
condition. II would be hard 10 expect greater
progress In the treatment of mental disor<lsrs
when the question Of the real nature of normal
mentality 10 still clouded in such . haze Of
doubt.
WHAT - NORMAL MENTALITY.
DR.. steasns then went on in q scholarly man
per TO discuss the question Of what normal
mentality Il. After giving q few reasons
why the progress had not been greater.
and was unsatisfactory to the specialists
themselves above all, he went on to
question and disprovs the statement that
Psychiatry had failed TO keep up with other