The Indianapolis journal., 1903-01-16
COLORs TO CURE INSANE.
New York Times.

new cure for insanity is being tested
by Drs. Bond and Monette on Wards
Island. The color cure Is treatment new
to alienists. but one that promises to be-
come very successful, for, so far, great
many Of the patients taken to the color
ward have been cured. DR.. Dent, superin-
tendent of the Woman's Hospital on the
island, directed that ward be set aside
for the color treatment and be fitted with
all that the experiment required.
In this new treatment only the primary
colors are employed. but SO completely is a
patient surrounded by an atmosphere of a
particular color, deemed best by the physi-
clans for his particular mania, that the
vibrations must act upon him. The rooms
consists Of an iron bed and chair The
walls are painted In vivid color, the bed
and chair colored to correspond with the
walls. and the light Sits into the room
through a shade of the same color so that
an atmosphere of this color Is created.
When one OF the patients suffers from
acute mania the room that Is painted black,
very dungeon sort Of a room, falls to her
lot. This complete darkness and the ST.
lence of the place seldom fail to have some
effect on the patient. AS matter of fact,
IT tends to soothe, and soon it is noticed
that the subject becomes quieter. Red,
producing more vibrations to the second
than any other color. is employed when
melancholia is being treated. These rays
or red attract the mind, their vibrations
are necessarily felt by the patient and the
thoughts In the poor brain are set in mo-
ton. There are violet rooms for mild
forms OF insanity: blue and green rooms for
the boisterous and a white room for the
person who is practically WELL
A recreation room or hall extends through
the middle OF the long, low building on
each side OF this hall are ranged the rooms
and as the visitor steps from the outdoor
light into the subdued quiet of the hall the
combination of the rays of light from the
different rooms is quite startling for a mo-
ment
That the different colors have effect on
the insane patient was well illustrated the
other day, when a woman suffering from
melancholfa was led down the hall. First
came the black rooms; these she passed
state of observation. The violet. green and
blue rooms had the same effect: before
each door she paused, but did not raise
her eyes. Then came the brilliant orange
room. For moment she raised her eyes
then lowered them again. Three OF these
rooms she passed, and was then brought
abruptly In front of the room with the red
walls. She raised her head instantly
looked into the room and then about her
The vibrations produced by this color had
evidently been felt by her, while the others
had had no effect. In this way the room
is generally selected for the patient. OF
bad that nothing will attract attention. a
red room cannot be supposed to have i'm
mediate effect, but after a week or two
weeks in this room some Slight improve
ment may be noticed-the glance of ar
eye. the motion of hand or the hea6
mean much to the doctors-more than the
layman WOULD ever imagine.
There are rooms of three shades of the
same color, each lighter by several de-
grees than the preceding one. From rec
the patient is removed to a deep pink room
from this to one of a flesh tint, and ther
they generally come out well. or so nearly
well that only a certain number of hours
in the day need be spent in the color
room.