Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1901-01-23

sane, Two problems, similar yet IN many
respects quite distinct present Them
selves. The one, treatment during the
hopeful stages of the disease,
with the hope OF cure and
retuern to family and friends
and the avocations of life; the other, to
fortunate class, the incurables. Our eff
forts az a christian and humanitarian
people should be directed to the best
available solution Of both these prob
lens. In either there Is no Royal
Road" and no plans or methods have
yet been developed that do not present
their rerplexities, their difficulties and
their disappointment Medical science,
from which SO much has been hoped.
has failed to give permanent relief in
ia great majority of cases and the most
careful and elaborate preparation has
had to wait upon the slow and uncer-
tian responsiveness of broken down
bodies, minds and souls. The question
lis more mental and moral than a
physical one, hence it is that ordinary
medical science finds itself 80 often
baffled in its attempts to give relief.
The real merits of any system OF
treatmeit can be correctly determined
by its results only. Treatment, being
begun for the purpose of cure, the test
of success. as in other diseases to de-
termine how many of those treated are
cured and returned to home and friends
able again to take UP and pursue the
duties OF life. j shall assume Marshall
county to be fair average of the state
as to percentage of insanity and success
of treatment.
Superintendent Hill, of independence,
has said: In order to know the perma
nent value of the work done by any in
stitution, the final outcome Of the per-
sons treated in 1t should be ascer-
tanned" Applying thisStest to thiscoun
ty shows substantially this result Sew
enty chronic and ncurable cases cared
for by the state. county and friends:
three in hospital reported as: i'm pro we'd,
LOT the cured find about seven living and
apparently we'll. showing that the incur
able and chronic number ten times the
living. cured. The roll of dead in the
last twelve years will exceed thirty.
DR.. Tomlinson, of St. Peter hospital,
Minnesota, recently said "A majority
of the cases that come to a public insti-
tuition, being the result of defective or
ganization, are but the expression of a
progressive degeneration, esse ntially in
durable, and states that the probable
value of treatment in such cases will
consist largely in teaching them to be
orderly and cleaniy. able to occupy
themselves in some useful way and con-
tribute to their own support.
Both experience and competent ail-
thority, therefore. unite in showing that
a very large majority of the cases re-
curing public care Will almost surely be
of the class tincurable," whose treat
sment will essentially consist of proper
attention in matters of food. clothing.
physical comfort, cleanliness, santa
ton, ETC.. where their remnants of life
and usefulness may be best utilized for
their own comfort and support and con-
tribute most in reducing the public bur
den. AS to the method of care, whether
by the state in it's hospitals or by
counties. assume equal desire on the
part of those in charge for the confor,
and we'll being of their charges To az.
sumo otherwise would be in some sort
an insult to our common humanity The
sdebatable ground is largely one OF
means and conditions. As to means.
counties have had to work at consider-
able disadvantage, because their efforts
have been discouraged and opposed and
have lacked the support of proper legis-
lation. yet even under these adverse
conditions the results of their wor,,
have been such as TO show great posi-
sbilities.
Aside from the question of the gem
seral care of the insane every county
should make some special and appro-
Pirate provision for the care and sup
port of its dependents. In the first place
most counties have had to care for at
least a few incurabies because of
crowded hospitals There are eases of
epilepsy or senile dementia for whom
nothing can be done except to care for
and support them properly az long as
they may live. Such are frequently
cared for by their families or friends as
long az they can do 80, but are eventll-
ally turned over to the public for care.
1T seems unnecessary to send such to
the hospitals. Again there are cases OF
sudden and temporary mental derange-
ment who will soon regain their mental
polse and be able to care for them
selves. Such cases furnish many of the
cures that hospital statistics show /
know of one ouch case said 10 have
been cured five times in this state and
elsewhere, but is now an imbecle. IL
still living. In all such cases detention
in Well ordered county institution for
a few weeks at much less expense
would doubtless have been just as effi-
cacous. Again-and such cases consti-
tute large proportion of all cas-
mental arrangement may result from
excuses, the remedy. for which
is simply repression from the evil prac-
tice. whatever 1t may be: nature viii
bring the cure If it come at all. In such
cases the only permanent cure will
come thru reformation. The drinker
must drink no longer and the dissolute
be dissolute no longer.
Such cases therefore, as have been
named, show the need for each county
TO prepare for the care of those who
might thus appropriately be placed in
its charge. If the question of expense
should be a stumbling block. it should
be remembered that whatever Is done
by the state does not relieve the coun-
ties or their Taxpayers from the bur-
den to be borne, because the state has
no resources independents of what ii
gets from the countless in fact, the state
increases the burden, because what ii
does Is always on an expensive scale.
This will readily become apparent from
Il little consideration of the subject be-
fore us. Referring to the last official
Register of Iowa that have at hand
that of 1851 find that the investment
of the state In the hospital plants at In
dependence Clarinda and Mt Pleasant