The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-07-13
INCREASE OF INSANITY.
DIR. j. NJ. Thurston Tells How 1t Could
BE Prevented.

To the Editor of the Indianapolis Journal:
Now that there seems to be an awaken
ing to the fact Of an insanity trust" why
not face a far graver phase of this most
important subject? That insanity is on the
increase no one acquainted with the facts
doubts. But it is to be doubted If its
alarming increase, disproportionate to the
increase Of population, is realized. The
United States census reports show that
since the insane, idiotic. blind and deaf
mutes, or the. defective classes, have been
separately enumerated, from 1850 up to
1880. while the population has a little more
than doubled in these thirty years. the total
defective classes. of which the insane COM
prise more than a fourth, increased more
than ivefold! During the past decade Cor
since 1870 the increase in population has
been so per cent, but the apparent increase
in the defective classes has been 155 per
cent" (Tenth census of the United States.
Part 2, Page 1852 The census report of
1880 shows a total of 81 ,e97 insane; that of
1890 a total Of LOG, 254. an increase of 14.257
in that decade. The facts and figures as to
the insane in our State furnish no food for
the optimist. 1t has not been much over a
decade since the State finished the large
anu expensive dSylullS dt LO6dlSpOil,
Evansville and Richmond. so that while
the Central asylum, at indianapolis. ac-
commodated the insane a dozen years ago,
now the four immense asylums of Indiana
are so crowded that new patients are put
In the county jails to await the discharge
or death OF an inmate.
Any and every country doctor who hap
pens to be in attendance on a person sus-
pected of insanity can call in any other
doctor and a justice of the peace. all Of
whom may not know the difference between
a Authorization and a cogitation, and sit
in judgment on the sanity of any citizen
and send him TO the insane asylum, where
he is kindly allowed to either die, get we'll
or join the 20 per cent. of 'incurables," for
the fact is that the inmates of our asylums
receive practically no treatment for in
sanity. The superintendent end assist
ant physicians have obtained their posi-
tons mainly through "pulI." rather than
knowledge OF psychological medicine, train
ing and experience in treatment of the in
sane.
Many of the highest authorities on insan-
ity in this and the old countries have re-
Gently come 10 realize that insanity Is a
physical, instead Of a mental, disease. and
is as durable as most other diseases If
taken in its early stages and vigorously
treated with proper scientific remedies
adapted to the actual disease conditions
OF each individual case, as in any other
disease form or complex; that insanity has
its acute and chronic stages, as do most
other diseases, but, unlike many others. it
oCOh OCtChiNS IL " oQOJCIl "
treatment, and chronic insanity is largely
incurable.
DR.. Ford Robertson. the eminent British
authority on the pathology Of insanity.
says: TT can now be shown that the
various forms OF insanity differ in their
nature from other diseases in no respect
which the functional activity is perverted
or abolished. They are bodily diseases
just as truly as typhoid fever. rheumatism
or a fractured leg. and have similar caus-
Ok - Tho CTpo fest advance hoUaVpr In fha
pathology Of insanity has been made by
the German and Italian physicians. They
are demonstrating the durability of insan-
ity by making real hospitals for the treat
ment of insanity out of their heretofore
herding asylums. They are working on the
demonstrated facts that almost all forms
of mental arrangement or insanities are
the result of toxins (poisons) acting on
the nerve cells of the brain, at first i'm
pairing their normal function-potency and
ultimately brea <ing down their cell-struc-
ture. These poisons may be introduced
from without. or they may be created with
in the body by diseased organs. auto-in-
toxicatfon. The same toxin has different
effects on different people. The idea OF
insanity being inherited per Sc is being
abandoned by most authorities; Of course.
the susceptibility Of the nerve cells 70 these
toxins varies according to inherited tex
ture OF tissues and organs. just as color
of eyes. hair, etc. are inherited. In these
countries eminent scientists in medicine
are salaried by the government. so that
bread and butter need not stand in the
way OF medical discoveries.
Throw open the doors OF our insane aSy-
lums 10 the different established and recog-
nized schools OF medical practice, abolish
this medical trust. convert these asylums
into hospitals for treatment OF insanity,
give these unfortunate people the same
advantages of medical competition enjoyed
by the general public. Let the State en-
ploy experienced experts from the different
schools of medical practice in the treat
ment OF insanity, and take the thousands
of dollars spent in Conservatives. theatre
| Gals. etc. for the amusement (7) OF the
| insane-superiutendents. assistant physi-
clans. attendants. their friends and "a