New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-09-05
INSANITY is INCREASING.
DR. c. e. ATWOOD'S ADDRESS BEFORE THE
SOCIAL SCIENCE ASSOCIATION.
THE TEACHINGS OF RECENT INVESTIGATIONS
DR. CYRUS EDISON DEPENDS THE HEALTH
DEPARTMENT OF THIS CITY.
IBY TELEGRAPH 70 THE TnIBusRJ

IDA 10 1hbSNhl
Saratoga, Sept 4-The American Social Science
Association tonight closed its twenty-sixth annual
meeting The days proceedings were confined to the
Department OF Health, the chairman Of which, DIR.
Frederick Peterson Of New-York opened the session
with some remarks on the State Care OF Eplleptcs
DR.. Charles E. Atwood, Of the Utica Insane Asylum
read an interesting paper on "Teachngs Of Recent
investigations into the CausatiOn Of Insanity He
said that until insanity 10 be considered as q
manifestation Of actual physical disease, its ascribed
causes were obscure and tinged with popular super
sdon and prejudice. To ascertain the real operative
causes In any given is difficult problem. 1t may be
stated as a general law that person OF average
healthy constitution TO begin with viii not become
insane. A majority Of cases OF insanity are due 10
hereditary predsposition the hand and one or
more exciting causes on the other. statistics in
reference TO the importance OF heredity vary with differ
emit Institutes where the insane are cared for. OF
the 5O7 patients admitted TO the Utica state Hospital
last year, insane hcredity traced in 80 per
cent. Tho neurOtic hcredity would easily bring the
percentage much higher, perhaps to as per csH
In 101 Of the the could not be ascertaned
The data imperfect.
The speaker next referred to the pecullarlties OF
persons inclined 10 insanity. He added that the trans
mission Of the tendency to insanity is frequent on
the mothers side, though the difference Is not great
IL found at the Utica State Hospital last year,
for example. that OF the Isl admitted during
the year in whom insane heredity could be traced, 81
derived this predspoSng from the paterna
branch, 81 from the maternal branch, 10 from both
the maternal and paternal branches and Al had in
sane relatives Immediately connected. The potency
Of transmission in proportion the Of the
relationship. Among the predispOsng causes of In
sanity may DO mentioned previous attacks OF certain
constitutional diseases which lower the general nervous
tone effect decided alteration in nutrition, the In
1uenoe OF race OF faulty education OF certain occupa
tons and Of certain periods of llfe out Of 503
patients In the Utlc Hospital 20 per cent were born
in the United States of foreign parents while % per
cent were born in foreign countries.
Dr. Atwood gave at length statistics similar to
this showing that foreigners contributed the largest
number of patients. Statistics, he added gathered
from varlons sources. show that sex and tho cOndt
tons OF marriage celibacy do not exert marked
influence in predisposition. Mental diseases are
most frequent between the Of thirty and fifty.
In New-York state there is insane ldotio per-
son to every $50 inhabitants Insanity Is constantly
increasing Some OF the exciting causes act directly
on the cerebral centres, and may be called direct
canses some are Internal agents, acting on the
perphera ends OF primarily, and on the brain
as a secondary or sympathetic effect; and some are
external agents moral causes. Accident or disease
in any form may lead TO insanity. 1t all depends
upon the physical condition of the person. DR.. At
wood in conclusion said that at present the most
DOtent factor which Is being constantly urgcd as IL
practical measure IT. prevention is the early treatment
BY appropriate means not only of insanity, but Of the
allied nervous affections and also the prevention OF
marriages of those heredltarily predlspOsed
Dr. Frances Emily White OF the WOman's Medical
College, Philadelphia, read a paper on "Spirtualsm
and Hypnohsm."
paper on the Organization ard Work OF the
New-York City Health Board" by Charles G. Wilson,
president and Dr. Cyrus EdsOn chief inspector, OF the
Board was read by the latter. He prefaced 1t by
stating that at the last meeting Of this association It's
president Andrew D. White, presented paper entitled
The Government Of Cities" in which he severely
criticised the Health Department Of the City OF New
York Mr.. Whites premises were well taken. but
they were based upon facts and conditions that oc
CURED aud existed over twenty years ago. Dr. Edson
added ave do not believe however that Mr.. White
intended 30 attack the present organization Of our
department, and therefore do not enter the Isis
against so able an opponent DR.. Edison then De
scrlbed the organization and work OF the Health De
naIment OF today I'm contrast with the one that eXsen
twenty wears ago He quoted largely from the Oihcld
reports of the department The total number 81
EMPLOYEES and officers in the service OF this department
Is about 200 and the annual expenditure S'5oo.OOO
from lists OF names furnished by the civil service
Commission In other words, a strict competitive
examination must be passed by all applicants Tor the
Service 80 H., ,,,-..t,,-
Tonight an address with stereoptlcan illustrauons
on Recent Studies Regarding the Nature and treat
ment OF HydrOphobia7 given by DR.. PAN Gloler
of the Pasteur Institute New-YOrk City,