Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-06-18
Specialists Hope Iowa May Be
Pioneer Creator of General
Scientific Institutions
INSANITY ON THE INCREASE
Large Proportion of Cases of Insanity
Believed to Be Directly Traceable to
Hereditary MISUNDERSTANDING Re-
striction Governing This Declared
MISUNDERSTANDING at MitcheIIviIIe.
Special to Times Republican.

Special to Times Republican.
| Des Moines. June 1S.-Leading ply
slcians of Iowa, state and local medical
associations, specialists in scientific
| investigation, heads of the state hos
pitais and others institutions, and
health boards and health physicians
are all working together in a good
measure of harmony at the present
/ time to secure for the state of Iowa
| the Capitalization and systematizing of
lot scientific research and experiment
ana original investigation in general
/ For several years the doctors have
been declaring that the state of Iowa
| is in need of a laboratory for bacterio-
| logical investigation and for chemical
| analysis. All efforts to have this es-
tablished have thus far failed But
! all over the state there is manifest a
growing demand for some recognized
state institution capable of making in
lvestigations and reports that would be
accepted by all as reliable. Specialists
| in the investigation of water supply.
and on contagious diseases are in con-
stant demand. Now the demand of the
doctors is to be enlarged or supple
mentei by the demand of the state
! hospitals and the state board of control
for central state laboratory where
| there will be carried on the investiga-
tions and examinations that are neces-
sary in; connection with the state in
stitutions. BY combining the demand
for meteorological laboratory and a
chemical laboratory, with that of the
general scientific and medical station
| the same to be conducted under the
| auspices of the state university, which
| has two strong medical departments.
and n well equipped general laboratory,
| it is now believed that the legislature
cannot refuse to act. The state board
| has. taken action that will lead to such
/ n combined demand on the Legislature.
| ling The larger things of the scientific
| 1t is hoped that Iowa will make the
beginning for a general scientific in
! stitution that will be, capable of hand
| world in manner to the great credit
of the state. 1t is pointed out that the
possibilities for good in such an insti-
tuition are almost unlimited. and if
Iowa begins now it will be pioneer in
this work
The two papers read at the confer
ence of the heads of institutions this
week on the subject of insanity, by
Superintendent Greene, of Nebraska,
and by Judge Kline, of the state board
indicate clearly the drift of thought in
scientific circles on the subject of in
sanity. Both papers brought out the
fact that large proportion of the cases
of insanity in the hospitals of the world
are traceable to hereditary influences.
All the students of the subject agree
that insanity is actually on the in
crease among civilized peoples. Super
intendent Greene, of Nebraska, an eX-
perienced man, declared that it should
be legally made absolutely impossible
for persons known to have predispo-
sition toward insanity to every marry
and propagate their kind. This looks
like harsh and cruel step not yet
warranted by any condition of affairs
known to exist. but he pointed out the
proof that failure to make this pro-
vision is responsible for very large
part of the insanity of the country and
that ii is only a matter OF time When
the public conscience will awaken and
drastic legislation be enacted to check
the tendency to insanity.
The action of the board Of insanity
in this county this week in sending to
the state hospital a man who had Just
been arrested on six criminal charges
has aroused some sharp criticism j.
w. Donovan was accused of enticing
children to his workshop for immoral
purposes. 1t has developed that his
reprehensible conduct has been going
on for long time. He was arrested
on complaint OF the injured persons.
But he has influential relatives and
friends and in order that he might
escape the penitentiary or the sum-
mary vengeance of the nelghbofs ne
was accused OF being insane, and with
the criminal charges hanging over nm
the insanity board took up the case
and adjudged him insane on account
of his conduct. 1t is very probable,
however that the grand jury VIII ls-
more the scheme to keep him out OF
the pententiary and compel q trial in
open court where the matter of in
sanity will be tested fairly. The heads
of state hospitals say that instances OF
persons sent to the insane hospitals to
escape responsibility for crimes COM
mitted are all too common and they
would be glad il some insanity board
would be brought up with a round turn
for such actions.
The newest thing in the school for
girls at Mitchellvlle is to be class in |
shorthand and typewriting. class of
a dozen is soon to be started in that
school, The girls are very anxious to
have this taught and number have |
shown aptitude for the same. The in
dustrial school for girls aims to give
the girls a training that Will tit them
for active life and it has been decided
that typewriting comes under this /
head
Theft state capitol commission is up |
against a hard proposition in the mat |
ter OF letting contracts for the COM
pietion of the capitol. The preliminary
which prepared estimates
had no money to spend and no author
ity. hence it's estimates. on which the |
appropriations were based, were mere