The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-10-28
Science has demon
strated that wicked
spots may be cut
outof brains Of some
bad children and re-
form them = How
this is accomplished.

home life have manifested themselves
at the home.
This boys mother is insane. and has
recently been committed 10 the state
mental hospital at Provo This. it is
believed, is the cause Of the boys de-
ficiency, and surgical operation would.
II the theories OF the specialists are ten
able. and the history OF similar cases
in other localities would be repeated in
his case, effect a complete cure. and
make Of him a normal member Of SO
ciety.
Gets Drumming Fever"
WIN was sent 10 the court or com
plant Of hts father who said that the
boy was a natural thief. The boy s.ole
his mothers diamonds and pawned
them. He then went on a drumming
trip sleeping in saloons and in pool
rooms. One night ne slept in a Japan
csc pool room in Commercial street, ard
was generally useless and shiftless.
Returning to his home, he was all
right for a short time, but another
stroke of the fever" struck him, and
he stole his mothers watch and chain
and paWned them, together with a
number of gold coins which his father
had as keepsakes- This was six weeks
later, and another hobo trip was taken.
He returned as usual after the fever
died out ~
Shows Marked Improvement.
Then the boys father died and the
lad went TO work in the city. He IN
dertook the support OF the family, and
contributed all Of his wages to meet the
family needs. The mother and sisters
deprived themselves OF the actual needs
I OF life during the midday meal, sub
siSting on only the most meagre fare
! in order that more tempting and whole
20
! at the evening meal when the boy was
at home to share with them.
The new responsibilities that were
/ forced upon Wills shoulders seemed 20
have driven the old fever out OF his
mind and all went well for some time
! About two weeks ago VIII drew $50
! due him for wages, left his family and
| disappeared from his usual haunts. The
/ juvenile court was asked TO look for
I VIII, and ne learned Of this. The fam
| lily was in want, and needed his aid to
] keep food in the house
Penitent for Bad Conduct
As soon as VIII learned that the fam
/ lily needed him, he seemed to realize
/ that his duty was with them and he
voluntarily gave himself up 10 the
| court. When he was asked why he did
such things, Will, though is years old,
broke down and wept like a child. Be
tween MS SODS ne Seld
| "Oh. why did / do this thing? l do
not know why il is. but I cannot help
! it. The fever comes on me every little
while. and / can think of nothing be-
sides cumming. ] forget my mother and
my sisters and my work. / simply can
not help it."
! Inquiry into the boys history 6evel-
oped the fact that when he was a child
he had suffered bad fall which injured
&c S,lrr I 81.
8 years he had periodical attacks of the
! cumming fever" and could not resist
running away. He could not account
for this. and said that he would sacri-
| flee anything in the world 10 overcome
the temptation when it came to him.
Will said that no one had induced him
| TO draw his wages and desert the fam
lily, but il was one phase of the fever
1t is such cases as these that this
commission is designed TO investigate.
and in many cases can effect q COM
plete and permanent cure, restoring the
victim of the misfortune TO normal con-
dition by a comparatively simple sur
! gical operation.
Environment and surrounding infIu-
ences frequently have a marked inf1u-
ence on the developing mind OF the
child. and where wrong or evil tenden-
cies are manifested. study of the
fch1lds environment will disclose a
cause for the moral or intellectual de-
feet.
Such conditions are easily met. and
the evil influence is easily overcome.
| II the child is transplanted like plant
from cellar to the garden, 10 new
conditions, new surroundings and new
! atmosphere that will contribute TO his
development morally and intellectually,
the old effects Will soon be eradicated
and the child will develop naturally, as
he should.
If, on the other hand. the child is left
under the influence of those who are
naturally low and debased. criminals or
victims of alcoholism. he will grsvitate
downward and viii seek the level 10
which he is accustomed. Thus, envi-
ronment has much to do with the max
ing of criminals and other deinquents.
| For such cases as these, surgical op-
! eratlons are not necessary, and medi-
cal attention is foreign. A complete
change of the manner of living is the
only cure 1t is not for the treatment
of such cases that this commission has
been appointed to investigate and
treat.
Parents Must Consent.
Examinations are not ordered by the
juvenile court without the written per
mission OF the parents of the delin-
quents,s and such examinations by the
| cHltc Oh scientists are IN no manner
compulsory The parents are usually
willing that examinations should be
made, but in many cases, it has been
found in other cities. opposition 10 sur
gical operations is encountered among
the ignorant and nliterate.
Ignorance and illiteracy have ever
been the greatest drawbacks to surgical
practitioners, the patients who have not
sufficient education or intelligence To
i. appreciate the wonders of modern
surgery objecting to operations, as they
cannot realize the effect of certain phy-
steal conditions on the mentality and
nervous systems OF the children.
With persons of ordinary education.
those VINO have kept abreast OF the
times and the wonderful achievements
of surgery in the last two decades. il i
less difficult TO convince them of the
merits of the new system by which
moral disease is cured as physical dis
ease is cured-by medicine and surgery.
by the removal Of the cause of the men
tai or moral deficiency. and the restora-
ton of mental and moral health. as
bodily health can be restored by similar
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