Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-03-25

DR. Robins has submitted. II Il In Npe Win
the most recent experiments In Ge.ue
as well as in New York, Albany. Ann Arso.
and other American cities. The subject
IL large one, and ! would be glad to see
1t thoroughly discussed. in the hope that
not only will the increase in insanity pc
checked. but that heavy burden VIII. IN
some degree, at least. be lifted from the
community. There Is no question that this
burden Is much more onerous than It ought
to be- We pay 500 per annum for each
patient charged against the District. sum
greatly In excess of the average cost else
where. At present, however. we have no
redress for the hospital is not under Dis
trict control, and the Commissioners are
compelled to include in their estimates the
amount submitted to them, no matter how
excessive that amount may seem to be.
DR.. Robins report is an interesting docu-
ment. He begins by stating that In re-
Spouse to Commissioner Vests personal
request he has made some Investigations
into the question OF the prevalence OF IN
sanity In the District Of Columbia as COM
pared with that of other states and terri
tories, and asserts that the experience of
the District in this respect has been the
general rule throughout the United States.
The increase in insanity here and elsewhere
is, he says probably to be accounted for
as follows:
First-In recent years many Of the up-to-
date medical schools have added the sub
Ject of insanity to their curriculum, ana
the definition OF insanity Is 80 well under
stood that greater numbers are included.
Insanity Disease
Second-Wfth much pleasure It Is noted
that the more intelligent Of our popula-
ton now look upon insanity as physical
disease rather than a family disgrace; and
the constantly growing confidence IN our
hospitals for the insane has led the people
to be less backward in sending their rea-
tives to be cared for in these institutions
Third-The causes that produce insanity
are more operative now than formerly.
The chief factors are heredity and strain.
With an increasing population and an ap-
solute disregard of the marriage and inter-
marriage of the mentally defective ana
those with taints of insanity, each genera
ton increases the number of those or I'M
stable BRAIN incapable of standing the vari-
GUS strains through which they have to
pass.
Fourth-About one-third of the insane
of the United States are foreign born. There
can be little doubt that very many of our
em.grants come to this country with an
hereditary predisposition to mental disease.
This predsposition, In conjunction with a
very hard struggle for daily bread In
strange land probably accounts for the
enormous number of foreign born insane
DR.. Robins devotes considerable portion
of his report to suggesting provision FOR
the proper care of cases of suspected or
doubtful insanity in this District.
"These cases should in my judgment,
he says, "be saved the stigma (for 1t is
still called SO by many of being sent to
a hospital for the insane until 1t has been
proven beyond the question of a doubt
that they are insane. Too many cases are
committed to hospitals for the insane. there
to remain only two, three or four weeks.
when they are discharged as cured. These
cases and all cases of doubtful insanity
could be treated In psychopathic pavilion,
separate and distinct from asylum
Psychopathic Pavilions.
DIR. Robins says that Germany has at
least eight of these hospitals In operation,
and others in course of operation while In
this country similar institutions have been
established in New York. Albany and Ann
Arbor Brooklyn Philadelphia and Pitts
burg have observation wards, but sep
arate buildings for these cases. In New
York the inmates of the building are those
who are only alleged to be insane. About
10 per cent of the cases treated are found
to be permanently afflicted and are then
committed to the insane hospital by judicial
proceedings. In Albany the pavilion re-
ceives only voluntary patients, and the rec
ords show that the percentage of patients
discharged as recovered and improved has
been 60.
The psychopathic ward at Ann Arbor
was constructed and equipped at an ex-
pense Of S64 COO appropriated by the Mich
igan legislature, the purpose of the build
ing being ito furnish treatment and OBJ
servation of persons suffering from dis
cases of the mind in the earlier stages and
for those whom commitment and detention
in an insane asylum is not needed.
In New York hospital for a similar >pur-
pose is about to be erected at an expense
of $4,000 and the architect of the build
ing has furnished DR. Robins with rough
sketches of a similar building which might
be erected here.