The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-11-15
DOCITIES CAUSE INSANITY
NOTED PHILADELPHIA PHYSICIAN
HOLDS TO CONTRARY OPINION.
Says That the Hurry and Bustlc Of
Great cities Tend tn Wear Out
Human Lives.
Philadelphia Press
Do cities make lunatics?

Il WO SldIllluB 10 H ~ tA1~
they do have caused a whirIwind of discus
zion.
From London comes the declaration that
the British metropolis alone Is responsible
for seventy lunatics a week
The author OF this statement, who is the
president of the Medico-Psychological sec
ton Of the British Medical Congress, also
said that the cause of the insanity Is the
many-formed evil influences of the metropo-
Ifs itself upon the minds OF it's inhabitants.
Almost simultaneously a prominent alien
fst OF this country startled the world with
q powerful exposition Of the effect OF rack
ing noises. artificial light and the ceaseless
excitement OF city life upon the nervous
system. and especially upon mental stabil-
fly.
He pointed out UGH examples as the evil
effect OF the glare Of an electric light had
upon the nerves OF the eyes when one was
sleeping. the shock TO the whole nervous
system caused by the roar of a passing troll
ley. the startling Of the nerve ends by the
sudden changing of bells, and so on in a
hundred other ways.
DIR. John r.. Chaplin. superintendent OF
the Pennsylvania Hospital for the Insane,
There Is undoubtedly a material III eff
feet produced upon the nervous system by
the glare OF the. electric light, the hum and
clang of the trolley car and the noises OF
q throbbing city. You will remember that
the rich Romans made II a prominent fea-
ture In the preservation OF health to sleep
outside of the city in order to insure recre-
ating sleep.
"Th darkened room was deemed essen
tiaL- Any artificial light initiates against
heaithful and restful sleep. The glare of
the street arc light cannot be efectually
shut out from the city bedroom, no matter
how thoroughly the windows are curtained,
without a sacrifice of good ventilation.
Proper nerve recuperating sleep is measure
bly, defeated by the presence OF even a
thread-like streak Of light I'm ones room"
Dr.. Chaplin, in continuing the discussion,
said: THE constantly increasing volume
OF noise accompanying the approach Of a
trolly car stimulates the nerve ends in SYM
pathstic harmony even In the apparent
unlocked for noises In large cities act on
the nerves TO an abnormal degree.
NOISE AND INSANITY.
However. 1 am not OF the opinion that
these conditions tend to produce insanity
70 80 alarming an extent as that sug-
gested by theories of the specialist. Nor.
in fact, am / OF the belief that any ap-
preciabie percentage OF the certified cases
OF insanity is traceable to such causes. I
do not recall a case of such nature which
has been brought to our attention.
II can understand how such influences
may produce nervous exhaustion: and, Of
course. 1t Is but a step to neurasthenia. 1t
Is also possible that there are numerous
cases, the basic inducement OF which may
have arisen from the clatter OF out of doors
in the cities, the turmoil Of the factory and
the monotony of the sweat shops and mill.
This may suggest the problem of over
work so commonly ascribed to certain cases
of insanity. Work alone Is seldom a de-
termining cause of unstable mental equilib-
rum The real factor In such cases is the
care. WORRY and anxiety aCCOmndnylQR
work. and In the final nervous breakdown.
1T Is usual To assign such causes among
rich patients. IL the truth were known,
-the vast majority OF insane cases among the
rich IL due to hereditary faint. intemper-
ate living. specific diseases contracted dur
ing life and alcoholism. The two great
and principal sources OF insanity, among
rich and poor, are disease and alcohol.
Tho Increase of insanity in the large
cities Of this country Is on the whole not
"Philadelphia's increase during ten years,
from 1880 to 1899. inclusive. as based on a
statistical report OF verified cases, Is slight
per cent of the new cases went TO public
charge hospitals and Is per cent. came
TO the Pennsylvania Hospital.
During the succeeding years the proper
ton remained about the same. BY a re-
markable coincidence the percentages were
identical in 1899. At the beginning of the
nearly a million and a half there were only
SIS new cases reported. Approximately the
same number were reported ten years later.
Relying solely on a guess. I would say that
there Is no increase to-day.
INSANITY NOT INCREASING.
The proportion Of insanity to the popu-
lation then was about one In every 1,525 per-
SONS In 1899 the proportion was one to
l,317. So IL may be safely stated that the
ratio between the new cases and population
has not materially changed; not enough
at least to inspire alarm. as the statements
from London suggest.
That city makes lunatics, in the manner
these two reports allege, is rather hypo-
thetical. / would say. as far as / am able
TO Judge, without going deeply into the
matter. that they do not, any more h
I'm general the same principles apply to
the poor class. They are at the mercy OF
cities. OF course. immoral surroundings are
quick channels TO ill-health.
Their struggle for existence is at best
preston and despair. Melancholia Is COM
mon In this class. That and kindred mental
unsoundness are also superinduced by de-
~lusions. nl-grounded fears and perpetual
brooding.
.OnIy so far as is described above are
the cities responsible for insanity.
THE turmoil of a metropolis has very lit
tie effect upon the nervous system OF this
class. because as a genus of the human
family It is less highly organized In intel
leclUai ana nervous ueV elOpment- IT Is not,
therefore,. SO susceptible to such influences
as the wage-earning host or the rich and
highly cultured.
Organic diseases must not be left out of
count In considering the poor. When IL is
remembered that 81 per cent. OF the recorded
cases Is treated In public charge hospitals
against Is per cent. In private institutions
where q substantial fee IL charged for care,
It Will be readily seen that the greatest
number OF lunatics come from the ranks OF
the poor"
DR.. Charles K. Mills, an eminent alienist
of this city, says: by far the greatest
number or cases called 10 my attention
arise from the conglomerate. degenerate
host OF foreigners IN the city. / doubt very
much that the noise OF the trolley, the
artificial light. the shrek OF the whistle
and the total rumble and roar OF city activf-
~ has anything 10 do with such cases.
Insanity Ia them is either deep-seateC
on by specific diseases and drink. All thi:
theorixing Is well enough for the fancifu
speculation, but as a matter OF fact 80 pei
cent. OF my cases I'm Philadelphia, amons
y the rich as well as among the poor, hav,
>keen either directly or secondarily due Il
70 oa~uses-alcohol and disease.
SThe populous Whitechapel district o.
yCondon possesses no trolley or other con
trfvances OF this nerve-racking character
: yet IL Is a hotbed OF insanity. The thing.
which produce IL there are ale and porter
brandy and disease. From such places com,
the seething-brained anarchists and crimi
nails OF abnormal proclivities."
WORK AND sTIMULANTs.
Does hard work or overwork increas,